Laying edges in winter - Best way to do it

[stressed]

Hey there

Have been lurking around the site for a good while new and am 2/3rds through a decent sized paving project. Have been following the guidance on this site but i am now having to deal with the freezing weather.

For laying my concrete block paving edgings i use a 6 gravel, 2 sand, 1 cement bed, is it ok to lay the edgings in sub zero temps and just cover with carpet or something or can i do the mix with hot water? I want to carry on but i dont want the edges to fall apart and spoil all the hard work!

I'll post some project pics once i get some time when i am not knee deep in garden ;o)

Cheers

[rab1]

you can buy inhibitors for use in freezing weather. if its minus in temp you cant use normal mixes

[stressed]

Cheers Rab. Even if the edging is quite a dry mix with not much water in it to freeze?

[rab1]

if the temp is to low it wont sett properly as the water will freeze

[Suggers]

If it's a home project, I would personally hang fire, until you have at least 2/3 deg above ambient temp - not worth the agg.

[Tony McC]

The general rule for working with cementitious materials (mortars and concretes) is that the ambient temp has to be a minimum of 3°C and rising, with no drop below 4°C for at least 24 hours.

You'll often see brickwork protected by hessian or similar to keep off a light frost, but no critical pours can be done without frost inhibitors and/or heating.

For edge courses, I'd try to get them done when you know there's a relative warm spell due, and beef-up the concrete with an extra volume of cement.

[simeonronacrete]

Hello.

We manufacture a range of mortars designed for sub-zero work. It's called Monoset.

It can be mixed and applied below 0oC and will work down to -10oC.

Have a look at:

Monoset for bedding

Interested? Please give us a call.

[stressed]

Excellent fellas, cheers for all the info. I have been lucky and had a wee warm spell the last 2 days so got some bits done. Will need to just play it by ear and see how winter treats me.