Wet weather & lying bases - Rain and sub bases & screeding

All forms of block paving, brick paving, flexible or rigid, concrete or clays, new construction or renovation
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sparkyknees
Posts: 5
Joined: Mon Jul 25, 2005 6:40 am
Location: north london

Post: # 9119Post sparkyknees

Silly question perhaps, but can I lay a sub base and top layers in drizzley wet weather ?
How much will it affect compaction etc?,

Thanks in advance :(
electricians can build too!..... well, sort of, I do wanna do it right!!

sparkyknees
Posts: 5
Joined: Mon Jul 25, 2005 6:40 am
Location: north london

Post: # 9120Post sparkyknees

sorry, laying bases not lying bases:blush:
electricians can build too!..... well, sort of, I do wanna do it right!!

Paverman Dan
Posts: 70
Joined: Tue Jun 29, 2004 5:27 am

Post: # 9168Post Paverman Dan

Moisture helps lubricate the base material particles and the right amount will actually aid compaction. Too much moisture will force the base material to pump from under your compactor, and the compactor will make a burping noise and you will then have to stop and wait for the base to dry.

Ideally, I'd rather compact base in dry weather while controlling my moisture content with a garden hose, or use a compactor with a water spray attachment, rather than let Mother Nature determine it for me. If you must compact the base in inclement weather, then do it, I guess, but again if the base gets too wet, you have to stop.

Never screed wet material for your setting bed. It wont screed properly and will compromise the integrity of the setting bed when the moisture evaporates. So . . . you may want to wait until you get a dry spell after all.

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