Garage base problem.
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ramblin
- Posts: 12
- Joined: Fri Jul 15, 2005 10:43 pm
- Location: scotland
recently i had a garage base put downin my back gardenand here is the problem. When they were laying in the concrete it was about 90 degrees thatdayand the concrete was drying out very quickly sothe builders were having to wet the concrete tostop it from hardening. The first part laid has hardened out ok but near the last part which was laid is stillvery brittle after a few days. Will this harden out or is it basically no use at all with too much water being applied when they were laying it?
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Tony McC
- Site Admin
- Posts: 8346
- Joined: Mon Jul 05, 2004 7:27 pm
- Location: Warrington, People's Republic of South Lancashire
- Contact:
It will not improve, I'm afraid.
By spraying with water, the installer has increased the water/cement ratio and thereby weakended the top few millimetres of the concrete. It will continue to 'dust' and abrade for quite some time.
What should have happened if for a curing membrane to be applied over the concrete. this traps the water into the concrete and regulates its escape so that the w/c ratio is not compromised and a perfectly 'hard' concrete finish is acheived. However, garage bases aren't usually regarded as 'prestige' jobs and so the use of such a membrane on a job of this nature is the exception, rather than the rule.
By spraying with water, the installer has increased the water/cement ratio and thereby weakended the top few millimetres of the concrete. It will continue to 'dust' and abrade for quite some time.
What should have happened if for a curing membrane to be applied over the concrete. this traps the water into the concrete and regulates its escape so that the w/c ratio is not compromised and a perfectly 'hard' concrete finish is acheived. However, garage bases aren't usually regarded as 'prestige' jobs and so the use of such a membrane on a job of this nature is the exception, rather than the rule.
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