How Soon Should I Water Concrete After Pouring?

Keeping concrete moist is essential to the concrete curing process, but too much water and the concrete may not form in the way it needs to. If it loses too much moisture through evaporation, it will not cure properly and will become prone to cracks. Many construction specialists recommend watering it down five to ten times per day, for the first week, starting 2-4 hours after it has been poured. The first two to four hours lets the concrete 'finish', which refers to the setting process. Concrete curing is generally considered finished after 28 days. The industry rule-of-thumb for estimating curing time is one month of drying for every inch of concrete. The Do's include spraying the slab 5 to 10 times per day, pond-curing as an alternative, covering the concrete, and applying a curing compound. The Don'ts include painting while still curing, letting it get too cold, adding excessive weight, and skipping control joints. A-Core Concrete Specialists have been serving the Mountain West and surrounding states since 1974, offering services in concrete cutting, drilling, pouring, scanning, grinding, grooving, and more.