While plastic sheeting is highly effective in helping concrete cure without cracks there is a downside.
Cement cure time using plastic sheeting.
On slabs the sheets should be placed when the concrete has hardened enough to prevent surface damage.
If you plan on using an opaque stain on your concrete after it cures this doesn t matter.
To produce high quality concrete active curing is necessary and according to aci the most effective method for highly wear resistant and durable concrete is wet curing for a period of 7 days.
When plastic sheeting or curing blankets are placed atop a concrete slab much of the blanket is in direct contact with the concrete but there are also wrinkles and air pockets where the plastic remains suspended just above the slab.
Never spread wrinkling plastic sheets on the horizontal surfaces it may cause discolouration in patches.
This may be achieved using impervious paper plastic sheeting applying.
Keeping the concrete continuously wet for 7 days can be a challenge but not for sika ultracure blankets.
Condensed water pools wherever the plastic touches the slab but the concrete under the air pockets remains dry.
The use of waterproof building papers or plastic film polyethylene sheeting will also prevent the evaporation of moisture from concrete.
Pigmented polyethylene sheeting provides a good curing medium as it is impervious to moisture light in weight and can be re used under good conditions.
Curing concrete with a membrane or plastic sheeting is the most practical and efficient way to cure concrete in today s construction industry sometimes water is unavailable for water curing or if it s done improperly it can affect the strength or the surface finishing of the concrete product.
Using plastic membranes.
Plastic sheets should be placed and fixed within half an hour of removal of formwork from vertical surfaces.
Curing concrete normal hot and cold weather.
Contents why the curing of cement hellip.
The concrete will be discolored anywhere the plastic touches it.
Plastic sheeting also has the advantage of flexibility.
If not tent the plastic so it doesn t come into direct contact with the concrete.
Curing is the process of maintaining satisfactory moisture content and temperature in freshly cast concrete for a definite period of time immediately following placement.
Curing of cement concrete is defined as the process of maintaining the moisture and temperature conditions of concrete for hydration reaction to normally so that concrete develops hardened properties over time.
If the temperature is below 60 f use dark colored plastic sheets to absorb more light and boost the temperature.
This technique can also be used for upright concrete columns and walls by wetting them down and wrapping them with a curing blanket or plastic sheeting.
The process serves two major purposes.
When temperatures are higher than 85 f reflective white colored sheets help to keep the concrete cool as it cures.
