How Long Does It Take For Concrete To Dry In San Diego?
Curing is the proper term for concrete “drying.” Concrete cures as it hardens rather than drying out.
At 70° F, it normally takes about 8 hours for the concrete to dry enough to sustain foot movement without leaving any form of footprint. After 24 hours of “drying,” the concrete will withstand typical foot activity.
After the concrete has cured for 48 hours, you can begin to construct it or place higher loads on it. You can drive on the concrete with smaller vehicles to larger trucks after 3 to 7 days of curing period.
Most concrete has attained around 70% of its maximum strength, and in some cases considerably more, after seven days of curing.
The concrete has reached full strength and is deemed fully cured after 28 days of cure time (or drying time).
How Long Does 4” Concrete Take To Dry?
Many 4″ thick concrete floors, slabs, and patios are poured and finished by me. The temperature has a big impact on how long it takes for 4″ of concrete to dry (or cure).
It took us around 30 minutes to pour and level this garage floor. After that, it took us around 1 to 1.5 hours to finish and trowel.
Concrete Driveways
A broom-finished concrete driveway, patio, or pool deck requires 24 to 48 hours to cure before you may walk on it. We would wait at least 48 hours before attempting to walk on new broom-finished concrete, and 72 hours would be even safer.
Because broom finished concrete has a less solid surface than hard troweled concrete, this is the case. To put it another way, it’s “softer” and more susceptible to harm from foot traffic.
Allowing the concrete to cure for two to three days guarantees that the surface is hard enough to withstand foot traffic without being scraped or gouged by shoes and boots.
How Long Does Concrete Need To Be Cured?
Before putting any weight on the concrete, it should be allowed to cure for at least 24 hours. At this time, we’d keep the weight under 100 pounds.
But be careful: in 24 hours, the concrete has only reached a percent of its strength and may fracture or break if too much weight is placed on it.
If you need to put any kind of weight on your new concrete, you should wait 48 to 72 hours. Most concrete pours can sustain the weight of a small automobile after three days of curing. (If you have the option, wait seven days for automobiles and trucks.)
Conclusion
Contact the experts of San Diego Concrete at (619) 383-2500 to know more!
