Protecting concrete during construction - Part 3: Key considerations when choosing a protection solution

Protecting concrete during construction - Part 3: Key considerations when choosing a protection solution?

In our last post, we introduced the importance of giving concrete slabs adequate time to breathe and allow moisture to expel prior to the placement of temporary protection. We also listed the key factors that can dictate how short, or long that time frame might need to be. In this post, we'll unpack further each of the factors and provide reasons for why each should be considered before going straight to protection.

1.??????Type of slab?– depending on the type of finish of the slab, whether it is polished, burnished, broom, cove-based, etc. will affect how soon you can cover the slab with protection - with polished concrete for example, the natural light is more reflective to the naked eye and therefore imperfections are more noticeable than say with a broom or cove-based finish, where the surface is a lot more undulated and the natural light bounces off these slabs in all different directions, and therefore imperfections are lot less noticeable.

2.??????Slab thickness?– slab thicknesses vary from job to job. The thicker the slab, the more moisture that will generally be held within it. This typically means a longer time frame to cure before protection can be laid.

3.??????Environmental conditions?- the weather and temperature can also play a big part in a slabs’ curing time. In other words, the cooler the surrounding temperature, or if rain is apparent, the longer a slab might need to cure and remain uncovered (or unprotected).

4.??????Location of the slab?– depending on where the slab is located geographically, whether it is in a hot or cold climate, this could affect when you can cover the slab with the protection.

5.??????How long is the protection required to be in place -?this can impact how soon after pour a slab can be covered. This is especially important if protection is required to be in place for a long period of time (6 to 12 months+). Covering a green/fresh slab too soon and for a long period of time, could possibly cause issues such as cure lines and tiger stripes, etc. These risks are minimised if only protecting for a short period of time (a few weeks to couple of months).

6.??????Curing agents/sealers?– can affect the timing of when a slab can be covered with protection. It’s very important to note that with slow dissipating curing agents, the slab needs open time for UV to directly hit the slab and allow it to slowly dissipate. If covered with protection too soon, it could cause issues. Every curing agent/sealer is different, so always make sure to check the manufacturers TDS (Technical Data Sheet), as it will typically state how long the slab needs open time for prior to placing anything over it.

Stay tuned for our next post, which goes into the type of concrete finishes and how this needs to be factored when thinking about temporary protection. In the meantime, if you have any questions relating to concrete protection, please give us a call on 1300-038-244.