Hot Weather Concreting

Most paving contractors would agree that a dry, still day with mild temperatures are the ideal weather conditions for pouring concrete. But Mother Nature doesn’t always cooperate. If you’re scheduled to have your new concrete surface poured on a hot day, your contractor will probably take some precautions to avoid the pavement setting up too quickly, which can compromise the strength of the surface. What follows are some precautions typically taken by concrete contractors when installing a surface in hot weather.

• Workers will keep the ground, forms and rebar wet. One way to avoid the concrete setting up too quickly is to make sure that all the essentials are kept as cool as possible, so don’t be surprised if the workers spray them with water frequently throughout the process.
• Your contractor might erect a wind/sun barrier. A windy day, or a day when the hot sun is beating down on new pavement, can result in the concrete losing moisture too quickly. If your contractors are concerned about this happening, they might erect temporary sun shades and wind barriers over and around the site.
• Concrete installers may decide to fog the air above the concrete forms as they install the surface. Fogging is another way to keep the ambient temperature cooler without adding additional water to the concrete mix.
• Your contractor may cover the new concrete surface with blankets and/or plastic sheeting to keep the surface cool as it cures.
• Night installation isn’t out of the question. If you’re agreeable, your contractor may choose to install the surface at night to avoid extremely hot temperature during the day. Of course, this would be done only with your permission and with some careful planning on the part of your contractor.

The warmer the weather is, the more of a challenge it becomes to install new concrete. But that doesn’t mean it can’t be done! Any experienced, reputable paving contractor – particularly those that routinely install surfaces in hot weather – simply needs to take some additional steps in the process to ensure that the integrity of the surface isn’t compromised by the weather conditions. If you want to have your pavement installed in hot weather, don’t hesitate to ask your contractor if they have experience in doing so, and what steps they plan to take to prevent the surface from curing too quickly. Any trustworthy contractor would be happy to explain their methods for hot weather concreting.