Craft · 6 pages · 12 min
Why watering new concrete matters
Fresh concrete hardens by a reaction with water, so a dried-out surface stops gaining strength.
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From the opening
New concrete hardens because cement minerals react with water, a process called hydration, not because the mix simply dries. If the water at the face evaporates early, the paste there stops forming binder and stays weak and dusty. The opening covers hydration needs water present, a dry skin stays weak, and curing is not extra batch water.
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Inside
- Hydration needs water present
- A dry skin stays weak
- Curing is not extra batch water
- Dust and map cracking
- Where the idea stops applying
- A distinction worth keeping
Sources
- Hydration of Portland cement paste
- Moist curing of fresh concrete