Old timer at the jobsite shared a trick for wet concrete edges

I was finishing a driveway in Phoenix last summer, struggling with the edges slumping on a 105 degree day. A guy who'd been pouring since the 70s walked over and told me to wet the forms down with ice water before pouring. Has anyone else tried this method for keeping edges crisp in the heat?

3 comments

3 Comments

harperg7613d ago

That old timer trick is one I used to roll my eyes at honestly. Thought it was just some old wives tale but tried it on a big patio pour last August when the humidity was brutal. Wet the forms with a spray bottle of ice water right before we dumped the mud and those edges stayed razor sharp even in the direct sun. Made a believer out of me for sure. Have you played with how cold the water needs to be or just grab ice from the cooler?

the_thea13d ago

Tbh I took it a step further a few years back after watching a crew pour curbs in 100 degree heat. They were keeping a bucket of ice water with rags in it and laying those rags on the forms about 10 minutes before the pour. That was the game changer for me @harperg76. The spray bottle works but the rags really drop the surface temp and keep the moisture locked in. I just grab ice from the cooler and dump it in a bucket of water, don't bother measuring the temp. Cold enough that the water hurts your fingers after a bit and you're golden. That extra 30 seconds of prep keeps a lot of headaches away when the sun is cooking everything.

murphy.abby13d ago

Ice water rags? Sounds like overkill for forms but you do you.