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That time a 90 degree day in Phoenix made me swear off adding water to the mix on site
I was finishing a driveway and the crew kept adding water from a hose to 'keep it workable' in the heat. It set up way too fast and we got a ton of surface cracks (like spiderwebs, you know). Anyone else have a hard rule about water after the truck leaves?
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logan70516d ago
Used to think a little extra water on a hot day was just being smart. That exact same thing happened to me on a patio job years back. The mix turned to dust almost as soon as the float touched it. Now my rule is the truck mix is the final mix, no exceptions. Adding water ruins the ratio and you're just begging for those spiderweb cracks. Learned that lesson the hard way.
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loganl2216d ago
Remember hearing a similar story from a guy who added a whole bucket to a driveway load. @logan705 is totally right about the truck mix being final. That guy ended up with a surface so weak you could scratch it with your keys after a month. It really shows how that perfect ratio from the plant is the only thing that works long term. Makes you wonder how many cracked slabs out there are just from a "little" extra water on a hot afternoon.
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oliver_wilson497d ago
Yeah, I was the same way for a long time. Thought a splash from the hose was just part of the job on a hot day. Saw a sidewalk we did that way start crumbling at the edges within a year, like it just gave up. Now I won't touch the mix after it leaves the plant. That water ruins everything they set up at the batch plant. It's not worth the risk for a few extra minutes of work time.
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