How To Speed Up Concrete Drying

We’re regularly asked questions about the concrete drying and curing process by both commercial and domestic customers. To someone who has never worked with concrete before, the process can seem a little confusing. There are a number of things to think about when you’re laying concrete, with the consistency and how it subsequently dries being one of them.

There can be few things more frustrating during a construction project than waiting for concrete to dry, and perhaps even wondering if it will dry at all. 

Here we take a look at the concrete drying and curing process in more detail.

How it begins

Concrete is such a durable, hard-wearing, and consistent material that it’s somehow surprising that it begins life as a liquid mix of cement, aggregate and water. Once this mixture is poured, it then needs time to solidify. During this time, it will form strong chemical bonds. Through this process it will eventually harden, becoming tough enough to withstand considerable force and carry weight without cracking. 

As it dries, concrete remains pliable, so it’s always preferable for it to dry quickly in order to minimise potential damage during the drying process.

While it’s possible to speed up the concrete drying process to some degree, there are limitations.

Speeding up the process

To keep your project as efficient as possible, and to ensure the best possible outcome for your concrete, you need to find ways to speed up the process without compromising on the quality of the finished concrete.

Check the weather

One of the key factors in the speed in which your concrete will dry is the weather. Exposed concrete will dry much more quickly in the summer, so much so that during particularly hot and dry weather you may need to find ways to slow it down a little. 

If you can schedule your project for the summer months, you’ll find that the curing process takes a lot less time. If that isn’t an option, then you should try and avoid pouring concrete when it’s wet or during long cold periods. 

Heating

A simple but effective way in which to help your concrete dry is by placing a heater nearby. This essentially does the same job that the sun does in the summer. It’s worth bearing in mind though that the amount of heating required to dry out concrete during the cold winter months can be considerable, so it may not be the best option if you’re conscious of cost. 

Whether you opt for a heater or heating mats, it’s a simple way to speed up the drying process without compromising on the ultimate quality of the finished concrete.

Reduction in water

The amount of water in a concrete mix will have an impact on how long the mixture will take to dry. Getting the quantity of water right is absolutely crucial to the drying process, and the ultimate quality of your concrete. By carefully reducing the water in a mix, it can help it to dry more quickly, but you must be careful not to overdo it. A mix with too little water, will end up too thick and ultimately not strong enough. If you’re using your concrete for a purpose that requires a certain amount of strength, then this could compromise the job it’s required to do. 

Another way to reduce the water in the mix is by adding a water reducing agent. These come from the same family as retarders and can reduce the water content in your mixture by 5-10%. This should help improve the overall workability of the concrete.

Dehumidification

When you dehumidify the area around concrete you reduce the amount of moisture in the air, meaning that the moisture in the concrete mix can more easily be drawn away. It does this by reducing the so-called ‘dew point’. This is the point at which air must be cooled to become saturated with water vapour. 

When it’s reduced further, the airborne water vapour will be condensed, allowing it to be collected in a dehumidifier. This technique is best used when the concrete is drying indoors and allows the moisture to be drawn from the concrete more quickly.

No hard trowelling

Just like with a cake mixture, overworking concrete can create all kinds of problems. Too much trowelling can cause densification and create air pockets and vents. This prevents the moisture from escaping during the drying process, which, in turn, extends the drying process.

Sometimes it can seem as if concrete is complicated and perhaps impossible to get right. That’s not the case, and if you remember a few basic principles it’s an incredibly user-friendly material to use.

Expert advice

At Goodmix Concrete we’re experienced at producing the right concrete for a wide variety of jobs. We can advise you how to get the best results from your concrete whatever the job, and whatever the weather. 

Regardless of the quantities you require, we can help you get your job done. Whether it’s a small-scale DIY job, a new driveway, or a large commercial project, our concrete will be on hand precisely when you need it in the quantities that you require.

Our concrete is the highest quality and we only ever use aggregates straight from the quarry, and never recycled materials.