Pro tip: Watch out for off-spec loads on hot days

I was talking to an old timer named Hank at the supply yard last Tuesday... he told me about a job he did near Austin where the mix came in too wet because the batch plant rushed it. He said the slab ended up with a crust on top and soft spots underneath that showed up a week later after it cured. That conversation made me rethink how I check every load before I let them dump... has anyone else run into a bad batch that looked fine at first but failed later?

2 comments

2 Comments

simon_davis1mo ago

Oh man, that hits close to home. I once had a load of concrete that looked perfect when they dumped it, nice and creamy, no issues at all. A week later the garage floor had this weird powdery dusting on the surface and cracks showed up like a spider web. I still kick myself for not testing it on the spot like Hank would have done.

the_henry1mo ago

Slump test saved my back patio. Guy at the plant tried to talk me out of it, said it was a waste of time. Held my ground, turned out the load was way too wet, sent it back.