Got caught in a sudden downpour during a pour for a patio in Portland...

We were about halfway through a 20 yard pour for a backyard patio when the sky just opened up. The rain was coming down so hard it started washing the cream off the surface before we could even start floating. I yelled for the crew to grab every tarp and sheet of plastic we had in the truck, and we basically threw a giant cover over the whole slab. We waited under the eaves for about 45 minutes until it slowed to a drizzle, then pulled the covers and hit it hard with the bull floats to work the surface back together. Anyone have a good trick for dealing with rain when you're already committed to a pour?

2 comments

2 Comments

abby_king2215d agoMost Upvoted

Honestly, covering it was the right call, but waiting 45 minutes under cover is where you might have lost some workability. In my experience, you really need to keep working the surface, even in a light rain, to prevent that skin from setting up. A drizzle is okay to work in if you're moving fast with the floats.

tessap9815d ago

Totally see this with baking bread too. You get that small window where the dough is just right to shape, and if you wait even a few minutes too long it gets tough. It's all about catching the right moment before things set, whether it's concrete or something else. That balance between rushing and waiting is everywhere once you start looking for it.