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My foreman said to wet the forms before pouring, I skipped it because I was in a hurry

Poured a 12x16 patio slab last Tuesday and the whole edge chipped out bad because the forms sucked the moisture out of the mix. Has anyone else learned this lesson the hard way after ignoring the old timers?
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black.pat
black.pat1mo ago
12 hours of direct sun on dry forms will wick water out fast. Poured a 4x6 stoop last summer and had the same crumbling edge issue. Wetting the boards keeps the concrete from drying too quick.
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the_james
the_james1mo ago
Dang, you nailed it! I had the EXACT same problem with a little walkway I poured last year. The sun hit it hard and the edges were crumbling like crazy before I even got a good finish on them. Soaking those forms down and even misting the concrete while it set made a HUGE difference. It's one of those little things you don't think about until you see it happen right in front of you.
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