How to Cure a Concrete Floor

The key to the proper curing of a concrete floor lies in a long, slow curing process, with the concrete being kept wet for several days. In fact, if it is desired that a concrete floor cure to its ultimate hardness then it should be kept wet and unused for a minimum of 28 days. Ambient temperature is also important. An ambient air temperature of approximately 72 degrees (F) is ideal for curing a concrete floor. Obviously, it is impossible to maintain a constant air temperature in most situations, but if possible a concrete floor should be poured when average weather conditions are as close to optimal as possible.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Concrete slab
• Burlap or straw
• Water hose

1. Pour floor and finish to proper specifications for the specific application. Allow the concrete to dry to the point that the surface will not be damaged by burlap, straw or water.

2. Cover the floor with burlap or straw.

3. Flood the floor with water. Cover the entire floor with water at least an inch deep, making certain that the burlap or straw is thoroughly soaked with water.

4. Monitor the surface of the floor every few hours. Depending on weather conditions, add more water as necessary to keep the floor wet and covered with approximately 1 inch of water at all times.

5. Wet the floor thoroughly before leaving in the evenings.

6. Keep weight and foot traffic to a minimum for at least 72 hours. The longer you can keep the floor wet and unused the better. Your concrete floor will achieve 90% of its strength after 28 days of curing with water.

Tips & Warnings

• If the floor is subject to direct sunlight and high temperatures during the day, it is especially important to add fresh water every hour or so to keep the temperature of the surface of the concrete as close to 72 degrees as possible.

References

• How to properly cure a concrete floor