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Of course, it’s essential that you give your concrete sufficient time to dry properly – you’ll be in a sticky situation if you don’t! But how long should you allow for concrete to dry?
If you are planning on using ready mixed concrete in a building or renovation project, you will need to factor in enough time to allow the concrete to fully cure, before you stand or develop on it. Thankfully, our concrete specialists have answered this common FAQ, and we’ve shared their insights in this handy blog.
Concrete normally takes around 24-48 hours to cure fully. After this time has passed, you can walk on it without risk of ruining the neat finish. However, it will take quite some time before concrete that has been laid will have dried enough to achieve the full strength that you would expect from the material. In order for it to have reached this stage, you will need to allow around 28 days’ curing time.
This is the point where it will have reached the high level of strength and durability that you require. It is important to note that this process is affected by a number of external factors, including temperature, humidity, and the way that the concrete has been mixed. However, in answer to the question ‘how long does concrete take to cure?’, there’s actually no set point at which this will be achieved.
This is all down to the unique nature of the material. The cement in concrete will continuously get harder and stronger, through an ongoing curing process. The science behind this is all down to the fact that it is the reaction between the molecules of the cement and the added water which achieve such impressive strength – like screed. This reaction doesn’t cease after a 28 day period, because some small amount of moisture will always be present in the concrete.
So, to summarise:
● 24-48 hours after laying, you will be able to walk or drive on the concrete
● After 7 days, the concrete will be more than half way through the curing process, and have achieved an approximately 70% strength level
● By 28 days, your concrete will have cured enough to achieve almost full strength
If you would like to find out more about how to use concrete in your building projects, our concrete specialists are on hand to help. To learn more about our services, don’t hesitate to
get in touch.
