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Appreciation post: The old timer who taught me to check humidity before pouring concrete
Back in 2018 on a job in Phoenix, this 60 year old super named Ray pulled me aside and said 'Kid, your mix is gonna crack if you don't wait for the dew point to drop.' He was dead right - saved me from redoing a whole slab. Has anyone else had a random tip from a stranger stick with you for years?
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emma_baker6112d agoMost Upvoted
Agreed @jordan_henderson13, Ray probably learned it the HARD way. I remember a crew lead once told me the REAL trick is wetting the subgrade an hour before you pour in low humidity. It stops the slab from sucking the moisture out from the bottom and cracking evenly. That little step saved me more than any fancy gauge ever did.
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emma_baker6112d agoMost Upvoted
Oh man, that subgrade trick saved my hide more times than I can count too.
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jordan_henderson1312d ago
Man that's a solid story. I read something a while back about how humidity messes with concrete curing more than temp does, most guys don't even think about it. Ray sounds like the kind of old hand who just knows from messing up enough times. Good on you for listening, a lot of young guys would've brushed it off.
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