cement weather

I have a 3' x 3' opening in front of my house that needs to be cemented. But someone told me that it cannot be done or shouldn't be done in winter weather below 32 degrees. if true, than what would be the accepted temp and how does one know the exact temp on the spot where its suppose to be done...thermometers are unreliable..also, when one hears on the radio a certain temp, it is not necessarily the same temp where one lives , even if one lives in the same city.

Reply to
Noel
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Well any temperature above freezing is safe. What the exact temperature is depends on the mix. Check your supplier for information or stick with the safe one of freezing. Personally I would not want to be out working concrete below 50º and certainly not below 40º.

Reply to
Joseph Meehan

Yes, concrete should not be allowed to freeze for at least 48 hours after it is poured. However, there are many ways to deal with cold weather. Concrete generates heat as it cures, so with some sort of cover, it can withstand temperatures below freezing. If it is real cold, a tent of sorts can be made of poly and the space heated.

Reply to
marson

Board it up securely until spring.

Reply to
JoeSpareBedroom

Besides the other answer on covering, etc., it can take a fair amount below 32F before it actually will freeze solidly enough to damage it and as that poster said, some covering and for an area that small a couple of lightbulbs hanging in the space could easily keep it toasty unless the weather is extremely frigid.

Plus, if this is going to be done by a pro, they've got all the tools of the trade to handle it including additives if it were really needed...

I'd say unless you're in extremely cold climate and/or a severe front is on its way, you're likely fine in being able to get this done.

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Reply to
dpb
40 degrees and rising is the standard engineer requirement. Remove any frost or snow, ground can not be frozen. Blankets if it is going below 30 for at least the first 3 days.

Sometimes it is just easier to wait for better weather. Cap with plywood or fill with gravel that is easy to dig back out.

Reply to
DanG

And we have a winner! You only pour concrete in lousy weather if you HAVE to. Even if you can keep the pour above freezing, it is real hard to properly prepare the substrate in cold weather. In a garage, basement, or commercial interior slab, where the dirt work was done back when it was warm, and it hasn't been raining on it for several weeks, they will sometimes pour in freezing weather, using additives and salamander heaters sitting on sheets of plywood. But outside flatwork is best left until the next thaw. Half-frozen dirt and mud likes to move around with freeze/thaw cycles, which leads to air pockets or heaving, which can make the new slab fail. I'll second what DanG said- fill the hole with pea gravel, and maybe lay a board on top, to tide you over till it gets warm. People walking on it will help compact whatever digging was done that you are patching, and when it warms up, you can just rake out the top 3-4 inches, lay down your mesh, and pour away.

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Reply to
aemeijers

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