Concrete Protection Guide #2: Slab pouring location and environmental factors to consider

One of the most frequent questions we get at Honcho is, “what’s the best way to protect concrete during construction?” Concrete is expensive and unfortunately, relatively easy to damage (stain, scratch or other) and therefore something builders are keen to protect.

Therefore, we thought it might be helpful to put together a guide of general concreting tips that addresses some of the key considerations builders should be across when thinking about concrete slab protection throughout construction. We’ve previously talked about the importance of slab thickness, types of concrete finishes, and duration of protection, but here we’re going to discuss the location of your slab pouring and environmental factors that are important to consider:

Depending on when you are pouring concrete, whether it's winter, summer, spring, or autumn, the weather will play a big part in the timing of when protection should be installed for proper slab moisture prevention.

Typically, in cooler climates, and depending on the type of slab, you should ideally wait longer between pouring the slab and covering it with temporary protection. This is because the moisture within the slab takes longer to expel, and when there is too much moisture in the slab and it’s covered too soon, then there is more opportunity for cure lines and tiger strips to develop. This is also dependent on how long you are covering the slab for.

In warmer climates, the slab’s moisture expels more quickly, and ordinarily you would be able to cover the slab with protection sooner.

Humidity and rain can also dictate timing. If a slab encounters rain for an extended period soon after pouring, then the moisture in the slab will still be very close to 100%. Therefore, you would need to wait longer before placing any type of protection on the slab.

So, what does this mean when it comes to concrete slab protection and why should you care?

The wetter the slab or the cooler the climate, the more moisture (or time needed) to expel from the slab prior to laying over any surface protection. As mentioned previously, all concrete contains moisture, and if the moisture level is too high, it can cause serious damage to the floor if covered too soon with protection (or anything for that matter). So, in simple terms, the more moisture in the slab the more ‘open slab time’ needed prior to laying protection down.

As mentioned previously, we recommend concrete moisture testing with a moisture metre, such as a Wagner Metre.