7 Most Common Concrete Pouring that You Can Avoid

Concrete has been playing the role of an active ingredient behind any structure’s stability. Strength, durability, and versatility are a few characteristic features why concrete stands out as the #1 choice.

Whether it's concrete slab, beautiful walkways, or stamped concrete patio design- the construction is as awe-inspiring as it seems while discussing.

There’s a lot that goes behind the scenes before a concrete project is laid down successfully. Are you aiming to get stamped concrete patio with a pergola or sturdy concrete drainage completed? If yes, then steer clear of the most common mistakes that can wreak havoc on the concrete of your dreams.

Concrete Too Wet

This is one of the most commonly occurring concrete mistakes. Don’t stumble on this! You should be able to mold concrete into a four-inch diameter, four-inch-tall pile if it’s mixed effectively. Anything sloppier than this and the strength of the concrete won’t get the results the way you’ve imagined.

Concrete Too Dry

Although a less commonly occurring problem than concrete too wet, too dry is neither an ideal fit. If troweling a sample pile of concrete doesn’t create a smooth surface in three strokes of the trowel, your concrete is too dry.

Pouring Too Thin

Concrete can stay in top condition for a long time, but only if it’s thick. Are you pouring a concrete slab for a shed floor or to create a patio? If yes, then make sure you never lay down your slab thinner than four inches for any application. Six inches is the minimum thickness to aim for a concrete slab.

Expecting Reinforcing Mesh to Stop Cracking

No one wants their dream concrete project to crack into splits! If you’re determined, then don’t put all your trust in the standard welded wire mesh mostly used for concrete reinforcement. It won’t stop cracking, but it will hold the cracked concrete together.

Mixing your concrete with reinforcing fibers and using reinforcing rods laid on a 12-in. x 16-in. grid pattern can reduce the formation of cracks. Also, after two weeks after pouring, use a masonry saw to make cuts one-third of the way right through the thickness of your concrete slab. Make these cuts in a 10-ft. x 10-ft. grid pattern. Any slight cracks that may emerge will follow the saw cuts and be camouflaged by them.

Using Old Cement

Do not impulsively scumble over cement or a just-add-water concrete mix that’s more than a year old for any project you want to accomplish. Even new cement with solid lumps should not be used for concrete. Hard or solid lumps reveal the cement has gotten moist at some point and also lost its ability to harden.

Failure to Use Fibers

If you are wondering what concrete reinforcing fibers are? You’ll be able to uncover it here. These are actually thin, short strands of plastic that add a lot of strength and crack resistance to any concrete project. Add a pint of fibers to each mixing drum load of concrete and mix. The fibers rolled out within the mix and help bind the hardened concrete. That will make a huge difference.

Corrosion-Prone Reinforcing Rod

Concrete is strong in compression, but may get really weak in the knees when any force tries to pull it. This weakness in tension is the reason why concrete is often reinforced with metal rods. The problem is, most concrete reinforcing rods are made of bare steel that’s prone to rust.

When steel rusts, it expands, causing the concrete to break off and come apart under internal pressure. This is why corrosion-proof reinforcing rods should be preferred for concrete projects.

In a Nutshell

The above discussed are some of the most commonly occurring concrete mistakes that you should avoid.