Concrete After-Care Instructions

Did you or someone you know just get your concrete poured? Please be sure to follow these essential guidelines.

***PLEASE NOTE THESE INSTRUCTIONS ARE FOR ALL SEASON MUNICIPALITIES***

Before we get to the rules, we would like to mention that in the first day or so of curing your concrete will look spotty. This is the aggregate showing through the surface as the concrete cures and is perfectly normal. Your concrete is going to turn white.

1. NO SALT! Salt is a corrosive material and can eat away at almost anything. It’s hard to avoid in some regions as your local snow removal might use it to spray or spread on the roads. We would also not recommend using any of the chemical ice melters. What should you use instead of salt? We would recommend the following:

• Kitty Litter
• Sand
• Silica Sand

2. Unless instructed by your contractor do not water your driveway. It’s common for customers to want to water the concrete the night before it is stress cut, but this can ruin your concrete. Watering the surface before the stress cuts can cause the surface to cure slower than the bottom resulting in surface peeling, spider cracking and more.

3. Avoid dragging any garbage cans, furniture, rollerblading, pet walking or activities for the first week. The surface of the concrete is still relatively soft for the first week and any of the above-mentioned actions can result in scratching the surface.

4. Do not drive or park any vehicles or trailers for up to 28 days. All engineering reports for 32mpa with air state that your new concrete needs 28 days to fully cure. There are special additives to allow your concrete to be ready for driving and parking in 4-days, but this needs to be discussed with your contractor.