Pouring Concrete Walls In Winter
And do not pour concrete over frozen ground.
Pouring concrete walls in winter. 10 best practices for pouring concrete in cold winter weather beginning with site preparation any snow ice or standing water needs to be removed from the work area prior to pouring. It is the utmost importance to maintain a proper ratio of water and cement mixture. That is the chemical reaction between the water and portland cement actually creates heat. If so protect concrete at specific temperatures.
By taking certain precautions you can pour concrete in the winter. The months of november december january and february usually have many days with temperatures at or below freezing. Pouring concrete in cold weather is something we do a lot of in maine. The ratio of water and cement must never exceed 2 5 under freezing conditions.
The reason insulation matters on cold weather pours is because concrete hydration is exo thermic. Tips on curing and pouring of concrete during winter. The foundation system is designed based on the. Place concrete early in the day to take advantage of the heat produced by the sun during daylight hours.
If the wall exceeds four feet in height footings should be poured separately. Determine if special considerations and strength requirements must be met. Finish the surface of the wall as desired. Use heaters to thaw the ground before pouring concrete.
If they fall behind schedule with their modular planning and design and this makes it impossible for their contractor to pour the foundation before winter they tell him to delay the start until spring. Pour footings and wall. Allow concrete to cure. Pour the retaining wall roll the wheelbarrow of cement over to your wooden forms and pour the cement into the footing and form area.
Once the forms are full of cement you can smooth out the top of the wall. The excavation must be not be frozen and must also be free of frost. Keep a well defined temperature record chart including concrete temperature and exterior temperature. Since i make a living pouring concrete floors and slabs i can t let the cold weather stop me.
To efficiently carry out the curing process during winter you have to keep in mind the following. For concrete to set properly harden a chemical reaction called hydration also known as the curing process must take place which consists of the chemicals in the concrete reacting with water to bind together the mixture. The rule of thumb is that if the concrete can be kept above 40 f for 24 hours it will reach design strength. They fear the cold will damage the concrete.
See below for more information on contraction joints remove forms and install waterproofing and drainage system. Mix design must be. Never pour concrete over frozen ground snow or ice. Create contraction joints every 4 6 feet.