Plan on about a day before you walk on new concrete and about a week before you park a car on it. Baton Rouge weather affects the pour date more than the curing time.
How long does concrete take to cure?
Concrete reaches its design strength in about 28 days. It is hard enough to use much sooner. It gains strength quickly in the first week and more slowly after that. Curing is not the same as drying. The slab needs to keep its moisture to get strong, which is why we wet it or coat it with curing compound, above all in summer.
How long before I can walk on new concrete?
You can usually walk on new concrete after 24 to 48 hours. Keep dogs, bikes and patio furniture off a little longer, since claws, narrow tires and chair legs mark a young surface.
How long before I can drive on new concrete?
Wait about 7 days before you drive on new concrete with a car or light pickup. Keep heavy vehicles, such as moving vans, delivery trucks and campers, off for about 28 days. For the first weeks, avoid turning the steering wheel while standing still and do not park right at the slab edge.
How long does it take to pour a driveway?
The pour takes one day. A typical replacement is three working days in all: one to break out and haul off the old slab, one to grade, compact the base and set forms and steel, and one to place and finish. Permits, utility marking and rain add calendar days before that. In a wet week the crew waits, because forms set on mud make a poor slab.
Can concrete be poured in the rain?
No, not in steady rain. Water falling on the surface before it sets weakens the top layer. Concrete can be poured in the rain only in the sense that a passing light shower on a slab that is already finished and covered does no harm. Summer in Baton Rouge brings a storm most afternoons, so we pour early and keep plastic ready. If the morning forecast is bad, we move the date.
Is it ever too hot to pour concrete?
It is rarely too hot to pour here if the crew adjusts, and Baton Rouge crews pour through the summer. Heat speeds the set and dries the surface, so we start at daybreak, wet the base, ask the plant for a mix suited to heat, keep the pour moving and begin curing as soon as finishing is done. What causes trouble is an afternoon pour in full sun with too few hands.
Can concrete be poured in cold or freezing weather?
Yes, with care, and it is seldom an issue. Baton Rouge sees freezing nights in most winters, but they are few and short. Fresh concrete must not freeze in its first day or two. On the rare cold snap we wait, or we pour late morning and cover the slab with blankets overnight. Cool weather slows the set, so the wait before use is a little longer.
What is the best time of year to pour concrete in Baton Rouge?
The best time of year is fall, from October into early December. It is the driest stretch, temperatures are mild and afternoon storms have stopped. Spring is good for temperature but wetter. Summer works with early starts. Hurricane season runs through the fall, so a storm in the Gulf can pause everything for a week.
Can I use salt or deicer on new concrete?
Avoid deicer and rock salt on any concrete younger than a year. Most winters here you will never need them. On the odd icy morning, sand gives grip without harming the surface. Salt draws water into the top of the slab and attacks young concrete. Lawn fertilizer left on a driveway can pit and stain it in a similar way, so sweep spills off.
How long should I keep sprinklers and mowers off the edges?
Give it a week. The soil we put back along the edges is loose at first, and a heavy mower wheel can break a young slab corner that is not yet supported. Sprinklers are fine and even helpful for curing. Once the backfill has settled, top it up so the slab edge is not left hanging.
Our general guide for customers is to walk on it after a day or two and drive on it after about a week. We give you the dates for your slab on pour day.
The only real price is one written after we have seen your property. The estimate is free. Call (225) 434-4721 or text us a few photos.