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Pro tip: An old guy at a supply yard in Phoenix changed how I think about water on a pour.
I was grabbing a load of fiber mesh last month and complaining to the yard guy about how the heat was making the slab set up too fast. This old timer, must have been in his 70s, was loading bags next to me. He just said, 'Kid, you're fighting the water. You gotta work with it. The water isn't just wet, it's the clock.' He told me to stop trying to cool the whole mix and instead mist the edges of the form right before I start finishing. That little bit of dampness slows the set just where you need it, buying you maybe 10 more minutes of work time on a hot day. I tried it on a driveway pour the next week when it was 105 degrees, and it worked like a charm. The edges stayed open long enough to get a clean joint. Has anyone else picked up a small trick like that from an unexpected chat?
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margaret_chen9d ago
Oh man, that's a good one. My uncle was a mason and he'd swear by wetting the bricks on a scorching day, same basic idea. It's all about managing the dry-out, not the whole batch. Those old guys had it figured out without any fancy gear.
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Ever get that one tip that just clicks? An old painter showed me to dampen my brush before cutting in oil, same idea.
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williams9023d ago
Ever try a slightly worn brush for that, @mark723? It holds the dampness better and gives you more control.
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