Old timer told me to wet the subgrade before pouring. I ignored him.

Last summer on a job in Phoenix I skipped wetting the base. Thought it would save time. Ground was bone dry. By day two the slab had cracks near the edges. Took me three patches and a pissed off homeowner to learn my lesson. Anyone else get burned ignoring the basics?

2 comments

2 Comments

phoenix_thompson41d ago

Oh man, I did the exact same thing about two years ago on a small patio pour. Thought I was saving thirty minutes and ended up with a slab that looked like a dried-up riverbed by the next morning. Had to grind down the edges and fill in cracks with a grout mix that barely matched. Idk what possessed me to think the ground was fine just because it looked dry on top. That old timer's advice? Yeah, I definitely listen now after patching my own mistakes for weeks.

thomasshah1d ago

Nah, sometimes dry ground is fine if you wet it down first.