How to Time Concrete Slab Curing

Preparations for Curing

• 1

  Pile up soil and build dams around the outside of your concrete. According to Concrete Network, this will hold in water and keep wet concrete from seeping outside its borders.

• 2

  Buy a curing membrane. This is a plastic sheet that retains water and minimizes evaporation. It also may keep water from freezing in cold temperatures.

• 3

  Buy a curing compound. The combination of a compound and water can prove more effective as a strength enhancer than water alone.

How to Time the Curing Process

• 4

  Cure concrete for at least three days. Eighty percent of all hardening occurs during this initial period.

• 5

  Cure for seven days if the concrete will support a lot of weight. According to Concrete Network, concrete cured for a week is 50 percent stronger than uncured concrete.

• 6

  Check the water level during the curing process. Your concrete is finished curing when none of the concrete mix is visible in the water above the surface.