MY ADVENTURE WITH DIY CONCRETE FOUNDATIONS
I get where you’re coming from, but honestly, I’ve skipped curing compound plenty of times and never had a problem—at least not on smaller jobs. If you keep the slab damp for a few days (old towels, plastic sheeting, whatever’s handy), it does the trick just fine. Maybe it’s more about the weather and how fast things dry out? I dunno, but sometimes it feels like half the stuff they push at the store is overkill unless you’re pouring a driveway in July.
MY ADVENTURE WITH DIY CONCRETE FOUNDATIONS
- Totally agree with this:
If you keep the slab damp for a few days (old towels, plastic sheeting, whatever’s handy), it does the trick just fine.
- I’ve done a handful of small pads and steps over the years. Never bothered with curing compound either—just kept things covered and damp, especially if it was warm out.
- Weather makes a big difference. Did one in early spring and barely had to do anything. Middle of summer? That slab wanted to dry out in hours.
- Honestly, half the stuff at the hardware store feels like it’s for people pouring commercial slabs or something. For a shed base or garden walkway, old blankets and a hose work just as well.
- Only time I regretted skipping extra steps was when I poured too thin in direct sun—edges got a bit crumbly. Learned my lesson there.
- At the end of the day, unless you’re building something structural or huge, common sense and keeping an eye on it goes a long way.
MY ADVENTURE WITH DIY CONCRETE FOUNDATIONS
Yeah, that’s pretty much been my experience too. For smaller stuff, I’ve always just kept it damp and covered—never bothered with the fancy curing sprays. I do think folks sometimes overcomplicate it, especially for non-structural stuff. I’ve seen some wild setups at job sites, but for a simple pad, your method makes sense. Only thing I’d add is, I’ve had a couple edges chip when I got lazy with the hose, so I try to be a bit more careful now. Trial and error, right?
MY ADVENTURE WITH DIY CONCRETE FOUNDATIONS
That’s pretty much how I’ve handled it too—just keep it damp and covered, nothing fancy. I do wonder sometimes if the sprays are worth it for bigger projects, but for a patio or walkway, your way seems solid. Ever tried using plastic sheeting instead of just a tarp? I found it helps with those pesky chipped edges, though maybe that’s just me being picky.
MY ADVENTURE WITH DIY CONCRETE FOUNDATIONS
Plastic sheeting definitely gives cleaner edges—I’ve noticed that too. I usually go with a tarp just because it’s what I have on hand, but the plastic does hug the surface better and seems to keep the moisture in more evenly. For bigger pours, I’ve seen folks use curing blankets, but honestly, for patios, plastic is probably the sweet spot. I haven’t tried the sprays either... always felt a bit overkill for small projects, but maybe that’s just me being old-school.
