Every concrete worker wants to leave behind a job they can look back on with pride. Unfortunately, concrete cracks are not uncommon and can quickly make a once beautiful concrete finish look shoddy.
The good news is there are steps you can take and admixtures you can add to your mix to help reduce the risk of cracks in your concrete finish.
Reduce Shrinkage Cracks
Shrinkage is one of the main reasons why concrete cracks, especially for mixes with a high water-cement ratio. When the water evaporates, it leaves behind small gaps and voids in the concrete. These areas become weak quickly, and cracking can start within a few days. One of the easiest ways to lower the risk of shrinkage cracks is to lower the water in the mix. If your mix requires a specific flow, you can reduce the water-cement ratio by adding a superplasticizer to your mix. The admixture will decrease bleeding, leading to less evaporation. Lowering the evaporation will ultimately reduce the amount of shrinkage in the concrete.
Reduce Crazing & Crusting
Shrinkage is not the only problem caused by the evaporation of water in the concrete mix. On hot, windy days, the water on the surface layer of the concrete evaporates rapidly, creating a hard crust on the concrete. As finishing tools break through this crust to the concrete below, it results in uneven finishes and causes blemishes known as crazing. These spiderweb-like cracks are a result of the rapid drying of the concrete. Fortunately, there are a variety of concrete finishing agents and finishing aids.
Order Your Case Today
If you’re working with concrete in hot weather, preventing and reducing cracks is probably front of mind. That’s why Fritz-Pak is here to help. We offer a variety of superplasticizers to help you lower the water in the mix. Our Control Finish finishing aid improves the workability of your concrete on even the hottest days. So why wait? Order your case of admixtures today!