winter time pour

Randy Tibbits

I have a infloor job thats going to be in late january early febuary. Would it be wise to have the boiler operational and the tubing online when the cement truck arrives? I'm thinking this instead of temporary heat. Any thoughts? Thanks

Mark Hunt

Most


manufacturers recommend waiting 30 days before activating a slab system after the concrete is poured.

You could dry the concrete too fast.

Mark H

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hr

Concrete or Gypcrete?

Below freezing concrete would need concrete blankets to prevent freezing, or heat. I've poured plenty of slabs, mid winter with the boilers running. Outdoor slab pours with boiler running and blankets.

I always have run gyp pours on low heat when poured in freezing weather. The trick is keeping the pumper from freezing!

Remember gyp pours need to be ventilated, so with windows open, you need some heat or you will have a frozen pour! Portable LP or diesel heaters add too much moisture, and the room gets really sweaty.

hot rod

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Dan Peel

Different tricks

For different materials and conditions. For slab on grade it's tough to contain the heat unless the building is up around it. What's your design condition and typical weather. We had a concrete pumper on site frozen 1/2 the morning Friday and pulled the snow off with a tarp to tube a second. For finished slab you really need to protect the surface from freezing 'til cured. Enjoy......Dan

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hr

I've done some

jobs where we install the tube, connect a portable or tempoary boiler, to first, keep the ground defrosted before the pour. Then it got blanketed after the pour to keep it warm for at least a week. Maybe longer, opinions differ even in the concrete industry, regarding cure times. The batch plant can winterize the mix also.

Actually the InsulTarp product would make an excellent cover. Then use it for insulation on your next underslab job!

I spent 16 years in the mountains of Utah doing cold weather radiant. It takes a LOT of additional time and money to make it happen in the winter in cold snowy conditions. Snow removal costs alone get expensive, just to be able to get to the slab!

We did a radiant condo project in Deer Valley through the dead of winter, once. We covered the slabs at the end of every day, then used a crane to lift the tarps off the next morning. Often with 2 feet of snow on them. We pumped gypcrete over precast concrete floors assemblies in every month of the year! Went through cases of starter fluid just getting equipment and pumpers running every morning. What a struggle!

hot rod

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Randy Tibbits

The job is a slab on grade, 4" thick concrete w/ 2" of styrofoam. The building will be up before the pour. Thanks for the input.

hr

You are

probably fine with just using insulated concrete blankets. Having a building, and keeping the wind off it, will help.

Your finishers and batch plant will have tips, no doubt.

Concrete gets poured all the time in winter, just don't pour it over frozen fill.

Watch the weather and pick a warm week Good luck, you, or the customer are gonna love warm slabs!

hot rod

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