Most of the work on a concrete project happens before pour day. Excavation, base, forms and steel can take days. The pour itself is often over in a few hours - and then the finishing crew works quietly for several more while the slab sets.
Before the truck arrives
- Clear vehicles from the driveway and the street frontage the crew needs
- Confirm which gate or route the crew will use and unlock it
- Keep pets indoors for the whole working day
- Point out irrigation lines, low-voltage lighting and septic components
- Make an outdoor water source available
Early starts in summer
In July and August we start at first light. This is not us being dramatic - high air temperature, low humidity and a delta breeze can drive surface evaporation fast enough to close the finishing window before the crew has finished floating. Cooler air protects the surface quality you are paying for.
The sequence on the day
- Trucks arrive and discharge by chute, buggy or pump depending on access
- Concrete is placed, screeded to grade and bull-floated
- The crew waits - this is the least visually interesting and most important part
- Edging, jointing and final finish texture are applied as the slab firms
- Control joints are saw cut, usually the same day
- Curing compound goes on, or wet curing begins
Noise, mess and access
Expect a loud few hours: trucks, saws, power trowels on larger pours. Expect the street frontage to be occupied. Expect some washout water. A tidy crew cleans that up before leaving; if it looks like a mess at the end of the day, that is a fair thing to raise.
After we leave
- Keep everyone and every pet off the slab for the period we specify
- Do not remove protective covering or barricades early
- Do not pressure-wash new concrete
- Understand that color will keep changing for weeks as it cures
Questions about how pour day will work at your property? Call 877-889-1187.