I went to my cabin over the weekend to check on things. It is at 7500', and
it had about a foot of snow around it. Everything was fine, save that we
had to walk through the snow for the last 1/8 mile.

I am anxious for spring to begin some repairs and some new work.

My question is about concrete.

I have lived most of my life in the Southern Nevada desert. The biggest
problem we have had with problems is that it dries too fast.

I have noticed in that part of the country that the concrete varies wildly.
Some of it looks great after years, and some of it is flaking off and the
aggregate showing. Some looks good, and some looks like crap.

Part of what I want to do involves some concrete works. Some steps, and
some flat work.

What's the secret to getting concrete that will last through freeze and thaw
cycles? There is no real problem with frost heave in this part of the
country. Is it the mix, the sack content? The aggregate? The working of
the concrete? Is it best to buy delivered concrete, or will doing it
yourself be okay if you do it right?

Or do I just resign myself to the fact that as it ages, it peels off?

I like doing things once, and would like to do the best from the start so it
lasts the longest.

Thanks in advance.

Steve

mixed well on the dry side, LONG CURE, and a little luck, get someone
experienced to help you the first time. lay in cool weathewr but not
freezing.

If your doing more than a yard or two its easier and cheaper to get it
delivered, from a concrete truck


sakretew bag mix is very expensive

you can get additives

Air-entrained concrete helps in cold weather and must be delivered.

Steve B wrote:
I went to my cabin over the weekend to check on things. It is at 7500', and
it had about a foot of snow around it. Everything was fine, save that we
had to walk through the snow for the last 1/8 mile.

I am anxious for spring to begin some repairs and some new work.

My question is about concrete.

I have lived most of my life in the Southern Nevada desert. The biggest
problem we have had with problems is that it dries too fast.

I have noticed in that part of the country that the concrete varies wildly.
Some of it looks great after years, and some of it is flaking off and the
aggregate showing. Some looks good, and some looks like crap.

Part of what I want to do involves some concrete works. Some steps, and
some flat work.

What's the secret to getting concrete that will last through freeze and thaw
cycles? There is no real problem with frost heave in this part of the
country. Is it the mix, the sack content? The aggregate? The working of
the concrete? Is it best to buy delivered concrete, or will doing it
yourself be okay if you do it right?

Or do I just resign myself to the fact that as it ages, it peels off?

I like doing things once, and would like to do the best from the start so it
lasts the longest.

Thanks in advance.

Steve



Concrete lasts a long time if you mix it right and
let it cure correctly. Mix wrong and cure wrong
and you spalling (peeling off) poor strength, etc.

Get a good book and then mix and lay it like the
book tells you.

If you want really good stuff mix six bag concrete
which is water proof (6 sacks of cement per cubic
yard), mix with the correct mixture of rock and
sand (often sold as "road mix"), mix with the
correct amount of water (will appear pretty dry),
get the voids out when you lay it and don't work
the surface very much.

Steve B wrote:
....

What's the secret to getting concrete that will last through freeze
and thaw cycles? There is no real problem with frost heave in this
part of the country. Is it the mix, the sack content? The
aggregate? The working of the concrete? Is it best to buy delivered
concrete, or will doing it yourself be okay if you do it right?


The right mix is important. a book will give you the specs. Don't get
it too wet, as common problem and try for a long cure (don't let it dry out,
it absorbs moisture as it cures). However I noticed that only George has
yet has addressed working it. Over working it is a common problem with
inexperienced people. In the typical job, you want to work it a little to
bring some cream to the top, but too much will make it weak and it will soon
do that flaking off that you have noticed.

--
Joseph Meehan

Dia duit

Pour it as early in the year as you can and don't use salt the first winter.
"Steve B" wrote in message
news:PITFf.24988$JT.5530@fed1read06...
I went to my cabin over the weekend to check on things. It is at 7500',
and it had about a foot of snow around it. Everything was fine, save that
we had to walk through the snow for the last 1/8 mile.

I am anxious for spring to begin some repairs and some new work.

My question is about concrete.

I have lived most of my life in the Southern Nevada desert. The biggest
problem we have had with problems is that it dries too fast.

I have noticed in that part of the country that the concrete varies
wildly. Some of it looks great after years, and some of it is flaking off
and the aggregate showing. Some looks good, and some looks like crap.

Part of what I want to do involves some concrete works. Some steps, and
some flat work.

What's the secret to getting concrete that will last through freeze and
thaw cycles? There is no real problem with frost heave in this part of
the country. Is it the mix, the sack content? The aggregate? The
working of the concrete? Is it best to buy delivered concrete, or will
doing it yourself be okay if you do it right?

Or do I just resign myself to the fact that as it ages, it peels off?

I like doing things once, and would like to do the best from the start so
it lasts the longest.

Thanks in advance.

Steve

By the way, if you have freeze/thaw cycles, you will have frost heaving.
This means solid foundations below the frost line. In flat work such as
sidewalks, this means a good well drained base under the concrete. Even with
all the precautions, some frost damage is inevitable, here in Canada we see
it all the time, despite a lot of fancy engineering to prevent it.

"Steve B" wrote in message
news:PITFf.24988$JT.5530@fed1read06...
I went to my cabin over the weekend to check on things. It is at 7500',
and
it had about a foot of snow around it. Everything was fine, save that we
had to walk through the snow for the last 1/8 mile.

I am anxious for spring to begin some repairs and some new work.

My question is about concrete.

I have lived most of my life in the Southern Nevada desert. The biggest
problem we have had with problems is that it dries too fast.

I have noticed in that part of the country that the concrete varies
wildly.
Some of it looks great after years, and some of it is flaking off and the
aggregate showing. Some looks good, and some looks like crap.

Part of what I want to do involves some concrete works. Some steps, and
some flat work.

What's the secret to getting concrete that will last through freeze and
thaw
cycles? There is no real problem with frost heave in this part of the
country. Is it the mix, the sack content? The aggregate? The working of
the concrete? Is it best to buy delivered concrete, or will doing it
yourself be okay if you do it right?

Or do I just resign myself to the fact that as it ages, it peels off?

I like doing things once, and would like to do the best from the start so
it
lasts the longest.

Thanks in advance.

Steve

You MUST use air entrained concrete to prevent freeze/thaw spalling and
other damage.

Rick

sealing with thompsons water seal helps a lot, it keeps water from
entering the concrete, freezing once its inside causes much spalling