I have a 3' x 3' opening in front of my house that needs to be
cemented. But someone told me that it cannot be done or shouldn't be
done in winter weather below 32 degrees. if true, than what would be
the accepted temp and how does one know the exact temp on the spot
where its suppose to be done...thermometers are unreliable..also, when
one hears on the radio a certain temp, it is not necessarily the same
temp where one lives , even if one lives in the same city.

Noel wrote:
I have a 3' x 3' opening in front of my house that needs to be
cemented. But someone told me that it cannot be done or shouldn't be
done in winter weather below 32 degrees. if true, than what would be
the accepted temp and how does one know the exact temp on the spot
where its suppose to be done...thermometers are unreliable..also, when
one hears on the radio a certain temp, it is not necessarily the same
temp where one lives , even if one lives in the same city.

Besides the other answer on covering, etc., it can take a fair amount
below 32F before it actually will freeze solidly enough to damage it and
as that poster said, some covering and for an area that small a couple
of lightbulbs hanging in the space could easily keep it toasty unless
the weather is extremely frigid.

Plus, if this is going to be done by a pro, they've got all the tools of
the trade to handle it including additives if it were really needed...

I'd say unless you're in extremely cold climate and/or a severe front is
on its way, you're likely fine in being able to get this done.

--

40 degrees and rising is the standard engineer requirement.
Remove any frost or snow, ground can not be frozen. Blankets if
it is going below 30 for at least the first 3 days.

Sometimes it is just easier to wait for better weather. Cap with
plywood or fill with gravel that is easy to dig back out.

--
______________________________
Keep the whole world singing . . . .
DanG (remove the sevens)




"Noel" wrote in message
...
I have a 3' x 3' opening in front of my house that needs to be
cemented. But someone told me that it cannot be done or
shouldn't be
done in winter weather below 32 degrees. if true, than what
would be
the accepted temp and how does one know the exact temp on the
spot
where its suppose to be done...thermometers are
unreliable..also, when
one hears on the radio a certain temp, it is not necessarily the
same
temp where one lives , even if one lives in the same city.

DanG wrote:
40 degrees and rising is the standard engineer requirement.
Remove any frost or snow, ground can not be frozen. Blankets if
it is going below 30 for at least the first 3 days.

Sometimes it is just easier to wait for better weather. Cap with
plywood or fill with gravel that is easy to dig back out.


And we have a winner! You only pour concrete in lousy weather if you
HAVE to. Even if you can keep the pour above freezing, it is real hard
to properly prepare the substrate in cold weather. In a garage,
basement, or commercial interior slab, where the dirt work was done back
when it was warm, and it hasn't been raining on it for several weeks,
they will sometimes pour in freezing weather, using additives and
salamander heaters sitting on sheets of plywood. But outside flatwork is
best left until the next thaw. Half-frozen dirt and mud likes to move
around with freeze/thaw cycles, which leads to air pockets or heaving,
which can make the new slab fail. I'll second what DanG said- fill the
hole with pea gravel, and maybe lay a board on top, to tide you over
till it gets warm. People walking on it will help compact whatever
digging was done that you are patching, and when it warms up, you can
just rake out the top 3-4 inches, lay down your mesh, and pour away.


aem sends...