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Hand troweled a slab in July heat and paid for it
I was finishing a 12x16 patio in Phoenix last summer and the sun hit it just right around 2 PM, turning the surface into a crusty mess before I could get my final passes done. Ended up having to wet it down and rework a 4 foot section that looked like a cracked desert floor. How do you guys keep a slab from setting up too fast when you can't shade it?
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the_simon26d ago
Why not just mix a slower setting batch in the first place?
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gibson.sean27d ago
...and that's exactly why I'm asking this, because Phoenix heat is a whole different animal. Did you try using any kind of evaporation retardant like those spray-on films, or were you just going straight water and a misting gun? I've heard some guys swear by a light fogger before the sun hits it too hard, but I'm curious if that actually buys you enough time for a good finish or if it just makes the surface uneven.
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