Why Curing is Necessary?

(Curing of Concrete) Image Source : Flickr

Curing helps to keep the moisture of concrete inside it which plays a vital role in gaining strength of fresh layer and prevent it from forming cracks.

Ways of curing:

There are commonly two major ways to cure concrete.

1. Traditional curing
2. Chemical curing

Traditional curing: This technique is decades older or we can say from when the cement come in use from that time this traditional curing is use to cure the fresh surface of concrete. We are familiar with the term traditional curing by the name of water curing; it is very common way to cure concrete of cement fresh layer.

Chemical curing: This technique introduced in very recent time and becomes important due to the high-tech requirements of construction. Chemical curing means  a chemical which is well-known as curing compound is spray on the fresh layer of cement or concrete after 2 hours to cure the surface from high temperature, wind, humid and dust materials so that the moist of concrete stay inside and gain the desired strength.
  
Why it becomes important to use chemical curing instead of traditional curing?

Well as the world is moving ahead by every passing year so as the construction industry. And as we are gaining so much comfort equipment from our high-tech societies there are few thing which are reducing rapidly and we can't use them the way we are using it in earlier time. The major ones are natural resources, due to global warming and some other atmospheric issues we can’t use plenty and plenty of water just for curing. Water is a natural resource and we can’t waste it just by putting gallons of water for curing our fresh layered concrete surfaces. By taking this situation in mind scientists make curing compound which did the same job as water did for curing and it doesn’t waste any natural resource neither it affects the atmospheric layer at all. And it just form a fine white layer on the surface which prevent the concrete from heat and other damages which caused by atmosphere.

How to use curing compound

Image Source : Flickr

Using curing compound doesn't need that you have an expert of using it, all you need is to have a bit and exact knowledge of how to use these chemicals to gain desired results.

Take curing compound; don't dilute it with water or any other liquid. Once the concrete layer settles down, normally it takes about 3-4 hours (Time will vary according to atmospheric conditions). It is very important that the surface of concrete is not dry it should damp. Because due to dry surfaces it prevent to form correct film and leads to absorption of curing compound, which requires more and more curing compound to form a enough layer on surface and it causes difficulty in removal also. When you are sure that the surface is in its best condition to apply curing on it, spray curing compound on the surface with the help of spray nozzle. Make sure that the nozzle is away from the concrete surface about 450mm and the pressure of pump should keep up in a frequent way so that it results a fine and even spay over the surface. Repeat the spraying process twice so that no place can leave dry. When curing application is applied on surface there is no further need of any application of material needed.  

It is compulsory, not to disturb the surface until it gain a sufficient amount of strength.

Take care of applied film and don’t open the surface for walking before the chemical dries completely. 

Areas of Application

You can use this chemical on any surface like plaster/concrete where curing is required.

• Decks of bridges
• Dams and canals
• Towers
• Walls and rams
• Highways
• Industrial and hospitals floor
• Runways
• RCC sections

How much time curing takes to remove completely?

If you are planned to place another layer or want to apply tile or stone on the concrete surface where you applied chemical for curing then it is very important to remove each part of chemical before lying of further layer on that surface.

This is because curing compound is just like a thin-film which lied just above the surface of concrete layer and due to this reason it is able to lock the moisture of concrete inside the layer, but this is the adverse part as well because it causes no connection between concrete surface and the material which supposed to applied on the layer and due to which the tile stone or paint can't hold the surface which results either they cannot find any grip and unable to apply or it they find a bit grip after sometime they will lose it the leave the surface.

So remove the curing layer before applying anything on surface. Avoid usage of acid for removing the film instead of it prefers the use of detergent for removing process. Once the film removes completely now the surface is ready for your further use you can either apply paint on it or fix stones or anything else. But make sure that the thin-film removes completely there is a very simple step for checking the status of surface that either it is free from curing chemical or not just pour a little amount of water on the surface if water absorbs then there is no chemical present on surface but if water remains on surface then you have to clean the surface again.       

Features and benefits of using curing compounds

• If curing compound applied as per direction it forms a thin layer which keeps the moisture inside concrete.
• It reduces the temperature of surface and protects it from sunlight and dust.
• Reduces possibility cracking which normally caused due to moisture loss.
• It is a non flammable and non toxic chemical
• It doesn’t cause any harm to atmosphere. Rapid film formation

Conclusion

This chemical is beneficial and easy to use and as per today's requirement of construction and nature it is the best option for curing.