Question about a driveway job that went bad fast

Saw a neighbor's new driveway go from smooth to spiderwebbed in under a week. The crew poured on a Friday afternoon that was way too hot, like 95 degrees, and didn't use any evaporation retarder. Has anyone else had a slab crack that quickly from heat issues?

4 comments

4 Comments

anna5782mo ago

My uncle's concrete guy always pours in summer heat. Says it cures stronger and faster that way, and some surface cracks are totally normal.

the_wesley2mo ago

Yeah, but those cracks can let water in and wreck it later.

the_lee2mo agoMost Upvoted

Actually, summer heat can make it crack more if you don't water it right.

dakota41527d ago

... surface cracks? Totally normal? Man, I don't know about that. I've seen driveways and patios where those little cracks turned into big ones after a freeze or two, just letting water do its thing. That sounds like a concrete guy who wants to get the job done fast and move on, not one who cares if it holds up for years. Pouring in the heat is just asking for trouble unless you're spraying it down every few hours, and even then you're rolling the dice. I'd rather take a bit longer and get a smooth, solid pour than gamble on "stronger and faster" and end up with a cracked mess later.