Question about concrete

Hello everyone,

I have a general question:

Why does concrete have to cure over the winter? Why can't it do that in spring or summer? It is less "moist" and warmer then, so it can "dry" better, right?

Hi,

Why does concrete have to cure over the winter? Why can't it do that in spring or summer?

This is the first time I've heard that :eek:
From whom did you get this information?

Regards

I am not a construction expert, but everyday observations should be enough for an explanation. Often in winter, the humidity is lower than in summer, especially when it is freezing cold. On a beautiful winter day, laundry dries particularly well. The moisture from snow or rain, on the other hand, does not get into the house.

In warmth, however, you have the phenomenon that moisture settles/condenses on cold objects. Since the concrete is cold, it literally attracts the moisture.

We currently live in a valley by the creek. Since the house is generally cold inside, we especially struggle with moisture during the warm seasons. Depending on the weather, the stairwell with the front door open for a long time in summer looks as if someone had poured a bucket of water there.

This is the first time I'm hearing that :eek:

I also know that from earlier times. Back then it was said that the shell construction should stand through one winter first. But that should have been resolved by today's construction methods.

Such nonsense, I have never heard that about the concrete before. I’m too lazy now to explain it in more detail, but roughly speaking, there are definitely two things that concrete doesn’t like at all: frost and intense heat / sunlight.

In our average climate, it works well in spring and summer! If it really gets too hot, you simply cover the concrete with a tarp so that it stays moist and has enough time to cure.