Learned the hard way about curing blankets on a hot day near Austin

Last July I was finishing a driveway outside Austin and skipped the wet burlap because it was 98 degrees. Thought I'd be fine, but by the next morning the surface had hairline cracks all over. Had to grind it down and patch it up, which cost me an extra 4 hours and $60 in materials. Any of you guys use a specific brand of curing blanket that works better in the heat?

2 comments

2 Comments

willowc601mo ago

The burlap trick only really works if you keep it consistently wet, which is near impossible in 98 degree heat. A proper curing blanket from a company like Propex or CoverTech will hold moisture way better than any burlap setup. You want something with a vapor barrier on top and a fabric bottom that stays damp for days without needing a hose every couple hours. Skip the cheap woven poly blankets too, they tend to dry out on the edges and you get the same cracking problem. Spend the extra thirty bucks on a good one, it pays for itself the first time you use it in Texas summer.

paulb981mo ago

Ninety eight degrees is brutal, I've been there with burlap and a hose running all day just to watch it dry out in an hour. You're dead right about the edges cracking with the cheap poly blankets too, I learned that the hard way on a driveway pour last July. That extra thirty bucks for a real curing blanket sounds like a no brainer when you factor in the water bill alone.