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Old timer at the ready mix plant told me to wet the subgrade before a pour
He said just a light spray would keep the ground from sucking the moisture out of the slab, but I hit it too hard and ended up with a muddy mess that took three extra guys to screed level, so what do you guys use to gauge how much water is enough on a hot day?
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jana_price3mo ago
Learned this the hard way myself, flooded a driveway subgrade once and had to wait two extra days for it to dry out enough to pour. @miabennett's handful test is actually what I use now, grab some soil and squeeze, if it holds together without dripping you're good. Maybe it's just me but I still end up second guessing myself and running a light mist over it again before the truck shows up.
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miabennett3mo ago
Read an old concrete book from the 60s that said to wet the subgrade until it stops drinking, then back off a little... that's the sweet spot. On a hot day you gotta mist it and wait a few minutes, not blast it like a fire hose. A buddy of mine swears by checking if a handful of soil crumbles but doesn't drip water when squeezed.
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