When you’re looking to have a new driveway built, time is an important factor. The process can be long even once the work is finished, and with your own schedule in mind, you may be wondering when things will be ready and back to normal. Once the construction is done and the concrete is laid out, it poses the question: how long does it take for concrete to dry? At Concrete Solutions of Atlanta, we understand that your time is important. If you’re planning to have your driveway built, or you’re in the process of waiting, here are the factors involved in the process, and the time concrete needs before it’s ready for use.

In order to know how long it takes for concrete to dry, it’s important to understand how it occurs. Concrete is made up of several different materials and there are several things to keep in mind about the process.

Typically, when clients ask about the drying time for concrete, it’s the curing time they’re asking for. The terms “curing” and “drying” are often used interchangeably when discussing concrete. However, these are two different processes. Curing is the process that begins right after the concrete mixture is made and poured, when it begins to harden. Drying is when the excess water from the concrete mixture evaporates.

Concrete is made of a mix of different materials, all of them working together to create a binding mixture. Materials include:

• Portland cement: This is typically made of limestone and shale, or limestone and clay, and it acts as the binding material. It comes in a fine powder for mixing.
• Aggregates: Aggregates are materials like gravel, sand, and crushed stone. These add strength to the concrete mixture, as well as texture and color.
• Water: Water is added to the mixed ingredients to bring them all together and to start the curing process.

When the concrete materials are mixed, the curing process is a series of chemical reactions. The process begins with hydration, which is when water and cement react to form calcium silicate hydrate compounds. These compounds then fuse and bond strongly with each other to bring the concrete together and form a strong foundation. As this process happens, the drying process begins as well. The concrete slowly grows porous, allowing excess water to eventually evaporate through the small openings in the concrete.

While concrete cures and dries, there are multiple factors that can affect the process. These are important to keep in mind when you want to know the time it’ll take for the processes to be complete:

The ratio of materials in concrete is important to maintain and changing it can affect the drying and curing processes. Adding more cement to the mixture can reduce the drying time of the concrete, but it can risk cracking when it shrinks. Using more lightweight aggregates, on the other hand, can increase the cure time, but cause it to absorb more water.

Excess moisture can result in a slower cure time, and a slower drying time, too. The moisture content can increase for many reasons, such as high humidity or weather changes. It can affect the structural integrity of the concrete, too, and cause issues like pitting or discoloration. This is important to know before you decide to pour concrete in the rain or during a highly humid day.

The size of your driveway or project can affect the time it takes for concrete to cure as well. The thicker the concrete slab is, the longer it will take for it to cure. Keep the size of the workspace in mind to plan for how long you might wait.

Temperature can play a role in concrete curing time, increasing or decreasing it. Warmer temperatures may speed up the process, but this can result in a weaker structure if the
curing happens too fast. Depending on the season, it’s good to check the weather prior to scheduling to pour concrete.

Just as other weather elements can manipulate the curing time, wind can do so as well. A strong wind might decrease the time it takes for concrete to cure, but this can have detriments. The concrete may become weak, especially on the surface, resulting in a top layer that isn’t structurally sound.

Aside from the outside factors that can affect the curing process, a concrete project like a driveway generally takes a month to fully cure before it can handle a large amount of traffic. To break down the timeline of when concrete cures, here are a few common questions asked once the concrete is poured:

Generally, you can walk on concrete between 24 to 48 hours after it’s poured. A full 24 hours is the minimum amount of time, but depending on the thickness of the concrete and outside factors, it’s best to give it a range of hours before you walk on it.

After 5 to 6 days, a driveway is generally cured enough to handle most consumer vehicles. This would be any vehicle smaller than a package delivery truck. This is the case for most concrete mixes, but it’s important to inquire with your concrete contractor before doing so.

Concrete is usually considered fully cured once it’s past the 27-day mark, unless any underlying factors may have affected it. This is typically the case even if the concrete is still curing and drying after this time. Once this time has passed, it’s generally safe to walk and drive on, and it can withstand heavier vehicles and equipment like it should.

If you’re looking for high-quality concrete solutions for your home, Concrete Solutions of Atlanta has you covered. We offer installation for a wide range of concrete projects, including driveways, patios, and walkways. Contact us for more information or a free estimate, or to schedule a service with us!