Plastic should be placed under a concrete slab to protect it from moisture damage. Moisture from soil can penetrate the concrete causing it to crack with time and potentially risking lots of structural damage. A vapour barrier put under a concrete slab such as plastic sheets can protect it from this.
Putting plastic down before pouring concrete is done to prevent moisture from being drawn out of the concrete too quickly. This allows the concrete to cure properly and prevents cracking or other damage.
The American Concrete Institute's Guide for Concrete Floor and Slab Construction recommends that the thickness of the vapor retarder be at least 10 mils.
Apply covering only after you have wet your concrete thoroughly. Use heavy items such as bricks or rocks to hold the cover in place. Adding moisture is still really important, so make sure you are removing the cover every day to hose down the concrete slab. You will need to do this every day for 7 days.
Using synthetics like plastic in concrete generally weakens the material because they do not bond to the cement mix as well as sand. Properties such as the type of plastic, particle size and shape, and the rheology of the wet mix all have an influence on the strength of the finished concrete.
Concrete that is not moist-cured at all dries too rapidly, and reaches less than half its potential design strength. It will also have a greater number of shrinkage cracks.
The most efficient way to cure concrete is to use a plastic cover. The covers are placed on freshly poured concrete until the concrete has a chance to dry. Plastic concrete curing covers seal off concrete and prevents water from evaporating.
Why Do Builders Need an Under Concrete Slab Vapor Barrier Plastic? An under-slab vapor barrier protects the subfloor and, subsequently, the main floor from moisture by adding a protective layer underneath the concrete foundation before it is poured on wet. Underneath every building, in the ground, is water.
This means that in addition to groundwater working its way up, you also have a moisture-laden flooring surface slowly releasing water vapor for years. Concrete needs to breathe; it's the nature of the beast.
Whether you pour concrete for a walkway or patio, a strong gravel base is required to prevent the concrete from cracking and shifting. Gravel is especially important in clay soil because it doesn't drain well, which results in water pooling under the concrete slab and slowly eroding the soil as it finally drains.
The most commonly used vapor barrier under concrete slabs is polyethylene (poly) plastic sheeting with a thickness of 10 mil or 15 mil.
It is important to keep in mind that dry-pour concrete may not offer the same level of strength and durability as wet-mix concrete. Dry-pour concrete can also be more prone to cracking and shrinkage, which can lead to structural issues and the need for costly repairs over time.
A base of gravel will help prevent erosion and keep the slab from settling. Pour concrete sand to fill the gaps in the gravel base. Use a tamper or plate compactor to flatten the gravel base. If needed, add more gravel and compact until you have a 4-inch base.
DO spray new concrete with water. One of the most common methods for curing concrete is to hose it down frequently with water—five to 10 times per day, or as often as you can—for the first seven days. Known as “moist curing,” this allows the moisture in the concrete to evaporate slowly.
Concrete should be left to sit for 2-4 hours after pouring before watering. If it is supposed to rain in that window, the concrete should be covered. Additionally, if you cannot water the concrete as regularly as is recommended, covering concrete helps trap the moisture and slow the evaporation.
Properly curing your concrete improves strength, durability, water tightness, and resistance for many years. The first 7 days after installation you should spray the slab with water 5-10 times per day, or as often as possible. Once the concrete is poured the curing process begins immediately.
Studies have shown that plastic can be used in concrete; this type of material has become a major research subject in recent years [5]. The lightweight building material industry is considered useful in promoting reused materials [6].
Because concrete is a very porous material, it will absorb any moisture that it contacts. This can cause pooling. Without crushed stone, pooling water will settle under it and erode your slab. Adding a layer of crushed stone will add proper drainage, as well as create a barrier between your slab and the ground.
If the weight of the concrete deforms the dirt base in any way, the entire concrete structure will be flawed. All of that is not to say that it is impossible to pour concrete over dirt. You can absolutely do it successfully, but you need to follow a specific process.
When hydration – a chemical reaction between cement and water – takes place, concrete hardens and therefore becomes stronger. If too much rain falls into the concrete mix – or if it is laid onto wet surfaces or trenches – this will affect the mix, resulting in weak concrete.
Most concrete contractors want a mix of coarse and fine aggregate to create a compactable base that is going to be safe for settlement and drainage. Crusher run (a mix of crushed stone and stone dust) and #57 coarse aggregate are two of the best base materials for concrete slabs.
As a general rule, stay away from using sand as a subbase. You're better off using gravel; your concrete will last longer and have less of a chance of cracking over time.