How to Pour Concrete for ICF Walls in Cold Weather
Pouring concrete in frigid weather seems like a dreadful task, but if you’re building with ICFs, don’t fret — you have it much easier than the guy pouring slabs or stairs. Your ICF walls give you a huge advantage in cold weather because they sandwich the freshly poured concrete between two layers of insulation and protect it from the hostile weather. But there are still things you can do to ensure your winter concrete pour goes off without a hitch — even with the added protection of the ICFs. In the post below, you’ll learn three simple strategies for pouring ICF concrete cores smoothly in subzero temperatures: Ensure proper concrete curing Discharge the concrete quickly Use admixtures to accelerate curing We’ve got the details below, so read on to find out more. 1. Ensure Proper Curing Temperature at the Top of the Wall The top of an ICF wall is the concrete core’s weakest part in cold weather, and you must take care to protect it if you want the concrete to cure properly. Here’s why. When pouring concrete in freezing temperatures, you have to ensure that the mix maintains a specific ambient temperature to cure correctly. Per the standard, [...]
