Fast curing / drying Cement alternative ?

[The Silent Seed]

Hi gang,

My plant house has an old (original) cement/concrete slab floor - all cracked up but still perfectly usable in most places - but there is one area that has deteriorated into a shallow depression.

It is approx 1 1/2 X 2 1/2 feet, and about 2 1/2 inches deep.

I've never worked with cement/concrete before - and was asking the guy at a local hardware store who says cement (QuikRite) takes 5 days to cure. There's NO WAY I'm going to wait 5 days for this fix to cure if I can find a better alternative.

So - is there a quick fix that doesn't take 5 days to dry? I would just fill it with some sand or dirt, but I need to be able to roll a wheeled structure over where it is, and the wheels would just dig down.

[_Keith]

Quikrete Fast Setting Cement.

[The Silent Seed]

That is the stuff that takes 5 days to cure apparently. (dirty yellow/orange-ish paper bag?) I looked at the label.

[Jerry@TreeZoo]

I bet it would set hard enough to walk over or use a wheelbarrow in about 24 hours. It won't cure to its advertised strength for 5 days. You could lay a sheet of plywood over it after 24 hours and use that until cured.

[MattyB]

Yeah, you can walk on concrete the next day. You'll be fine.

[The Silent Seed]

Thanks a lot guys!

Due to the close confines of the plant house, I can't just go in and mix the cement in a wheelbarrow or big tub - can this be done in a 5 gallon bucket? (Mix with a 2x4 maybe?) Anyone know what a good ratio would be, for a 5 gal bucket?

Also - some of the bags of QuikRete were already hard (feeling it) - The guy said it breaks down once it gets wet - true? Or is it already turned into cement from exposure?

[empireo22]

If you have a 5 gallon bucket and a drill invest in a whip. its a lot easier to mix this way, just do a little at a time and put a little water in first and use a masons trowel to get to the bottom to mix the dry mix up. make sure you wash it well after.

[_Keith]

If the bags are hard leave them at the store.

[MattyB]

Mix it dry, not too sloppy, spread it around and tamp it, massage it, to push the aggregate down and to get the cream to surface so you can finish it.

[_Keith]

Mix it dry, not too sloppy, spread it around and tamp it, massage it, to push the aggregate down and to get the cream to surface so you can finish it.

Sage advice. I see you have been one with the concrete in the past.

[The Silent Seed]

Thank you What does "finish it" mean ?

Massage it? Don't I take it out to dinner first?

Does anyone happen to know what a good ratio would be - if I put say, a gallon of water in the 5 gal bucket, do I just add cement until it has a certain feel to it ?

Thanks for the suggestion for investing in a whip - I do have a couple drills and will check out the whips (I have to laugh - it makes me feel like a cowboy!) If they are not too costly, I might grab one - otherwise for a short-term project it probably isn't worth it.

[_Keith]

Floating (Finishing) concrete. You can use a short piece of smooth 2x4 for a float if looks are not that important.

[palmazon]

use 2 buckets - using 1 to hold the water, pouring a little at a time; a stiff mix is preferable - more cookie dough than pancake batter

[The Silent Seed]

Very helpful - thank you everyone!

[Harry]

Before pouring and massaging the new conrete

apply a layer of epoxy resin (in liquid form, with a brush)

to the old conrete surface.

Apply the new concrete slurry soon after (before the epoxy hardens).

In this way the two surfaces will stick to one another.

The old conrete surface must be very clean and dry.

[The Silent Seed]

That could be a deal breaker - this depression is basically dirt/sand at the bottom - what to do in that case?

[Harry]

Clear all loose material from the depression (use a brush and a vaccuum cleaner).

If you cannot find a solid substrate further down (i.e. all you find is the natural soil surface)

then only use the epoxy resin on the sides of the depression to stick the new conrete to the old.