Concrete Driveway and Patio cracked hours after the pour.

[@klwthe3rd]

Odell Concrete is still the most renoun and respected concrete expert on KZbin. Whenever i want to learn or see different concrete options i always turn to this channel. It's hard to argue with the best!

[@OdellCompleteConcrete]

Thanks

[@jamestanner9198]

Wood screed that went out with stone age. Would like to see them do a shopping centre slab. That would be interesting

[@OdellCompleteConcrete]

Elementary

[@cleanmachine08]

I am a DIY warrior and this is the stuff that keeps me up at night. Thank you for the video and presenting the good and bad.

[@OdellCompleteConcrete]

Glad to help

[@ian5780]

Find a ood finisher. Dont weekend warrior a concrete fishing job.

[@OdellCompleteConcrete]

Your the standard of that

[@TotalFreedomTTT-pk9st]

Be a DIY warrior - that is the gift of YT and the Net - especially with guys like this video that are willing to show you positive things and also confess problems - I try to watch more and more video's on how to do this or that - I do everything also - it's not for everybody but it is for somebody's

[@meflyfish]

What you experienced is called Plastic Shrinkage Cracking. Volume of the water lost through rapid evaporation exceeds the tensile strength of the fresh concrete. There is an evaporation chart you can use to tell you when you need to take precautions to avoid this condition. When the evaporation rate is.2/10 of a pound per square foot per hour you will likely experience plastic shrinkage. There is a finishing aid called “Confilm” that when properly applied with a sprayer during finishing will reduce the evaporation rate by 50%. Plastic shrinkage cracks are usually permanent. You covered them up with the paste but guaranteed they will come back to haunt you.

[@jamestanner9198]

Yes agree in Australia Plastic down much bigger mesh say 8 mm chairs to hold the mesh in middle of the slab and a much higher slump. when ordered. Over hers we use 9 foot aluminium screeds' not lumps of wood. That whet out with dark ages.

[@williamhughes6051]

Sounds like what happened to a couple of my slabs, hotter sunnier area was really the only differance i used bagged concrete bought at the same time and mixed the same way

[@meflyfish]

@@jamestanner9198 you’re doing it right

[@meflyfish]

@@williamhughes6051 Bagged concrete hardly ever turns out well.

[@jamestanner9198]

@@meflyfish Why does this guy use lumps of wood as screed. Don't you get the proper aluminium ones there. ?

[@JoeBillyBobful]

An architect who was a friend of mine once told me the reason house slabs crack is because there was not enough water put on the ground before the pour. This was in New Mexico which is very dry, similar to the location you are at. Really nice save.

[@OdellCompleteConcrete]

I had the Homeowner wet for three days prior to pour

[@AW-yv9sq]

@@OdellCompleteConcretewonder if he did or did enough

[@frandome]

@@OdellCompleteConcrete It doesn't hurt to soak the ground prior to pouring...that's what I've always done on dry, hot days with dry ground since the 1970's. I've also had this happen with cracking every 2 feet on centre (where all my 1/2" rebar was in the slab) back in 1998 when we were pouring a large patio on an acreage where a very strong wind started after we finished placing. I had to remove it all and repour it.

[@OdellCompleteConcrete]

Good question

[@JoeKyser]

​@@OdellCompleteConcreteThat's tough to have to rely on them. Who knows, people are funny. They may not have done it as instructed which wouldn't surprise me.

[@roblescurbappealconcrete]

Thanks for the video Sir. I’ve also been in and around concrete for 40 years. I’ve had that happen to me as well. And I know we don’t generally use poly on patios, driveways or sidewalks but I started using any poly after I had those cracks come up, and I haven’t had that problem again. I know you said the home owners watered it for 3 days, but I still believe that area sucked that water very quickly. I really appreciate all the jobs you do, you really take care of the customer. 👍

[@OdellCompleteConcrete]

Possibly but it did take 6 hours to finish

[@tomlof8941]

@@OdellCompleteConcrete 25 yrs we have been doing concrete in nj , never had this happen before but it's what keeps me up the night before thinking of things like this happening. It is odd especially since it took 6 hrs. to finish, unless the bottom half of the concrete had the water sucked out by the dry ground and somehow the surface remained wet. But I always we the ground down really good before each pour, my guys may get disgruntled thinking it will never dry, but when the water gets sucked out from dry ground it usually all dry's quickly surface and all. But i always make the slump where the Com along helps the concrete almost level and bond together with less effort. Obviously not soup slump but that fine line of good easy bond with every dump of the wheelbarrow. But all that being said, id be going home racking my brain saying something had to be up with the mix . lol maybe, maybe not, good work on that recovery brother hope all went well down the line. Concrete is stressful. if you care.

[@OdellCompleteConcrete]

Bad concrete mixes are rare, but it's happened to me 3 times in 40 years, you're lucky you got to see what bad concrete mixes do

[@Eddiemoney193]

@@OdellCompleteConcrete I wonder if watering the ground a few days before the pour would have prevented this, like you said the ground may have been too dry and sucked the moisture out of the concrete too fast? Did both slabs crack or just the one next to the home? if it was both then if could have been the batch of concrete. maybe some fiber mesh would have helped? still love your videos and your honesty keep on producing bro!

[@vincentbellet9149]

Thanks for sharing and showing the problems you’ve encountered not just the successes. That would’ve been nerve wracking, so glad you saved it.

[@OdellCompleteConcrete]

My pleasure!

[@curtin1955]

Hi, enjoy your videos. Retired from the ready mix industry in the UK. It's normal practise here to compact the sub base then lay a polythene sheet down, followed by the mesh. This way there is no water loss from the concrete to the ground. Well done on the finish.

[@OdellCompleteConcrete]

TY

[@petergilchrist2805]

no

[@rjmacay]

your always in good hands with Odell Complete Concrete

[@OdellCompleteConcrete]

TY

[@alexfehlberg1065]

I blame the funny trowel for telling jokes. It makes me crack up.

[@bmxican1023]

Lmaoooo full circle dad joke comment

[@OdellCompleteConcrete]

Good one

[@billincolumbia]

I don't know nothin' about concrete, but I still love your videos. Thank you.

[@OdellCompleteConcrete]

TY

[@francisbe3898]

Love how you look for answers despite the thing going wrong on your watch. That’s positive attitude I like to say. One question: wouldn’t troweling only fix the concrete esthetically while leaving the deeper part of the crack present only to resurface in the future? Thanks for the great video.

[@mrtopcat2]

Exactly my thoughts. I fear the crack is now baked-in and will sooner or later reappear. Some comments suggested the ground may not have been not wet enough before the pour.

[@OdellCompleteConcrete]

probably depending how deep they were. I think the wire will hold it together minimizing the cracks

[@venicechris]

Great video. Concrete is so time sensitive that it's crazy you're recording. When we're during this, we ask the client to not bother us.

[@michael74556]

Using the power trowel was a great idea, really helped to consolidate the concrete and minimized the cracks

[@tnolan3176]

I think all the power trowel did was work up enough cream to fill the crack but I bet the cracks come back !

[@OdellCompleteConcrete]

Yes it definitely helped

[@robertbutler8004]

@michael74556 no owner wants concrete with minimized cracks.

[@streetrodder2846]

As a retired conductor for Southern Pacific I know that a railroad tie is good for 50 years before the company plans to replace them in mainline service. Branch lines and yard track will last longer, sometimes 75 to 100 years. /// Regarding the cracking, perhaps you should have put down 3" of gravel over the dirt.

[@OdellCompleteConcrete]

I more decomposed gravel base that was previously under the turf

[@sergiosguillen]

It seems the water from the concrete was absorbed into the ground too quick. Wetting the area more/plastic should help you avoid this.

[@OdellCompleteConcrete]

I had the Homeowner soak for 3 days prior to the pour.

[@RCMServices]

@@OdellCompleteConcrete I guess the question is what is the homeowner's definition of soaking is?

[@Admimistrator]

​@OdellCompleteConcrete Do you think maybe that ground is extra efficient at wicking moisture?

[@RCMServices]

@@AdmimistratorDG is a very absorbing material.

[@OdellCompleteConcrete]

I have two locations with different subgrades, but both location with the same load of concrete had the same problems

[@albertocristi9571]

Another video from Odell complete concrete still does not disappoint

[@OdellCompleteConcrete]

Ty

[@rp1645]

I got cracks in my driveway and started later day. YES should have kept WETTING the finished top. My inside of cement has a wire mess plus a rebar. I put the dummy joints in PLUS. I made sure that I did sidewalk expansion joints. The cement guy said that with dummy joins, "O" did not need the sidewalk expansion joints. My cement was already hard, so I could NOT rework the day of pour. I have filled cracks with the Home depo crack repair filler. I learned from you and the comments that I should have spent time on after pour and broom finish. 😊

[@OdellCompleteConcrete]

Next time. TY

[@somegeezer4840]

I would say 1 of 3 things, 1) the mix was off, 2) the ground sucked the moisture from the concreate, 3) ground/concreate shifted somehow

[@OdellCompleteConcrete]

I've narrowed it down to bad mix after checking off the other things

[@DPelicanGaming]

@@OdellCompleteConcrete did u warrenty that? surely its going to just crack later

[@OdellCompleteConcrete]

no, but if I have to do again, I'll need the concrete company to pay me.

[@jamesp13152]

@@OdellCompleteConcrete Love watching your channel. Retired painting/wallcovering contractor here. My pure guess was a bad batch. Is there any test you can do to prove it was bad batch? Sure hope it holds up, you guys do a beautiful job.

[@MyGoogleYoutube]

​@@OdellCompleteConcrete I'm assuming after they watch your video that can't say you didn't do it right?

[@rickpress9773]

Pea Gravel was originally designed for grouting block walls. Everybody likes the way that it finishes and it’s easy to work with, but it’s junk for flat work. Use a big rock mix design and pour a 4 to 5 inch slump. Your finisher will hate you but big rock will always provide you with a much better slab. Also, the wire mesh doesn’t do any good laying in the dirt you need a man or two with a hook pulling it up into the middle of the slab. Good luck.

[@ALT·245]

But he has 45 years of experience.

[@100Proof-n5d]

Pea gravel is a 2500 psi and up mix You are wrong and pea gravel is just as strong

[@100Proof-n5d]

@@rickpress9773 the gravel doesn’t make a high psi or a strong mix. The sacks per yard does. So if you have a 1” rock 4 sack mix. It is a lower psi or strength than a 3/8 gravel 6 sack. Get out of here with your nonsense

[@OdellCompleteConcrete]

I've did many of these the same way with no problems. Only thing that changed was the concrete quality

[@mattj5537]

bad batch of concrete

[@jimbeem54]

Thanks!

[@oldtimefarmboy617]

Ground probably choose that time to start shifting, and since the concrete was not near close to being cured it started to pull apart in spite of the reinforcement. Where I live we have a high clay content in our soil which like to swell and shrink with changes in moisture. That is one reason we usually put several inches of sand under concrete slabs to create a sort of disconnect between the concrete and the soil. Give the concrete the ability to slip when the soil moves.

[@armidaleconcrete]

Wind can also cause this. In summer in Australia we would either give the base a good wetting down before pouring or even sometimes lay plastic barrier down first to slow up the drying process. Rather than expensive curing compounds we mix boncrete ( which is really wood glue ) or a cheaper wood glue product ,one part to four parts water and spray that on the surface immediately after finishing.

[@domnick7886]

Doing concrete on the East Coast one thing we do differently is laying down a barrier between the ground and concrete . We always used 6mil poly plastic sheeting for the barrier. Your finishing looked spot on.

[@OdellCompleteConcrete]

No freeze and thaw here

[@rxcalvosa]

@@OdellCompleteConcrete sounds like you've already decided what caused the cracking in spite of the fact that most of the comments from actual mud guys are telling you that you need to put down plastic.

[@OdellCompleteConcrete]

I've laid down more concrete than most people have walked on

[@danmccarthy2213]

@@OdellCompleteConcrete never heard that one before :) buts its probably true!

[@1sttigertiger426]

The plate compactor was not as powerful (vibrations) as the gas one, and did not fully compact the soil. After the concrete hardened, there was settlement in the soil, which caused it to crack.

[@OdellCompleteConcrete]

Not likely

[@tonycash8544]

You have no idea what your talking about...

[@OdellCompleteConcrete]

idiot

[@maleorgan4915]

@@OdellCompleteConcrete LOL you ask people to give their two cents in the comments then call them an idiot. Of course not everyone will have the correct answer, but definitely not a good look man.

[@tobby9996]

🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@refugiopoint]

Love the channel, congrats on the 500K scribers, I've been watching for a long time and love working with concrete, I even wore out my Imer mixer just doing family yard projects......but anyway, it wasn't anything you did on this pour, something in the mix didn't sit right, possibly not uniform in the mix or a chemical reaction occurred, really appreciate your time in sharing the good and the bad, peace out!

[@OdellCompleteConcrete]

Thanks for watching. I think you are right on

[@dh1335]

Been doing concrete for 48 years. It’s the concrete, if you got a load from a different Conrete plant for the same job, same prep, good chance you would be fine , silt in the concrete mix creates a natural cold joint. However, I noticed it was a somewhat of a windy day, which can pull out moisture as well. Watering the dirt sub grade prior to pouring concrete is a given. One vital thing overlooked is that you used wire mesh , which means if an when the concrete cracks the concrete can separate, we would use 1/2 inch steel rebar 16 inch on centers, thus reinforcing the slab. Hope that helps.

[@OdellCompleteConcrete]

Bad loads happen. TY

[@oldtimefarmboy617]

Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum Creosote Bush or Larrea tridentata, greasewood, gobernadora, hediondilla, chaparral, ṣegai Creosote bushes are a flowering evergreen shrub, which means that year-round they are green and have leaves. They have tiny, pointed leaves and tiny yellow five-petal flowers. Plant leaves have microscopic “mouths” called stomata, which is how a plant breathes in carbon dioxide and exhales oxygen. Creosote’s little leaves are great water savers because they release less moisture than a big leaf. This is very helpful in a desert where it doesn’t rain very often. The waxy coating on their leaves helps prevent water loss as well. Chemicals on the leaf’s surface are released when it gets wet - this is where their iconic scent comes from! These fragrant chemicals can drop into the soil and inhibit other large plants from growing too close. Creosote’s roots spread deep into the ground so that they can suck up water from the water table and having a protected area around the plant prevents competition from other deep-rooted plants (but allows shallow-rooted wildflowers to pop up in that space). That means more water for the creosote’s roots to slurp up! Creosote lives in the Mojave, Sonoran, and Chihuahuan deserts of North America and can be found in southeastern California, Arizona, southern Nevada and Utah, as well as New Mexico and Texas. In Mexico they can be found in the states of Chihuahua, Sonora, Coahuila, Nuevo Leon, Zacatecas, Durango and San Luis Potosi. These plants grow in well-drained soils, and flat plains.

[@OdellCompleteConcrete]

Very informative TY

[@GOSOPRO]

My son had a 40x80 poured in Utah 5600 ft elevation, second week of September. Temps were fine, fiber in the mix, initially the finish looked totally pro. Within 6 hrs the entire pour cracked into approximately 4 ft pieces also. Kind of bizarre. I think the to quick to dry is a very good theory. Arizona and Utah suck the moisture out of everything. Thanks for the poly suggestion, it makes good sense.

[@OdellCompleteConcrete]

Dirt in the mix

[@89cjjans]

Just had this happen over the summer 110 yards of concrete, everybody concurred that it was caused from the concrete drying too quickly. The batch plant did not keep the substrates at the right moisture content. It was a very unusually dry summer and on my end, they said I should’ve put 3 to 4 times as much water on the ground before I poured the concrete. We had to tear it all out and re-poured two days later. The Concrete company would not help me out on it so I use a different company that helped me out on that job to get my business. Definitely the Concrete is what went wrong on your end.

[@OdellCompleteConcrete]

Yes it's the only that makes sense

[@toddwheeler1526]

Dry aggregates, hot/expanded aggregates, maybe too much flyash, subgrade to Dry, hot load, too many revolutions, dead cement? Core the slabs and break it. It ain't going to fix itself. Those cracks don't appear to be surface only? Hot materials are expanded, high evaporation rates cool materials and thus shrinkage. Shame that these problems visit good contractors. Best of luck.

[@noneofyourbiz-b7h]

I’ve been in the business for 30yrs and I’ve seen it happen multiple of times. Due to number of things but the most of it was caused by wind. And it causes the surface to dry too fast. Even wetting the ground before won’t help. We’ve used confilm also and in some cases it helps but not all the time. Another cause is just the mix or combination of mix and wind. Either way it sucks and it can be unsightful. Most of the time it’s just surface cracking and not structural. And this because the surface just sets up faster than the center of concrete. Think of a dried out lake bed. It cracks. But great job burning it and saving it! All though It may possibly crack in those spots again. Hopefully not!! Good job

[@OdellCompleteConcrete]

I hear that, it's not a perfect science

[@КапитонКлимов]

I doing hardscaping and concrete jobs in DC area for almost 20 years, yes I had same problems at least 5-6 times, every time it was BAD mix!

[@OdellCompleteConcrete]

I concur

[@court2379]

I agree. It's the concrete. Not enough cement powder. Looks like a lot of sand too, but may just be that I'm used to a gravelly mix. I'm surprised he doesn't make test cylinder samples for every job. Then if something goes wrong, send it to the lab for load testing. Then you can prove the concrete was bad and get them to pay you for it.

[@OdellCompleteConcrete]

I can still send a core sample to the lab it just cost more now.

[@doughorner5730]

Probably has already been mentioned but the creosote they soak those railroad ties in isn't derived from creosote bushes like the homeowner said. It's a preservative made from distilling coal. Love your videos!

[@OdellCompleteConcrete]

good to know TY

[@aubreysmith66]

I had a basement floor poured, rained for several days before the pour, compacted, poly and mesh. The next morning there were cracks everywhere. This area in TN has a lot of rock in the ground, so the rain went right into the ground not affecting the pour time. still mad about those cracks. Talked with other concrete pros and they all said there are a million reasons why concrete will crack.

[@danmccarthy2213]

I have no idea how to concrete, but could it be the extreme low humidity? ...which excelled the evaporation of water?

[@OdellCompleteConcrete]

Bad concrete but good guess

[@ezdeezytube]

It looks like this is on the south side of a very light colored wall, on a sunny day. Even though temps were in the 70s, I bet the direct sun plus the reflected heat off that bright wall was cooking the slab and evaporating the water much faster than normal. Also I bet that wall did the same thing to the area of dirt before the pour, so it was bone dry and sucked the water out of the slab like a sponge.

[@gilbertmorales7192]

I've been doing concrete for almost 40 Years and it's been my experience that you always get to the job and wet down an hour before concrete down the grade especially in 70 to 100 + degrees so that the water from the concrete doesn't evaporate in the ground it's called the siphoning process if you don't wet your grade before the concrete gets there a good hour before and use water until it puddles up on the ground some people will start two wet the grade right when the concrete gets there but that's starting the siphoning process so definitely what your grade down in warm weather to where it's puddled up almost and watering down the concrete after you pour and having a homeowner do that just causes heat checking you don't want to do that at all that was done years ago I never do that that's old school and also if you tell homeowner to wet the concrete down after you poured he'll find puddles if there's any which I usually don't have just saying

[@huckleberryfinnish271]

Probably more than one thing happening here. If the subgrade is too wet the water has no choice but to head for the surface, and if it's sealed too early it will cause cracking. Concrete bleeds whether or not you can see it, especially in the desert. A clue is that after the surface was troweled, you could still get on it to save it, meaning the top was hard, but subsurface was still plastic and it came back together. Sometimes in the heat we will actually use a little accelerator to ensure consistent set thru the vertical section. Line pump mixes are notoriously high in mortar (cement and water) and only mortar shrinks. Lower mortar content lowers shrinkage-use more water reducer...

[@OdellCompleteConcrete]

Alot of potential issues, but I've narrowed it down to contaminated materials

[@SamsonsConcrete-r4z]

It looked like the pour went well. Did not look like the wind was an issue. So, the question is, could it be a bad mix, or did the homeowner really get it wet for the 3 days? I guess that's something we will never know. Glad you got it. Keep up the good work. 👊🏽

[@OdellCompleteConcrete]

Good question! I'm leaning towards bad mix.

[@JonnyDIY]

You've been doing this 40 years and already a few out there dealing with the soil conditions and weather. I was thinking maybe soil pulled too much moisture outta the mix, but I'm sure it was just a bad mix as youve never had this happen before. Complain to S&S. They should make it right 👍

[@OdellCompleteConcrete]

Im fairly sure the mix was off. Saturday new batch man.

[@MrWrob32]

The concrete was stiff, as you mentioned and looks like the concrete cracked, due to high suction from the ground. Read in the comments, that you asked the home owners to soak the ground, for 3 days before the concrete arrived. It looks to me that, that's where the problem lies. If the ground had been thoroughly soaked, it would have killed the suction and prevented the rapid loss of moisture from the concrete

[@scottfrith3825]

I have been a concrete contractor for over 30 years in the Central Valley of California where is hot and dry. The biggest thing that I see first is weather the breeze was blowing. You can use a finishing aid like Eucobar to help with initial evaporation. The other problem that I noticed is that you used a magnesium float initially and sealed it up to soon. We use only a wood bull float and then folllow up later with an orange thunder bull float. Good luck hope that helps.

[@OdellCompleteConcrete]

I had the Homeowner soak for 3 days prior to the pour.

[@oxdogoxSF]

@@OdellCompleteConcrete You ever watch old people water anything... He probably sprayed it down in the hot sun and it all burned off. 😅

[@OdellCompleteConcrete]

Yes I have and watering is what they love to do, including me.

[@tonycash8544]

There is no way using a mag float caused the concrete to crack like that. You say he sealed it up with the mag float, if that were the case the water would have stayed in the concrete. Mag brings water and cream to the surface to allow a steel trowel to compress the fines and give a durable finish. A mag float or trowel doesn't seal/finish the concrete that's what the steel is for.

[@3beltwesty]

Decades ago they use to wet down the forms and wet the ground so the concrete slowly cured. Also cover the slab after being poured with hay and a sprinkler. Then placed a tarp on top. So the top was a still damp to allow curing..

[@timmcchesney8885]

I poured concrete for 45 yrs. The problem is probably a very hot dry base or you got a load of hot mud. You need to soak the base with water before you pour. Or put down a layer of Tyvec over the sub base.Not plastic. Hot mud happens when the concrete is old mix that has been temperd with water too much. Some batch company's remix batches that come back to the plant from previous pours. Another factor is a hot dry wind.

[@Squat5000]

Batch plant probably sent a truck that arrived way too hot. When we pour down south, there are a lot of times you get a hot load. So I've had them batch with ice chips. Some larger substation pours we had sent with liquid nitrogen. Sounds like BS but you'll see it on massive continuous pours. If the temp out the chute was above 140, failure is pretty much guaranteed

[@OdellCompleteConcrete]

I thin k the mix was contaminated with dirt

[@800acceptnoimitation]

The railroad ties in this project at the concrete edges look good. I didn't think they would look good when you first started.

[@OdellCompleteConcrete]

Nice touch

[@dirtleg13]

My concrete guy, who I've been using for 17 years, and has only ever done concrete his entire life, said to me on our latest pour, 6 days ago, that the concrete formulations, at least in our area, have changed in the last few years. They are using different fillers and it is much harder to properly finish than say 10-15 years ago. I don't actually know too much about that myself, just repeating what he said to me.

[@OdellCompleteConcrete]

It doesn't surprise me, probably hazardous waste being used for disposal.

[@tardbob]

Out here in Washington state, when we had very sandyfill or very dry, we compacted the fill with water and put down plastic to stop the concrete from having the moister pulled out

[@OdellCompleteConcrete]

Soaked for 3 days prior

[@aday1637]

Ironic, I ran into this myself on a job in DC back in the 70's. I worked directly under the GSA inspector doing slump tests/samples on a federal project. A spandrel beam on the 2nd level of a 5 story building cracked after being stripped. GSA tested samples from that pour and found oil in the batch. The GSA inspector went out to the batch plant and found that the mechanic had changed oil into the sand used in the mix which was not visibly detectable but caused the pour to crack. Some crete companies quality control is sporadic which leads to what you experienced. And no amount of prep and finish will prevent the cracking. The beam on our job had to be jack hammered out and replaced, of course and the feds backcharged the concrete company for all damages.

[@davidrothchilds2066]

I'm not a concreter but I know with cement render if it is finished too quickly shrinkage cracks appear next day has to do with the outside drying faster because of the floating finishing trapping moisture. I'm not sure the reason for concrete but I've come across 2 driveways being poured same day hot weather both cracking, concreter blamed concrete but was unsure. Surely they would teach about this at technical college

[@blueyes0152]

I believe you got a bad batch. I had the exact same thing happen this summer. Fairly cool day (80 deg or less), no wind, under roof, but open air. We poured two 12x36, one on each side of a pole barn. One 6 yd truck for one side, another 6 yd truck for the other. Both trucks were on their second load of the day. The first truck finished out perfect and still doesn't have a single crack. The second truck ended up like yours. I believe the second truck didn't empty out on the first job they went to and then batched my load on top of the leftovers. I can't prove that, but there were no other differences between the two slabs.

[@OdellCompleteConcrete]

I concur 100%

[@rxcalvosa]

@@OdellCompleteConcrete haha yeah, blame the concrete. Crap carpenters blame the nails. It was a stiff mix, you knew that going in, you didn't put down plastic in an extremely arid environment. btw, you know as well as I do that those cracks are still there. Sorry, this one's on you, Bro.

[@OdellCompleteConcrete]

idiot

[@dennisweaver2202]

Have a test from reputable laboratory done on both slabs you'll find your problem is the mix was out of time or mix was wrong not S &S can do there own but don't use a independent lab

[@ron593]

Sounds like a hot load

[@lakeerieprepper4073]

I would agree with the comment about premature drying. The water was sucked out by a dry substrate before the concrete had a chance to cure. A layer of plastic sheeting over the gravel would I believe have prevented the problem. The curing compound should have been applied sooner also.

[@chava05]

Possible causes are the concrete temperature and the total time from batch time to the last drop of concrete that came of the truck. If it goes higher than 90 min, probably your concrete was already too hot (hydration process).

[@chava05]

Also, if you have a windy day and your ground is dry, it will create dry shrinkage cracks

[@OdellCompleteConcrete]

Bad load

[@labaguebezai4973]

Great video! Thank you for not adding unnecessary background music.

[@OdellCompleteConcrete]

You're welcome!

[@TheBrewjo]

It's a head scratcher. Great Team, same batch, two jobs next-door, near identical. Variables: substrate condition, permanent enclosure with railway sleepers vs temporary form work, time between pour A and pour B. Outside of control would be minute differences in environment and additional water use. If the other occasions where you've faced this had temporary formwork as well, probably the batch of concrete is rotten. The counter-forces of the sleepers and tie-in with the lag bolts stopped any forces propagating through that curing mix.

[@OdellCompleteConcrete]

The only conclusion that makes sense is Bad concrete

[@BillyLapTop]

Nice save Dave! Experience saves the day.

[@OdellCompleteConcrete]

We do the best we can with what we are dealt with

[@jamestanner9198]

In Australia we would pour this using 8 mil mesh black plastic down so moisture not go into ground the mesh on chairs in the middle of the slab.. high slump on a very windy day . Get the owner to lightly wet it down each day as well as the concrete dries.

[@DanielWatson-p2g]

Your slab probably cracked for a couple of reasons. 1: If the slab is more than 4 inches thick, you should be using rebar reinforcement. 2: As big as the slab was there should have been expansion joints sectioning off different segments of the slab. 3: If the weather is cold, adding less water, maybe using a leaf blower on low speed, and making sure the concrete is properly mixed will help prevent cracking. 4: using a soil compaction tool can ensure the base below the slab doesn't shift or sink. Soft wood is not recommended for concrete reinforcement or framing. Infact, the only type of plant material I seen use as reinforcement is bamboo.

[@OdellCompleteConcrete]

Ever hear of bad concrete

[@walsakaluk1584]

This is a concrete problem. Concrete destined for minipump delivery has smaller aggregate so there's that, but this shouldn't cause shrinkage when curing. It looked really creamy...not enough water? Your fibre reinforcement didn't....then again, that's for mechanical strength not for molecular level forces. Love your work. It's beautifully detailed and executed.

[@OdellCompleteConcrete]

Concrete failure for sure

[@jsimon2110]

I poured a lot of concrete in my youth building bridges for both state and county inspectors. I finished that career as a forman and crane operator. Inspectors would do slump test on concrete,, too wet equals fast moisture loss and cracks. When I watched you pour that I thought man that is too wet. Easy to pour it wet as it self levels, but you will have more cracks. Should pour dry so that you have to actually rake,shovel, and vibrate it into position. Most people won't work that hard at pouring concrete,, but if it is a bridge and state inspectors there, you do it correctly.

[@OdellCompleteConcrete]

Thing about the jobs you're on, the concrete company knows it will be tested, so you get good materials.

[@scottreed5460]

If we are pouring directly on the ground we use vapor barrier to keep it from drying to fast and crack. Even retarder sometimes isn’t enough if the air is too dry and there is a slight wind. You gotta babysit the pour longer but plastic certainly helps slow it down.

[@balpiche-kanae8070]

Uncle David , this has happened to me multiple times in Hawaii. The ground sucked up all the water and bad mix🙏🤙 your prep was cherry 🍒

[@OdellCompleteConcrete]

Bad loads happen

[@ozcantheonly1]

Try to measure the moisture in the slab and check for irregularities. If one part has already been cured and the other part is still curing, obviously, it will create tension on the already cured part, causing it to crack. The greater the difference, the more tension it creates.

[@OdellCompleteConcrete]

Interesting

[@columbusmotorhead596]

The concrete looked like a good slump when coming out of the pump line, but when you were seceding it and floating it, it seemed pretty wet. That said, your sub grade probably sucked out all of the moisture in the concrete, along with the sun, wind and 75 degrees. Every pour is a challenge, you either beat it or the concrete beats you. Best of luck

[@OdellCompleteConcrete]

Concrete is a simple mixture. cement, sand, rock, and water. the trick is to have all those things clean, otherwise you get what we had here concrete failure.

[@columbusmotorhead596]

@ Agreed. But also, then theirs fly ash, slag, etc. The admixtures that are used today to supposedly make concrete better have just the opposite effect. Add in the new 1L cement, made to supposedly be better on the environment to produce, is having its issues too. Not to mention that studies have shown that the limestone mined in the Midwest is softer (more porous) than in other parts of the country. I liked concrete back in the day when I first got in the concrete business in the 80’s. We poured six bag with air and even swirl finished it and it held up great. Didn’t have to keep resealing it, etc… Just like most everything else in this world, concrete isn’t what it used to be.

[@garynelson4749]

curious.......do you add air to your exterior concrete where your located? ......this appears to be shrinkage associated with to much water in concrete but your slump appeared to be good ....the concrete cured fine and in a timely manner so mix was ok....possibly moisture being sucked out bottom due to dry soils but that usually leads to very weak concrete due to lack of curing moisture....i would lean to poor prepared soil base (ie soil expansion/contraction) ( expansive soils) might read up on expansive soils

[@BitCounter]

I'd love to see the 1 year update on this as to how it held up. My guess is the ground gave away and let it settle on one side.

[@tommywalton1974]

I had it happen. It was hot as hell with the sun out. The driver admitted to me later he loaded 5-6 yards on some from a previous job and mixed it in. I saved it like you I thought. 6 months later I tore it all out. It did EXACTLY like what happened to you. Hot sunny weather too. A 4” pool deck.

[@OdellCompleteConcrete]

Unfortunate

[@tickyul]

YUP, that load was bad, I agree with you that this is the most likely cause.

[@offgridmatt]

My two cents with my experience, excelled water evaporation. Sub-grade Prep looked solid, place and finish looks solid. to me it looks like ambient temperatures were working against you guys. And maybe the subgrade was not wet enough, but I’m in a completely different climate than you guys so it’s hard to say from my perspective. I am in the PNW. Been following your channel for years now and really love the videos! At the end of the day, this is a great case study. My concern would be the cracks ghosting. Would love to see a follow up. ✌🏽

[@OdellCompleteConcrete]

Me too, at the lab

[@gregoriotrujillo5706]

Great video guys

[@OdellCompleteConcrete]

ty

[@williamberlin33]

I delivered concrete for a small company in So Cal. for a short time. I saw this happen a few times. I don't have a lot of experience. But when I saw this happen was when cement prices soared. I assume that the company was changing their mixture to save on cement costs and reserve what little cement they had on hand. My boss called me and yelled at me. He accused me of pouring too wet. At end of day I found out that all drivers and jobs had same problem. Of course no apology.

[@OdellCompleteConcrete]

Yes. FlyAsh was the substitute and is to save on cement.

[@tedwilliams8766]

in my 30 yrs of concrete, ive had this happen to me a few times and it was always with smaller concrete plants that arent part of a nationwide company like kinfe river or strata. i poured a basement floor about 15 yrs ago in a small town and the concrete came from a bigger small town 30 mins away and as i was machining on second hit, the whole floor shattered under my feet. we machined that floor with portland and water most of the night (poured in late october) and about 90% of the cracking stayed closed up. when we poured, it was a perfect pour day. low 70's, humidity was in the 50's, base was damp from morning condensation and almost zero wind. the base was class 5 and well compacted. on our part, everything we did was textbook for our area. the only unknown factor was the concrete plant which we've never pour with before. in my professional opinion, i think there wasnt enough portand cement in the mix and too much flyash OR they had they wrong type of cement powder which has happened before with the same shattering result. from the video, it looks like you did everything right and it was the concrete mix. congrads on the 500k!!! it should be 1M by now.

[@OdellCompleteConcrete]

I concur, you do your best and things beyond your control can ruin your day

[@MrSuperchargeron]

You got a bad batch of concrete. Probably a different truck from the one poured next door? I think the batch operator messed up. One time I saw an overwatered batch come to a job, it was refused. The batch plant was close by and the driver returned quickly. The slump was definitely stiffer but it flashed off so fast that it was unworkable. They should have dumped that load and sent a fresh load but I'd bet they threw in a bit more cement and sent it back. It was a terrible day and the concrete company didnt want to take responsibility. I think you got a batch that was not proportioned correct.

[@JFirn86Q]

As an engineer, it seems like the most logical reason is the mix. I suspect them getting some dirt into that batch or they really watered it down for transit, or something to this effect. The cracking is uniform, not just the surface. Of course their are the obvious reasons like soil wicking the moisture, the low humidity and high sun of AZ, etc... but you deal with these conditions all the time without this result and I don't find anything out of the ordinary in this video. You had very mild conditions for it being AZ and had the homeowners water the pads down regularly in the days before the pour.

[@OdellCompleteConcrete]

Sounds like you watched the whole video and came to the only correct answer. Thanks

[@trxtech3010]

Yes the homeowner is right about the Creasote Bushes. Also never go near the smoke when burning a Creasote it's toxic.

[@OdellCompleteConcrete]

Good point

[@robertdick2694]

Retired Civil Engineer - Simple, too much water in the concrete mix caused your problem, water either added at the plant or in the field. I have field tech's measure the temperature because hot concrete causes the chemical reaction to speed up and associated quick shrinkage but you were able to still work the surface so not so likely not the problem. For flat concrete work, 3 to 4 inch slump is what the final product needed not self leveling concrete which it looked like in your video. If you need additional slump for pumping or placing then work with the concrete plant to use water reducer admixtures during the plant mix.

[@OdellCompleteConcrete]

5 gallons added on site ordered at 4 inch slump

[@kevinolesik1500]

here's why it cracked and how to prevent it : when concrete is poured - as it hardens , it 'crystallizes' - it doesn't 'dry' ... the concrete needs the water in it for the chemical reaction to occur , if it dries too fast it will crack ... if you cover the concrete with plastic poly film on the top and sides - it gives time for the crystallization to occur and the concrete hardens properly by preserving the moisture inside ... that environment looks like a very arid place , so even the soil would suck out moisture into it - try hosing down the base before pouring the slab as well ... this is my theory as to why such a nicely done concrete pour cracked ...🌵

[@OdellCompleteConcrete]

Great ideas, but what do you do when the concrete is no good?

[@kevinolesik1500]

@@OdellCompleteConcrete You'll have to tear it out and start over , its all micro cracked inside it wont last ...

[@markwilson9196]

Had a driveway done a few years ago at my home in Vegas. After a few weeks the concrete started to curl up like a potatoe chip, not bad, maybe like a 3/8", but still noticable. Oddly, the only cracks were on the control grooves, I don't think the mix was right.

[@OdellCompleteConcrete]

or hydraulic pressure

[@kellyinfanger9192]

Try ordering mud with a water reducer, more water on the base just before pouring, or laying down plastic. It likely is the mix, but you seem to have a very porous gravel underneath. I have made the mistake of having part of a slab with more clay under part of it and sandy on the other. I watched each part go off in radically different rates even though the mix was from the same truck. Also. I have started using cure and seal on all flatwork, but these appeared so fast, I don't think that would have made any difference. We can all guess why, but two things seem to rule; 1. There are two kinds of concrete - that which is cracked, and that which is going to crack. 2. No matter how much I think I know about it - it keeps taking me back to school.

[@andrewh7599]

Combination of bad mix and dry ground. The mix was stiff and dry. I wonder if they forgot an admix or plasticizer. That combined with the dry ground made for a mess. Good fix.

[@رافدرائع]

The reason is the removal of the surrounding mold but the concrete quickly should give it time to harden the concrete. Good luck

[@OdellCompleteConcrete]

No worries

[@lukevandermark71]

I likee the power trowel!! Gets the rocks down and cream to the top

[@bakker071]

I would say it’s the mix, I don’t know if there is a way to test some of the concrete you poured but I would try something like that.

[@OdellCompleteConcrete]

Yes it can be tested, but it cost more

[@billsimmons7754]

I think it was a bad mix and being a Saturday reinforces that belief. As shown on the edge of that slab, the cracks run top to bottom. I do not think that the additonal trowing will heal the concrete deeper than an inch. I think the cracks will reappear soon.

[@OdellCompleteConcrete]

Saturday, different crew at the plant

[@donwest5387]

can you leave a fresh pour with a misting hose above it?

[@jeromeduet8789]

I didn’t catch it but did you wet the ground first sometimes the ground will suck the moisture right out of the concrete

[@fastst1]

I've always done much the same, compact and soak the ground under the slab, pour, float and trowel. I got a tip and I seem to like the results, when you give it the final trowel, garden sprayer with clear concrete sealer, coat the surface well, its like a permanent poly sheet. I haven't tried pouring concrete in the desert though. Maybe thermal shock, concrete of course gets hot and its hot out? cool water and evaporation leading to contraction?

[@OdellCompleteConcrete]

It's not hot here right now, average temperature is 75 f. Curing compound does that.

[@walsakaluk1584]

Serious edger envy here!

[@CU96821]

I believe the issue lies with the soil, as the concrete cracked completely through and doesn’t appear related to the finishing or surface process. Observing your team dig for the form ties, it’s clear the soil far below the surface is very dry and uncompacted. From what I can see of the other lots, this looks like a recently built-up and graded subdivision. It’s possible the grading wasn’t compacted properly at the necessary depth for the lifts. I don’t think you did anything wrong-sometimes, things like this just happen.

[@OdellCompleteConcrete]

I had the Homeowner soak for 3 days prior to the pour.

[@aday1637]

Unless you take samples of the batches and have them tested when a problem occurs nothing will be proven and you will eat the damage yourself. It's amazing what finds it's way into a batch sometimes due to all sorts of contamination.

[@over-engineered]

I think polythene underneath to prevent moisture loss into the ground too quickly. I don’t do much concrete, but I do put polythene underneath.

[@rp1645]

Man, I love that little vermeer 😊 track loader. Perfect for this size job. 😊 did not know that .ade Battery-powered plate wackers. On my outdoor, she that has no cement floor It's one of those pre fabs on skid planks. My wife said we don't need to rent a plate compactor. I got one anyhow. She thought the backhoe bucket could compact it good enough. When we layered are 5/8s. And lazered the fill lifts. She then understood WHY it's so important to plate wack the foundation. 😊

[@OdellCompleteConcrete]

cant go wrong with a plate compactor

[@bricksandblocks184]

Love how you trapped the wire mesh to to ground. I’ll fix it soon $$$$$!$$$😂

[@wtflmaa7842]

Most likely reason: the concrete did not cure but dried in hot/dry weather. Did you pour the concrete in not-to-hot conditions, e.g. like at most 20-25 degree at the hottest time of the day? Did you spray the concrete with water to keep it wet? Did you cover it with a plastic sheet to reduce evaporation?

[@Mikefngarage]

dry weather IMO caused this.....I dont really know. Maybe if you wet the dirt more.....Maybe soak the dirt so the moisture does not go down.

[@kevincorbin6273]

I had a small pour crack big time because it got so hot, I’m assuming that it just shrinks too quickly

[@DLRPyro1]

Isn't the fiber mesh supposed to prevent cracking?

[@reapsgrimley]

have you ever tried cutting the strikes on the diagonal?

[@concreteart1111]

We use a “slip’ plastic membrane under our pours here in the UK. It prevent any water loss from the concrete into the base, any movement between the sub and concrete is mitigated and also acts to prevent freeze/thaw damage (not that you would experience freeze/thaw!). I’ve never seen you guys in the US use membrane. As you’re extremely good at your job, there must be a simple reason? Cheers

[@OdellCompleteConcrete]

Plastic is only good for 20 to 30 years. I don't see the point in plastic unless it's indoors.

[@buildermarkdarrin6517]

@@OdellCompleteConcreteafter 35 years I can say that the benefits outweigh the the time restraints but as ever it’s only my opinion.

[@robertnelson4755]

You needed to add stainless steel fibers in the mix. I poured a slab on uncompacted dry beach sand with fibers only no wire mesh or rebar and that was 20 years ago and still no cracks. I won't do a pour without some type of fibers.

[@billsmith9249]

Im an IT engineer and unlicensed electrician; NOT a concrete person. lol I have been following you and others here on youtube for years. If I had to take any guesses, here are my top 5: 1. Sub base shifted. I wasn't there but it didn't look like that artificial stuff compacted or held together but I do remember you said it did compact well.... 2. Temperature. Blazing hot sun (hotter than ambient temp) and you sprayed cold water on it 3. Bad mix. I am unclear if BOTH jobs cracked or only the one. If both then you definitely had bad mix. 4. Seismic activity. I would wager that even just very minute shifts in plates could cause a ripple effect so infinitesimal that we would never feel it even with bare feet, waiting for it, standing still. There are websites to check for seismic or geological conditions for specific days down to the second. You could see if there was anything of significance in the area you poured in 5. Railroad ties absorbed too much moisture. I was listening and haphazardly watching on the other monitor. Did you thoroughly soak the rail road ties? hope you figure it out and do a follow up video! Im doing about 40 x 80# bags of Quikrete tomorrow here in NW Ohio for a sidewalk expansion around the front of my garage. The sidewalk goes the whole length of the face of my garage but dead ends at the edge of the house. I want to extend it 5ft and back another 12ft. My end goal is to build a corner wall, with a lean to roof and install some solar panels on it; I've already got the stub up in place for the electrical to run back to my breaker panel.

[@OdellCompleteConcrete]

I've narrowed it down to a contaminated load

[@WeirdWabbit]

Wind + heat + sun caused rapid evap same effect as the dirt squares in the desert on a dry mud hole.