Clark Branum, Decorative & Polished Concrete Specialist, The Voice Newsletter March 2024

Is winter over? It seemed like that a couple of weeks ago, and now I am sitting in my office and watching it snow outside my window. There are a lot of things happening at the ASCC and in our industry as well. The ACI Spring Conference will be held in New Orleans here at the end of March. The ACI-ASCC 310 will be finalizing the new document for publication, hopefully for the summer review. The ASCC Committee week will be held in St. Louis in April, the week of April 22nd. This is always a busy couple of days, but I am looking forward to the Cardinals game! The Decorative Concrete Council just completed its new strategic plan, that meeting will be held on March 13th, 2:00 P.M. CST. I am sure everyone is hoping that Spring is just around the corner and warmer temperatures will return soon. Some of our most common issues related to spring weather are cool substrate conditions, combined with sun and wind. These create challenging conditions for placing and finishing Decorative concrete. Spring weather often brings fluctuating temperatures, which can impact the curing process of concrete. Rapid temperature changes can lead to thermal cracking and surface defects in the concrete, affecting its strength and durability. To mitigate this risk, contractors should closely monitor weather forecasts and adjust concrete mix designs and curing practices accordingly. Using concrete with appropriate additives, such as set retarders or accelerators, can help control the curing process and ensure consistent strength development, even in variable temperature conditions. Feel free to share your experiences with me on dealing with springtime conditions, our network is a wonderful place to learn.