Reasons You Should Use Concrete Tarps in All Your Construction Projects
Any construction worker can attest that working on a cold construction site is one of the most challenging things. This happens especially when the weather threatens to keep the ground from thawing during landscaping projects, tamper with the concrete’s setting process, or damage equipment. If a constructor fails to take proper precautions, low temperatures can interfere with the construction proceedings forcing your team to stagnate at the same point for weeks. As a result, this will cost you lots of money and time, preventing you from moving on to the next project. Fortunately, technology allowed the invention of tarps, thus making work easier. There are different types of tarps, including painters’ tarps, that protect floors or furniture from getting painted. Continue scrolling to discover why you should use concrete tarps in all your construction projects.
Painter’s tarp
What are Concrete Tarps?
Primarily, concrete tarps are used as blankets to cover concrete and get work done correctly. Tarps are usually strong and tough, thus long-lasting. Since concrete tarps could be one of your greatest investments, it is better to invest in quality to save money and time. This is because tarps can save the concrete from damages which could cost you a lump sum.
Why Does Cold Weather Make Construction Projects More Challenging?
Until it reaches a strength of about 500 psi, concrete cannot handle cold weather. Before it reaches this point, the huge amounts of water inside the concrete’s pores can freeze and cause severe damage to the mixture. As long as the temperature remains at 50 degrees, most concrete will attain a psi of 500 compressive strengths within two days without pores freezing over.
Nevertheless, if the ground’s temperature drops below 50 degrees, the setting process significantly slows down. And, the lower the temperatures, the lower the chances of the concrete gaining strength and setting correctly. Incredibly cold temperatures can damage work equipment, freeze the ground, keep newly laid brick and block walls from setting properly, and burst uninsulated pipes. With this information in mind, let’s dive into why you should use concrete tarps in a construction project.
Tarp covering concrete foundation
Why Should I Use Concrete Tarps in My Construction Project?
The Tarps Help in Curing Brickwork and Blockwork
Also known as concrete blankets, concrete tarps are an excellent tool for ensuring the newly laid block or brick walls properly complete the curing process. Also, since clock or brick walls suffer when subjected to intense cold, covering concrete tarps ensures they remain okay, especially when the temperatures drop below 50 degrees.
The Tarps Help in Curing Concrete
Keeping concrete above 50 degrees is crucial in ensuring that it forms in the right way. Concrete tarps provide an effective way of keeping the material warm during the entire curing process. Additionally, these blankets can keep concrete at an appropriate temperature even when the weather drops to 20 degrees or below. It is advisable to utilize triple layers of tarps to ensure that the edges and corners of your concrete remain warm. Also, be sure to wrap up any protruding rebars and tie the tarps down. This guarantees that the tarps do not blow away even when the wind weakens.Â
Concrete tarp on an unfinished building
Helps in Thawing the Ground for Landscaping
Extremely cold weather can cause the ground on your construction site to freeze over. As a result, this makes landscaping more challenging to handle. The good news is that you can use concrete tarps over the frozen ground and quickly thaw it out. This is an incredible boon, especially when installing plants, patios, and stone paths. However, it would be best to remember to secure the tarps by tying them to a solid object.
Tarps Help in Protecting Work Areas from Extreme Cold
Have you ever worked at a construction site in a snowy and cold area? This can be a nightmare, especially if ice creates a slipping hazard. Thus, these areas become unpleasant and uncomfortable to work in. At worst, your team could even slip and fall, resulting in serious injuries while slowing the projects down. To prevent such incidents, you can put concrete tarps over the site you will be operating on the next day to melt or prevent ice formation. Operating in a pleasant and safe construction site keeps the workers happy and motivated, thus completing the project before the deadline.
It helps Prevent Frozen Pipes
Normally, water expands upon freezing. Therefore, this puts intense pressure on the pipes, especially during winter, causing water supply problems in unheated locations such as garages and basements. Remember that a burst from a frozen pipe on your construction site can cause severe damage to the ceiling or the building’s floors. Nevertheless, you can counter this problem by placing concrete tarps on the exposed pipes to keep the plastic or metal at a safe temperature.
