How to Best Store Concrete

As one of the most common materials used in construction, you're very likely to encounter concrete on your construction site or project at some time or another — but it can be a tricky substance to handle. With these projects being as unpredictable as they are, there's no guarantee that timing will be on your side. It would be ideal if you could use your concrete directly as it is delivered or produced, but just in case you can't, here's what you need to know.

Seal the Environment

Concrete absorbs moisture from the atmosphere around it and hardens as it does so. It's impossible to prevent it from doing this — so instead, you should seek to keep the environment in which it is stored as carefully sealed as possible. Ideally, the bags would be stored inside an air-proof container or vacuum, but this is likely to be impractical. Instead, choose an area with no windows or outdoor airflow, and keep doors and vents closed for the entire duration that you will be storing the concrete.

Elevate & Separate

Even in an entirely dry environment, unmixed concrete bags should not be stored directly on the floor as it can encourage moisture absorption. Place them on an elevated frame to allow airflow underneath the bags. A simple wooden or metal frame will suffice. You should also refrain from stacking more than ten bags on top of one another. Otherwise, there may be enough pressure to cause hardened lumps inside the lower bags. This will lower the quality of the concrete once mixed. However, separate stacks do not need to stand apart from one another; they can be stacked tightly side by side.

Store with Desiccants

In order to reduce the amount of moisture in the air, and therefore the amount of moisture that the concrete will absorb over time, you can place highly desiccant materials inside the storage area. These materials will absorb the water instead, and dehumidify the air. Good examples of affordable desiccants are silica and quicklime. If you have access to an industrial-size dehumidifier, this may be more effective, but of course, these machines can be expensive.

Even if all these instructions are followed, unmixed concrete cannot be held indefinitely. It will no longer be usable after approximately three months — and that's assuming perfect environmental conditions. No matter how long you store it for, ensure that you test the concrete before using it to make sure that it's still viable. To learn more about the process, contact local commercial concreting services.