How Long Does Concrete Need to Cure
We all know how important concrete is in construction.
But one thing that most people neglect is that concrete gains its strength due to a process called concrete curing and if you skip this process then your finished product will be weak and will not perform well.
So what is concrete curing? And what is concrete curing time?
In this blog, we will discuss in detail all the aspects of concrete curing.
What is Concrete Curing?
Concrete curing is also known as concrete hardening time or concrete drying time. It is a process that takes place immediately after the placing and finishing of the concrete.
During concrete curing desired moisture and temperature are maintained on the concrete so that it has an adequate amount of moisture for the development of strength, to develop resistance against environmental conditions, scaling resistance, etc.
What Concrete Curing Does to Concrete Structure?
- Retains the moisture in the concrete so that concrete can gain strength.
- Avoids cracking due to shrinkage by delaying the shrinkage time till concrete is strong enough to withstand the shrinkage.
- Improves strength, durability, water resistance, and overall strength of the concrete.
How Long Does Concrete Curing Take?
The concrete curing time depends on various factors like the types of cement used, temperature, kind of construction, desired strength, etc.
Concrete floor curing time will differ from concrete pillar curing time and concrete foundation curing time.
Generally, at temperatures above 5 degrees Celsius, it takes seven days (one week) for concrete to reach 70% of its strength.
Given below is a table showing the concrete curing time based on the types of cement used.
| Types of Cement used | Curing Time |
| Type I, ASTM C 150—when the special properties are specified. | 7 days |
| Type II, ASTM C 150— for regular uses and when moderate sulfate resistance is required. | 10 days |
| Type III, ASTM C 150—when high early strength is needed. | 3 days |
| Type IV, ASTM C 150—when a low heat of hydration is needed. | 14 days |
| Type V, ASTM C 150—when high sulfate resistance is needed. | 14 days |
| Hydraulic Cement, Blended Hydraulic Cements, Expansive Hydraulic Cement | Not fixed |
Concrete curing time also depends upon the structure of the construction.
Given below is a table showing the concrete curing period for different structures.
| Structure | Examples | Minimum Curing period, days |
| Pavements, floor, and other concrete slabs on ground | Concrete floor curing time, concrete foundation curing time. | Refer to Table-1 |
| Buildings, bridges, and other structures | All portions of buildings except slabs-on-grade, small footings, retaining walls, piers, tunnel linings, and conduits. | Refer to Table-1 |
| Unreinforced massive sections not containing ground granulated blast furnace slag or pozzolan | - | 14 |
| Unreinforced massive sections containing ground granulated blast furnace slag or pozzolan | - | 21 |
| Reinforced mass concrete | - | 7 |
| Colored concrete floors and slabs | - | 7 |
| Shrinkage-compensating concrete | - | 7 |
| Roller-compacted concrete | - | 14 |
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These were the minimum curing time of concrete structures. The strength gained by the concrete gradually increases during the curing time.
Here is a table showing the strength development of the contrite during curing time.
| Days | Strength |
| 1 Day | 16% |
| 3 Day | 40% |
| 7 Day | 65% |
| 14 Day | 90% |
| 28 Day | 99% |
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Parting Words
So this was all about concrete curing time.
It is a very crucial process and shouldn’t be ignored because all the strength and durability of the concrete are attained due to this process
