How Long Before You Can Walk On New Concrete? (Find Out Now!)

If you walk on any city street, you’ll eventually see a concrete sidewalk that has handprints on it, or maybe a cute signature. It’s cute, but if you want to pour your concrete, you don’t want footprints on it. To avoid footprints or depressions in newly-poured concrete, you need to know when it’s safe to walk on it. But, when is that moment going to happen?

It’s best to wait a full 24 hours before you attempt to walk on concrete. Even after a full day of curing, there is a chance that it will not be able to withstand more extreme weights, car tracks, sudden shifts, or claws from pets walking on it. To stay on the safe side, wait at least ten days before any heavy use.

Nothing would make a typical homeowner cringe more than seeing people create new prints all over their freshly-poured sidewalk. If you want to know how to prevent it from happening to you, we’ve got the answers.

“Fast-Setting Concretes” are designed to harden faster than most other types. How much faster they set can vary from brand to brand. Some of these concrete types can set hard in as little as 20 to 40 minutes. While this may sound great for projects, it’s important to realize that some projects cannot use this type of concrete.

Prior to buying a bag of concrete that hardens quickly, ask a sales associate if they would recommend this type of concrete for the project you want. If they say no, do not buy that concrete. Stick to the older stuff instead.

Whether or not you are legally required to mark off freshly poured concrete varies from jurisdiction to jurisdiction. However, it’s both good form and a smart way to avoid a lawsuit. It’s also a smart insurance thing, since most insurers will not be willing to cover injuries that could’ve been prevented through a “wet cement” tape.

If you do not mark off areas that have wet concrete, you put yourself at risk for a civil suit. Should someone fall into the concrete as a result of not having a warning sign, you would be most likely liable for negligence. If you aren’t sure if you should cordon the area off, err on the side of caution.

While many people often laugh it off as a funny occurrence, stepping in wet concrete can be dangerous. If you step in concrete that hasn’t set, it becomes exceedingly easy to twist your ankle or trip as a result of bad concrete. This can lead to a major fall, which can lead to fractured ankles.

The bigger issue, though, is getting concrete on your skin. If not addressed immediately, the concrete’s alkalinity can kill your skin cells. This is called “concrete poisoning,” and it can be very serious. People who are exposed to concrete can get full skin necrosis and burns. In some rare cases, it’s possible to have to amputate the appendage that was dipped in concrete. It’s painful, to say the least.

If you made the terrible mistake of stepping in wet concrete, the first thing you should do is get away from the concrete immediately and inspect your clothing. If none of the concrete has touched your skin, you should be fine. Just remove the articles of clothing and seek medical attention if you twisted your ankle.

If you stepped in concrete and got it on your skin, get your clothing off and flush the area out with cool water immediately. If you notice a burning sensation or if the concrete has gone on most of your body, call 911 immediately and continue to flush the area with water.

Concrete burn only really happens if you have exposed skin that touches wet concrete. That’s why the best way to prevent injury through this means is to wear protective gear, including heavy-duty gloves, a respirator, goggles, boots, and long-sleeved shirts. With less open skin to get exposed to the concrete comes less chance of a concrete burn.

Along with wearing protective gear, another important way to prevent concrete burn is to make it difficult for children and pets to access wet concrete. Cordoning the area off, having your kids away for the day, or just making sure that your partner has them in check while you work can prevent them from walking into a busy work zone.

Related Questions

Is rain OK on new concrete?

Generally speaking, rain is OK on new concrete and you can even pour concrete in the rain. Instead of drying, concrete cures. Curing is more of a chemical reaction than a physical reaction, meaning rainwater will have little effect on the concrete. In fact, concrete can be cast and cured underwater, so a little rain won’t hurt!

How long should concrete cure before removing forms?

Once the concrete has hardened and cured inside of the molds that you’ve poured it into you, the formwork can be removed. This is commonly referred to as stripping or shuttering. The exact time frame that the forms must stay in place will vary from jobsite to jobsite. Though, it’s important that the formwork remains in place for as long as possible.According to the American Concrete Institute, here’s how long you should wait before removing forms based on cement type: