Laying down new concrete is a waiting game. Like paint, concrete needs time to dry. Watching paint dry is incredibly boring, and waiting for concrete to cure is much the same. You want to use your new surface or structure, but not before it is cured completely! Uncured concrete cannot bear weight and it does not have the strength it needs to do the job it was designed to do. When it comes to concrete, just like paint, patience is necessary.
The typical amount of time for concrete to cure before applying epoxy coatings or concrete color stains is 30 days. The amount of time can be more or less, but usually not significantly so one way or the other. There are a number of reasons why waiting for a full cure of the concrete is necessary.
Why Wait?
First, the surface of the concrete requires preparation. That involves grinding the concrete. Soft concrete cannot be ground properly. The end results are simply a mess and would ruin the surface, not improve it.
Second, uncured or “green” concrete contains a lot of moisture. The curing process releases this moisture through evaporation. Trying to hurry up the process usually leads to weaker concrete and is not recommended. Concrete that is allowed to cure slowly is typically stronger and more durable.
When you apply an epoxy coating, and that is done as the final step in concrete staining, the surface of the concrete becomes impermeable to water. That’s not good if you want evaporation to continue so the concrete can harden! Basically, applying a concrete coating before the material is ready is just one way to cause both the concrete and the coating to later fail.
Therefore, when you want to stain your concrete, practice patience! Contact California Custom Coatings for advice in advance. We can settle on the colors you want and the coatings you prefer and put your concrete improvement job on the schedule. When the time is right, we make the custom improvements you have requested. The end result is stronger, more beautiful concrete that highlights your home or business.