Structural layer curing time

[cholme]

Hello all. I have been planning my oven for a couple years now and finally broke ground this week. I am wondering if I am supposed to let the structural layer cure before pouring the insulating layer? If so, how long? Then how long should the insulating layer cure before bringing the oven? I am in the San Fernando Valley, in Southern California. Days are about 85-90, evenings are around 65+or-.

Thanks in advance.

Chris

[dmun]

Keep your slab damp for a week, then proceed with your build. You can put the insulation on at any time: I placed my insblock19 pieces directly into the wet concrete to avoid any possible leveling problems.

[Tscarborough]

Normal construction practice is to begin laying structural CMU on 24 hour slabs. The cure time of concrete is logarithmic, that is, it reaches (not real numbers but close) 50% in 24 hours, 70% in 7 days, 90% in 30 days, and 100% in 120 days.

For this application, you can begin work the next day with no problems.

[Neil2]

"I am wondering if I am supposed to let the structural layer cure before pouring the insulating layer?"

You can do the insulation layer the next day if you want. As Dmun notes, it is critical to provide portland based material an uninterrupted supply of water for at least 7 days minimum. Even longer if practical. You can use soaked burlap sacks or old towels or blankets then covered with poly to keep it moist overnight.