Warning: I tried a weird trick on a hot pour and it saved the job

Last month in Phoenix, we had a big patio pour that started setting up way too fast in the sun. Everyone was yelling to just flood it with water and power trowel, but I remembered an old timer saying to mist it with a sugar water mix. I mixed a cup of plain white sugar into a 2-gallon sprayer. After a light mist, it bought us maybe 20 extra minutes of work time. The finish came out smooth with no crazing. Has anyone else tried something like this on a brutal hot day, or is that just asking for trouble later on?

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eric935mo ago

My buddy Jake swears by a cold soda spray on hot pours in Texas. Says the sugar works but the acid in the cola buys even more time.

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sandra2035mo ago

Wow, @eric93, that reminds me of the time we used flat lemonade on a scorching driveway slab.

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hunt.shane5mo ago

Heard about that trick in a training years ago. The sugar slows the chemical reaction that causes the concrete to set. It's a good last resort when you're in a real bind.

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