confusion over portland-cement curing with freezing

I am building my own concrete block garage and trying to get some work
done before winter finally ends my work year. I knew that Saturday night
was going to get cold and drop below 32 F and during the day it was only
in the 40s F. But I went ahead anyway to mortar some joints.

I know they lay concrete and cement all year round by building heat
tents on job sites. But I wonder as to the curing process of mortar?
Does it take as long as concrete? And what are the working parameters of
mortar and cold temperatures?

I know that in the curing of cement that it releases heat itself and am
wondering how low of a temperature below 32 F that it begins to damage
the mortar cement in curing.

Archimedes Plutonium, [Only registered users see links. ]
whole entire Universe is just one big atom where dots
of the electron-dot-cloud are galaxies

On Sun, 26 Oct 2003 10:04:46 -0600, Archimedes Plutonium
<[Only registered users see links. ]> wrote:


It takes Portland cement in any form 30 days to reach full strength at
ordinary temperatures.

You can buy formulations containing extra calcium that resist cold
down to (some temperature below freezing). It is less strong than
regular mortar. Talk to the people who sold you the bricks.

I had a house where the concrete apparently froze, since it was built
between October and February in a cold place. Large chunks of the top
of the foundation wall would crumble away from time to time, and
needed repair.

Bill Penrose

Archimedes Plutonium <[Only registered users see links. ]> schrieb:

[laying concrete at low temperatures]

Do a search for "cold weather concrete" ... or have a look at:
[Only registered users see links. ]
[Only registered users see links. ]


Andrea

In article <[Only registered users see links. ]>, Andrea Glatthor
<[Only registered users see links. ]> wrote:

Some years ago, I had a new garage put up. Between the alley and the
garage there was a 24-30 inch wide strip where weeds grew in profusion. I
had concrete laid there, but it was Novemberish (Minnesota) and the
temperature got below freezing but with full sunlight the next day the
temps went up to around 40-45. The following spring I noticed several
spots, 6-8 inches in size, where irregular surface spalling occurred. I
theorized that curing proceded irregularily and where weak a thin water
layer could freeze more easily causing spalling fracture thin zones.
Lesson - use a tent and artificial heat source uniformally distributed
during the 24 hours following laying of concrete AND DO NOT flood with
water.

William Penrose <[Only registered users see links. ]> wrote in message news:<[Only registered users see links. ]>. ..
(snip)

30 days is an important fact.
On the fact of 30 days, I gave up on building any further for this year. I
believe my last mortar is doing fine in that it is as hard as the other
and that I will have no loss. What I was trying to race against was having
to leave the project with some gaps such that the winter winds will blow dirt
and debris into the pockets of the concrete block. I like a work site as clean
as possible. But say "finis" for this project this year. Am devising a winter
shield for the project so as to minimize the blowing of dirt and debris into
the crevasses and cavities of the block.

And say finis for the exterior painting also and will clean up and put away
the paint brushes. Time for winter work of chainsawing old trees, firewood,
and carpentry work and indoor work.

So the day of first frost in the year is the day to end masonry work.

Archimedes Plutonium
whole entire Universe is just one big atom where dots
of the electron-dot-cloud are galaxies