Just figured out I was mixing my mud way too wet for years

My buddy Jim watched me pour a driveway in Memphis last week and was like 'dude you're making soup not concrete.' He showed me the slump test and I couldn't believe how much dryer his mix was. Has anyone else had someone call them out on a bad habit like that?

3 comments

3 Comments

maryh969d ago

andrew_miller90 is right about the Memphis heat, that's a real issue. I actually read a study somewhere that said even a few extra gallons of water per yard can drop your compressive strength by like 15 percent or more. But yeah, there's a balance. My buddy tried that super dry mix on a hot day once and we were fighting to get it finished before it stiffened up. The slump test is just one part, you gotta factor in the temp and how fast you can work.

adams.vera14d ago

My uncle called me out mixing stucco too wet back in 2018. Once I cut the water by about 20 percent the stuff held way better on the walls and didn't sag. Took me a solid few weeks to retrain my hands to stop adding so much water. How long did it take for your mix to click after trying it drier?

andrew_miller9013d ago

Respectfully, I gotta push back a little here. Drier mix can definitely make some pours stronger, but in Memphis heat that stuff can set up before you even get it screeded if you go too dry. There's a sweet spot where it's workable but not soupy, and that changes depending on the weather and the job. What kind of slump were you guys targeting for that driveway?