Pro tip: I used to hate using moisture meters on every job

Was at a site in Phoenix last month where I thought the concrete was dry but my partner checked it anyway and it read 12% moisture. Saved me from putting down a wood floor that would have buckled in two months. Has anyone else had a close call like that on a slab that looked good but wasn't?

3 comments

3 Comments

parker_webb2d ago

Concrete looks dry but ain't" is exactly why I check every slab now too.

fionamurphy2d ago

Three hours of staring at a slab last spring taught me the hard way that "dry" is just concrete's way of saying it's testing your patience. Pulled out my pocket knife for a quick scratch test and sure enough, it left a groove deeper than my first marriage's trust issues. Now I carry a tire valve stem cap to poke every corner before I even think about walking on it.

kevinallen2d ago

Man @parker_webb called it perfectly though. That false dry look is the worst trick concrete plays on you. Had a pour last summer where the top was that light gray color and I almost rushed it. Glad I didn't because underneath it was still soft enough to take a thumbprint. Always poke it with a screwdriver or something before you commit.