Used too much water in concrete
#1
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Used too much water in concrete
Hi.
A long background, before my question:
I'm making an outdoor shade umbrella stand, using a PVC pipe, in a large planter pot. The idea is to then fill it with some potting soil and plant some flowers in it.
I put a layer of pebbles and on it poured a 5 inch layer of concrete (it was of good consistency). As it did not seem to be heavy enough (to withstand windy conditions), I decided to add some more concrete.
My second batch of concrete was too watery (slush consistency), but as it was all the concrete I had left, I poured it on.
It set within ~24 hours (I had dowels in it, so water could seep through and the dowel holes stayed clear after I pulled them out).
However - the top layer of concrete has not fully dried, although it has been a week, since I poured it. It has a consistency of partially dried mud - I can leave my fingerprint impression on it, or pinch off a piece and it will crumble in my hand.
As can be seen in the pictures, the lower layer of concrete has dried and taken on a light gray color, while the upper layer is light brown in color.
The questions:
1. Will it eventually dry out?
2. Is there any point delaying putting the potting soil on it and planting some flowers in the pot?
3. Will the "bad" cement level adversely effect the flowers, in some way? Can it turn moldy, for example?
4. Is there some other solution, I may not be thinking of, to fix my project?
Thank you!
M.E.
A long background, before my question:
I'm making an outdoor shade umbrella stand, using a PVC pipe, in a large planter pot. The idea is to then fill it with some potting soil and plant some flowers in it.
I put a layer of pebbles and on it poured a 5 inch layer of concrete (it was of good consistency). As it did not seem to be heavy enough (to withstand windy conditions), I decided to add some more concrete.
My second batch of concrete was too watery (slush consistency), but as it was all the concrete I had left, I poured it on.
It set within ~24 hours (I had dowels in it, so water could seep through and the dowel holes stayed clear after I pulled them out).
However - the top layer of concrete has not fully dried, although it has been a week, since I poured it. It has a consistency of partially dried mud - I can leave my fingerprint impression on it, or pinch off a piece and it will crumble in my hand.
As can be seen in the pictures, the lower layer of concrete has dried and taken on a light gray color, while the upper layer is light brown in color.
The questions:
1. Will it eventually dry out?
2. Is there any point delaying putting the potting soil on it and planting some flowers in the pot?
3. Will the "bad" cement level adversely effect the flowers, in some way? Can it turn moldy, for example?
4. Is there some other solution, I may not be thinking of, to fix my project?
Thank you!
M.E.
#2
Member
Post a picture of the whole pot standing back enough so we can see the whole thing.
Trying to picture a pot with a wide enough base to stop it from tipping over.
Trying to picture a pot with a wide enough base to stop it from tipping over.
#3
Group Moderator
Concrete hardens in a chemical process when exposed to water. It does not dry out. If yours has not hardened by now it's not going to. If you're just looking for weight it will probably be OK. I'd go ahead and stick the umbrella in and plant flowers.
#4
Member
conc is the result of a chemical reaction between cement & water to which we add fine & coarse aggregates as 'filler' which adds strength,,, cement is composed of limestone, iron, silica, & aluminum,,, uncertain if i'd want to plant in conc w/o a large buffer of soil but they aren't my flowers