Concrete Curing

Universal Forest Products delivers all of your concrete forming product needs coast-to-coast from California and Texas on to the shores of Virgina ...and straight to your job site. Direct from our lumberyards or from the mill, we'll provide you with the forming products that help you take form—pour after pour. Whether it's a run-of-the-mill forming project or a custom job, UFP is here to help you and your project look good. Our team of product experts will work with you to fulfill your needs on time and within budget.

UFP's wide range of innovative concrete forming products is just right for your formwork and shoring project needs. Universals forming products include dimensional lumber, architectural form plywood, wet curing blankets and floor protection material, concrete forming panels, OSHA-approved wood scaffold planks, engineered wood products, plated trusses, beam sides, edge forms, forming boards, load transfer products and even Gates Concrete Systems.

Need a concrete form designed? UFP's engineering department will design or engineer custom wood forms to meet your unique needs.

Concrete slabs curl due to the effects of temperature variation between opposing surfaces of the slab. Concrete slabs may curl when the top surface of the slab is cooler than the bottom surface. The cool surface shortens due to thermal shrinkage, which may deform the perimeter of the slab section upward as the temperature of the bottom surface of the slab stays at a higher temperature. On the other hand, the top surface will expand when it is heated (such as with intense sunlight), which may relax curling or cause reverse curling. Reverse curling is when the concrete slab deforms downward instead of upward.

Concrete slabs warp due the effects of moisture variation between opposing surfaces of the slab. As the top surface of the slab dries, the volume change causes the surface to shorten while the bottom of the slab stays moist. Because the bottom surface stays moist, there is little or no shortening due to the effects of drying. Again as the top surface of the slab shortens and the bottom surface does not the edges lift.

Concrete Hydration
UltraCure wet curing blankets have numerous advantages in preventing slab curling and warping. First is has deep hydration capability. When properly installed, the UltraCure blanket provides a fully saturated surface, helping the concrete to achieve more complete hydration at the surface than other products. Unlike other single-use blankets which tend to dry out after 3-4 days, UltraCure NCF (Natural Cellulose Fabric) provides constant hydration and maintains a 100% relative humidity condition on the slab for the entire 7-day curing period (with proper installation).

Secondly, this wet curing blanket feature non-staining, super absorbent fibers that effectively trap water and serve as a hydrating reservoir for the slab as it cures, reducing moisture loss at the surface which can lead to curling.

UltraCure NCF also features a semi-transparent white poly backing, which provides constant visual reinforcement that the slab remains wet for the entire curing period. The poly backing retards evaporation from heat and wind, both of which can lead to curling at the edges of the slab.

Lastly, the superior water retention ability of UltraCure NCF allows the blanket to absorb more than 46 gallons of curing water per 1,600 sq. ft. roll, providing the critical moisture required for the long term wet curing of concrete surfaces. With typical application and proper installation, the superior absorbency demonstrated by UltraCure NCF means there's no need to re-wet the slab. UltraCure NCF is designed to stay wet, lay flat and reduce moisture loss.

Download our curing system comparison card.

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Contractors, architects and owners now have a selection of biodegradable, single-use wet curing blankets from the UltraCure line of disposable concrete curing blankets to specify or purchase for wet curing applications. The introduction of this major product improvement means the long-term environmental impact of concrete wet curing products used in normal construction practices will be forever altered. UltraCure is the industry’s first and only choice for a sustainable green wet curing product.

The key challenge was to develop a cost effective single-use, biodegradable wet curing system that maintained the superior performance of the patented UltraCure products. UltraCure now meets that challenge, and will enable concrete construction projects to meet increasingly stringent environmental regulations worldwide.

The new curing blanket system is made from super-absorbent, sustainable cellulose fibers and a patented vapor barrier constructed to aerobically or anaerobically decomposes in a very short cycle. UltraCure is the only completely biodegradable concrete curing blanket on the market, and in a fast-moving green revolution, UltraCure brings unparalleled cutting-edge science to the curing of high-performance concrete. Find out how UltraCure products stack up when compared to other wet curing blanket products.

Unroll the UltraCure NCF™ wet curing blanket (plastic side up) in the widest practical width as soon as the concrete surface has hardened sufficiently to prevent damage when walked on. Sides and end should be lapped at least (3) three inches. Cover the entire concrete floor surface including edges of paving and sidewalks. Immediately repair any holes or tears during curing period using wet cure material and water.

Wet the slab-on-grade surface with 1/8” to 1/4” inch of water covering the entire surface area of slab, then slowly unroll the curing blanket onto slab. Once UltraCure NCF has been put into use on a slab-on-grade or other concrete application, do not reuse. Be sure to smooth out any wrinkles or air pockets.

Keep the UltraCure NCF wet curing blanket in place on concrete slab for no more than seven (7) days. Continuous inspection for the purpose of maintaining 100% contact of the concrete surface is recommended during the curing period. Remove the UltraCure NCF curing blanket on the seventh day following initial installation.

After the concrete slab is cured, protect the surface using a protective blanket such as EZ Cover.

About UltraCure NCF Wet Curing Blanket
The patented UltraCure NCF wet curing blanket is a 7 day indoor/outdoor concrete curing blanket that employs a white vapor barrier. The blankets are manufactured in rolls, and shipped on pallets to the job site. Each pallet contains 32 rolls which are shrink-wrap protected to minimize exposure to contamination until the blanket is applied during the wet cure process. This advantage allows UltraCure to be temporally stored outside during the construction process. UltraCure NCF comes in 1,600 sq. ft. rolls or 51,200 sq. ft. per pallet. Each roll will absorb 46-gallons of water.

References:
ACI 308R-01 Guide to Curing Concrete
ACI 302.1R-04 Guide for Concrete Floor and Slab Construction
ACI 305R-99 Hot Weather Concreting
PCA Concrete Floors on Ground

There is no better method of achieving proper cement hydration, reducing discoloration and producing highly wear-resistant concrete floors and slabs than wet curing. The ultimate goal of any wet curing blanket is to maintain a 100% relative humidity condition on the slab surface for the entire curing period. It's easy to see why UltraCure outperforms other methods.

UltraCureNCF
Wet curing blanket for indoor, outdoor and slab-on-grade applications

Features and benefits of UltraCureNCF

• Full-term indoor/outdoor curing blanket (7-day curing duration)
• Lightweight. Each 1,600 sq. ft. roll weighs approximately 50 pounds
• Superior water retention. Each roll has the ability to absorb more than 46 gallons of water
• Roll outs that are more even and flatter than many other wet cure methods
• Disposable. Single-use fabric eliminates cross-contamination between slabs
• Less material overlap. Minimal overlap (2"-5") means less waste than most other curing methods
• UltraCureNCF meets or exceeds standard specifications related to sheet materials for concrete curing

UltraCureDOT
Concrete curing blanket for bridge, road and highway applications.

Features and benefits of UltraCureDOT

• Longer-term wet curing blanket (up to 14 days)
• Lightweight. Each 800 sq. ft. roll weighs approximately 50 pounds
• Exceptional water retention. Each UltraCureDOT roll can absorb up to 55 gallons of water—critical for long-term wet curing of concrete
• Vapor barrier helps reduce solar heating of the concrete
• Disposable. Single-use fabric eliminates cross-contamination between slabs
• Less material overlap. Minimal overlap (2"-5") means less waste than most other curing methods
• UltraCureDOT meets or exceeds standard specifications related to sheet materials for curing concrete
• Available perforated for vertical applications such as water treatment facilities

Take concrete protection to the next level with EZ Cover. EZ Cover’s ability to breath, allowing green concrete to continue to cure and harden is definitely one of its greatest assets. Two unique advantages this concrete and floor protection blanket has over other floor protection fabric are spill absorption and great impact resistance. In fact, test results show a 24”, 15 lb pipe wrench dropping from a height of 10’ resulted in no damage to concrete protected with EZ Cover. In another test, a 2”, 20 lb steel pipe dropped from 20’ resulted in minimal impact damage to the surface protected with EZ Cover. No other product protects finished concrete formwork like EZ Cover.

Key Benefits of EZ Cover Concrete Protection

• Helps protect large colored and gray slabs as well as marble, hardwood, and more
• Simple installation—rolls out where needed
• High friction coefficient keeps blanket in place
• Lightweight, moveable and reusable
• Helps prevent surface scratches, contaminants and potential impact hazards
• Disposable, biodegradable and environmentally friendly building material 

The patent pending EZ Cover protective blanket features a soft bottom layer to help prevent surface scratches, while also allowing new slabs to continue to breathe and harden. The harder top layer helps shield against contaminants and potential impact hazards.