How To Dry Out Concrete in 24 Hours

One of the biggest problems I faced working in San Francisco was the amount of time it took to dry out concrete after the cleaning process. I would stop by the job site every other day to measure for moisture. It would sometimes take weeks for the slab to completely dry even with floor fans blazing. Humidity was so high that even with heat and fans on, the top of the concrete would dry. But when testing the expansion joints there was still moisture in the concrete. Frustrating! Therefore I knew I had to figure out how to dry out concrete in 24 hours or so to stop this wasted time and labor.

Epiphany

One day I had called my good friend’s father who I was close with. He was the CEO of Creto Worldwide. I was new to the concrete industry, just branching off from tile resurfacing within the past year. He told me about their product Creto DPS (Deep Penetrating Sealer) which blew my mind! For example, he emphasized the curing process of their sealer and how it pushed out any moisture in the slab during that process. Their sealer cured in 24-72 hours depending on the temperate. In a temperate region like the coast this was perfect.

For instance, I would finish cleaning some concrete and then apply the Creto DPS. We would take a day off or work on another job for a day. Then we would come back and the slab would be completely dry, ready for a topcoat. This made working on concrete SO much easier. I could schedule jobs around the curing time which made our planning very formulaic. No more running out to jobs sites over and over again to moisture test. Yay, my moisture problems were solved once and for all!

Solutions

Now I’m using a new version of the Deep Penetrating Sealer called Extreme Penetrating Sealer. Around this information and product I created a framework for how to use the sealer. Below you can read more about the sealer but the main takeaway is that it pushes out moisture while it cures. It took a couple applications for me to figure all of this out. It’s pretty simple.

Make sure that the concrete is clean and free of sealers, adhesives, paint, or other contaminants. (Floor Stripping Info And Tutorial Here)
Apply Extreme Penetrating Sealer generously across the concrete with pump sprayer for 15 minutes. I usually work one 500 sq. ft. area at a time. After that section is completed, I’ll then move on to the next area to seal.
Keeping the slab wet looking during this time. If you walk over the wet concrete make sure to spray on a little more sealer to blend in your foot prints.
After 30 minutes remove any access sealer with a dry mop, towel, or shop vac and you’re done! Wait 24-72 hours before moisture testing again.
Now your concrete is permanently sealed and all moisture problems are solved. Yay!

More Info On How To Dry Out Concrete in 24 Hours

Concrete is an extremely porous substrate and absorbs large amounts of moisture after seasonal rains and flooding. Water from the earth below leeches up through the slab creating moisture problems in buildings, leading to mold and mildew growth. Mold growth should be avoided at all costs because of the health consequences to humans and pets ( https://www.cdc.gov/mold/faqs.htm ).

Extreme Penetrating Sealer can be applied to damp concrete to permanently seal the concrete and remove all residual moisture once and for all. As Extreme Penetrating Sealer penetrates into the concrete it starts a chemical reaction with the minerals in the slab. This creates a breathable membrane within the concrete that prevents any water or salts from migrating through the substrate. As the sealer cures it pushes out any moisture in the concrete. This process usually takes 24 hours depending on the temperature of the surrounding areas (50º or higher).

Applying Extreme Penetrating Sealer to damp concrete is an easy and cost effective way to permanently stop moisture problems in the slab. This process not only waterproofs the concrete but it also strengthens the substrate and eliminates cracking from freeze / thaw expansion due to moisture in the concrete. It also prevents mold from growing in the concrete and creating a musty smell in buildings. For proper application remove any topical sealants, paint, or adhesives from the concrete prior to application.