Curing time for Pillar, beam and roof concrete

[avreddy2k]

Hi,

We are constructing our home in Banglaore.
We are the stage when we have finished putting slab for ground floor yesterday.
My father is telling me that the slab has to be cured for 21 days or atleast 15 days by literally keeping 1 or 2 inches of water all over the slab.

Our Civil engineer is telling no need to cure for 21 days, just 15 or 8 days of curing is sufficient as we are using 53 grade cement.
At the same time he also tells that to cure it is sufficient to keep the surface moist no need to keep 1 or 2 inches of water always over the slab.

So he is telling after 3 to 4 days, he is planning to start construction of next level pillars and then walls.
He also tells the reason, as the concrete should be just moist we will start construction and as we water the pillars and wall, the slab will also get cured.

So I wanted to check after putting the slab, do we have to stop construction for 8 to 15 days ?
And always keep 1 to 2 inches of water over it ?

Or after 3 to 4 days start construction and just make sure you keep the slab moist at all times ?

Thanks and regards
Anand Reddy

[m3_07]

I was into a very similar situation last month. Did the curing for 15 days & started the construction of the 1st floor. Yes, the curing was a 2 inches water storage depth. If the contractors had their way, they will build castles in air & ask you to occupy them & then charge a premium for that too !!

[avreddy2k]

Yes we also followed the same, we allowed him to construct the pillar and then asked him to stop the work for another 8 to 10 days.

If anybody knows for sure which the best way, can you please put more light on this ?

How long we have to do curing of slab ?
Is it sufficient if we just keep the slab moist for 10 to 15 days ?

Regards
Anand


Thanks and regards
Anand