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Post by Cher on Jun 9, 2005 19:33:06 GMT -5
Don't you run a cement truck? I'm just curious about this so wondered if you might have an answer. Our new neighbors had a small pad poured today, we just walked down to look at it and it smells to high heaven of paint thinner. Any ideas why? I'm sure glad it's a bit of a distance from the house, the smell is horrible.
Cher
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Post by krazydiamond on Jun 9, 2005 19:53:22 GMT -5
there are certain additives (some legal and some not) that you can add to cement/concrete that will make it smell. it IS a reaction, so smell will occur.
i think one of my FAVORITE things in the world is watching men pour (and finish) concrete. it is an art and a science and a beautiful coordinated thing.
but then i KNOW i'm' weird,
KD
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Post by Cher on Jun 9, 2005 20:18:15 GMT -5
Don't know how happy these guys were about this one, they couldn't get the truck close so had to haul it in wheelbarrows. The smell is starting to waft it's way into the house now .... ewwww it's so nasty.
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stefan
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2005
Posts: 14,113
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Post by stefan on Jun 10, 2005 16:04:21 GMT -5
Probably an additive so it does not set up too quickly! KD I know what you mean- when they poured the foundation for our addition- I took the day off from work! Cement Rocks!
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Post by Cher on Jun 10, 2005 17:11:17 GMT -5
I know they add a lot of stuff for curing and what not but I've never been anywhere that it smelled like that. I'm wondering now if maybe the put some sort of coating on it. Least the smell is gone now.
Cher
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stefan
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Member since January 2005
Posts: 14,113
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Post by stefan on Jun 16, 2005 14:38:23 GMT -5
They have a waterproof sealer that smell to High (and I do mean HIGH) heaven- Or maybe the nieghbors buried some toxin residue and the pad is covering up the landfill? Well at least the smell is gone!
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earthdog
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Don't eat yellow snow
Member since June 2006
Posts: 2,731
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Post by earthdog on Jun 16, 2005 19:57:03 GMT -5
Stefan is right, it might be a sealer, but usually it doesn't smell, and they put it on with a sprayer that mists it on. There are alot of things they put in concrete to make it do what you want, like water reducer, (water reducer does stink alot like air in a tire) so there isn't much water in it so it will withstand more pressure, see when you add water to a load, say 10 yards, and you put 10 gallons of water in it, it will bring the strenth down, but also bring the slump up one inch, so the contractor can work with it longer before it "snaps", or sets up. Alot of people put chloride in the concrete, like for a basement floor, or a garage floor, where the sun won't hit it and dry it up, chloride will make it set up faster, say ten yards with 1/2 % chloride will make it set in about an hour so they can get on it and finish it. In the fall/winter/spring most everyone uses chloride up to 2% or it will freeze before it sets, which is no good. Have you ever seen a driveway that the top 1/2 inch has "popped"? it's because they didn't use chloride and uasually it froze before it hardened. We also use stuff called "air" which is another chemical for concrete that alot of people use in the summer. More than likely they used water reducer, thats the only thing that will smell bad, like I said it kinda smells like air from a tire.
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Post by Cher on Jun 16, 2005 21:16:53 GMT -5
Very interesting, I knew they used chloride but that was all I knew. Nope, it didn't smell like old tire air, it smelled just like turpentine or paint thinner. I think it must have been some kind of a sealer, being as how there was rain in the forecast.
Cher
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