New concrete gets hard fast, but it gets strong slowly. It keeps gaining strength for weeks, and the first seven days matter most. Here's the schedule we give homeowners.
The timeline
Foot traffic: after about 24 to 48 hours.
Cars and SUVs: after about 7 days.
Heavy trucks, RVs, trailers, and delivery vehicles: wait about 28 to 30 days. That's when concrete reaches its design strength.
Sealer on stamped or decorative work: usually after about a month, once the slab has cured.
Weather changes the clock
Heat speeds up setting but can dry the surface too fast, which is why fresh concrete is kept moist or treated with a curing compound in summer. Cold slows everything down. Once temperatures stay below about 50°F, curing takes noticeably longer, and freezing temperatures on a fresh slab can do real damage.
If your pour lands in a cold snap or a heat wave, we'll adjust the timeline and tell you so.
Mistakes to avoid in the first month
Keep vehicles off the edges. The edges of a slab are its weakest point while it's young. Don't turn the steering wheel while the car is standing still, which grinds the surface. Hold off on de-icing salts through the first winter if you can. And keep water from downspouts or sprinklers from pooling on or under the new slab.