Can Quikrete Concrete Bags Get Wet

Quikrete and any other bag of concrete or cement can not get wet. When water is added to a dry concrete mix a chemical reaction occurs which causes it to harden. Once the bag becomes wet, the concrete inside absorbs that moisture, the chemical process begins and the concrete permanently hardens and becomes useless.

Quikrete concrete, like all concrete mixes, is made of just 3 main ingredients. Sand, cement and aggregate stone. Many people think Quikrete is different than actual concrete, but it isn’t. Quikrete is the same as regular concrete except that it’s sold premixed and in a bag.

Quikrete offers a variety of concrete mixes with different strengths and attributes like fast setting or crack resistant. But it’s still just concrete. So can concrete bags get wet? No. There are only two thin layers between the concrete and water. A paper outer bag and a thin plastic lining. The bag is strong enough to hold concrete, but doesn’t offer much protection against moisture. If the bags get wet, moisture absorbs into the concrete and hardens it.

If Quikrete bags get wet, it makes it very hard, if not impossible, to properly mix Quikrete concrete.

The good news is that there are some precautions you can take to prevent your concrete bags from getting wet.

When Quikrete Bags Get Wet

The reason concrete becomes hard when wet is due to the cement it contains. This process is called hydration. Hydration is a chemical reaction that occurs inside the concrete as soon as it comes in contact with water. Even a little bit of water is enough to start the process anywhere the concrete gets wet.

Many people think you need a lot of water to harden concrete but that’s not true. Concrete bags left outside don’t have to get rained on to harden. Even high humidity and dew on the bags is sometimes enough to harden them. Concrete absorbs water like a sponge and can suck it right out of the air.

If the Quikrete bags get just a little wet, the outer edges can harden but the inside can remain powder. This is because the moisture wasn’t enough to absorb all the way through the concrete. In this case, the powdered concrete mix is typically still OK to use. Just remove the dry chunks and use the rest.

Don’t try to use the hardened chunks. It wasn’t mixed properly with water and won’t cure like it should. The chunks may seem hard but they’re actually brittle and prone to cracking.

How To Keep Quikrete Bags Dry

Quikrete bags can not get wet. If they do the concrete inside will be ruined. So then how do you keep them dry?

It’s important to know how to properly store Quikrete bags if your not going to use them right away or have some bags left over. If you just leave them on the ground, even if it doesn’t rain,most of the time they’ll harden up. This is because of the moisture in the air. Even dew buildup on the bags and ground moisture is typically enough.

It’s best to use the concrete bags right away, but if you have to store them for a while here are some tips on how to do it. Always keep the bags off floors and away from moisture. Have you ever noticed that concrete bags at Home Depot are kept on palettes and wrapped in plastic. That’s to keep them dry.You can do this even in the outdoors and on a job site.

• Elevate the bags off the ground to prevent them from absorbing moisture from below. Some masons even include a layer of plastic between the palette and bags just in case.
• Cover the top of the bags in plastic to keep out rain and moisture in the air.
• Even if you store the bags in a garage you should still wrap them in plastic, especially if you live in a humid climate.
• Don’t worry much about the temperature. Heat and cold don’t harden or effect concrete. Only water does.

As long as your Quikrete bags are kept dry you can store them for years and they’ll still be good to use.

What To Do With Ruined Concrete Bags

If your Quikrete concrete bags get wet and harden, for the most part they’re ruined. But there still may be a few uses for them.

If only the outer layer got wet and hardened, the inside concrete may still be good. This is very common. Concrete absorbs water like a sponge, but if there’s only a little bit of water then it can’t absorb all the way through. The outer shell can harden while the inside stays powder. Before you throw away the entire bag, break it open and see if there’s any usable concrete inside.

Since the concrete wasn’t mixed properly with the right amount of water and allowed to cure, it won’t be strong enough for structural work. You shouldn’t use it as a footing or to set a fence post because it’s brittle. But you can still use it for other things where strength isn’t an issue.

Many people break up the bags and use it as a stone aggregate or filler where compressive strength isn’t an issue.

Overall, it’s important to always keep your Quikrete concrete bags completely dry. While there may be some creative uses for bags that got wet, for the most part the concrete inside will be ruined.

Summary: How Long Does It Take For Quikrete To Dry?

Quikrete concrete, like all concrete mixes, is made of just 3 main ingredients. Sand, cement and aggregate stone. Many people think Quikrete is different than actual concrete, but it isn’t. Quikrete is the same as regular concrete except that it’s sold premixed and in a bag. Quikrete offers a variety of concrete mixes with different strengths and attributes like fast setting or crack resistant. But it’s still just concrete. So can concrete bags get wet? No. There are only two thin layers between the concrete and water. A paper outer bag and a thin plastic lining. The bag is strong enough to hold concrete, but doesn’t offer much protection against moisture. If the bags get wet, moisture absorbs into the concrete and hardens it.

Quikrete and any other bag of concrete or cement can not get wet. When water is added to a dry concrete mix a chemical reaction occurs which causes it to harden. Once the bag becomes wet, the concrete inside absorbs that moisture, the chemical process begins and the concrete permanently hardens and becomes useless.

The good news is that there are some precautions you can take to prevent your concrete bags from getting wet.

If you have any questions or comments e-mail us any time. We’d love to hear from you.