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Unpopular opinion: watering down my mix made a better finish on a hot day pour
We were pouring a 20x30 slab in Phoenix back in July and the mix was drying out on me fast, edges were crusting up before I could even get the float on it. My boss always said never add water, but a finisher named Ray at the supply yard swore by adding just a splash, maybe a quart per yard, when it's over 100 out. I tried it on half the slab and kept the other half at spec, and the watered side finished way smoother with almost no drag marks. The catch is you lose some strength, so I wouldn't do it on anything structural, just flatwork where looks matter. I know this goes against everything we're taught about water cement ratio, but on a day that hot it saved me two hours of fighting the cream. Anyone else ever mess with the mix on brutal summer pours, or am I asking for trouble?
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