Why is my concrete not setting. ?

Question

I ve built half a wall with cement:sand ratio approx 1:4. Put enough water in to make it stick and a squirt of washin gup liquid. The wall is up 48 hours and the mix is literally crumbling out of the joints. Is it possible i put too much washing liquid in?

Answer 1

Who can tell for sure what happened to you. Sounds like maybe you didn't have enough water to get the cement to react, or this "washing up" liquid you used prevented the mix from setting.

I have 2 suggestions:

1. Use ready mix ordered form a plant. All you will have to do when I gets there is place it. You can even specify the desire strength you want.

2. Read the directions on the bag of cement you are using and follow them.

Answer 2

My better said YES you did.  he said most cement has sand mix in it.  that you may have added to much.  did you read or go to the companys info to find out.

Answer 3

It's hard to tell exactly what you did. The correct mixture of sand to cement is 3 shovels of sand and 1 shovel of cement, add water until it has consistency of thick milk shake. I have never heard of washing gup????

You mentioned it is crumbling out of the joints, if you laid up cement block or stone you should have used mortar mix. If you mixed 4 cement to 1 sand, that is the problem. Wish I could help you more - I just don't understand exactly what you did. Anyway if it's crumbling you did something wrong. Tear it out and start over.

Answer 4

I never heard of washing up liquid being added to concrete.

A little PVA perhaps added to the water ok. Give it a week before you consider demolishing it. Oh also, do not use old cement especially if there are lumps of cement present. But new cement is best.