How does concrete work?

When the ingredients of cement and water are properly mixed and they are allowed to hydrate and cure properly, the concrete can be virtually indestructible. It is important to understand how to mix it properly to make a hard material and how to cure it right for long-term use.
Let’s say, you want to create a walkway in front of your house. After the area has been cleared of grass and debris and the surface is prepared as flat as possible, you are ready to prepare and place your concrete in the framed area. If the cement and water are mixed properly the result will be thick enough to bind as if cures, but pourable.

Curing

Once the cement is smoothed out to completely fill the framed area and the surface is smooth, your concrete will begin its curing process. The way cement hardens into concrete is through a hydrating process. The longer the cement stays moist the harder it will become. Indeed, the older concrete gets the harder it gets. The curing process takes about 5 to 7 days in ideal conditions that are not too hot or too cold. Really hot days will cause the water to evaporate and steal the cement of its moisture. Temperatures that are too cold will actually stop the curing process because the moisture is lost due to freezing. Ideally, temperatures above 50 degrees Fahrenheit (10 Celsius) are best.
The best way to keep the surface moist during the curing process is to use a soaking hose, sprinkler system or wet burlap on top. You can also use a curing compound to lock in the moisture.