How long does concrete take to cure?

Concrete is firm enough to walk on after 24–48 hours, carries vehicles after about 7 days at ~70% strength, and reaches full design strength at 28 days. Drying is a separate clock: before glued flooring, a slab needs roughly 30 days per inch of thickness to release its moisture.

Milestone	Concrete slab	Floor screed	Gypsum plaster
Foot traffic	24–48 h	24–48 h	set in 1–2 h
Light loads / next trade	3 days	3–5 days	24 h
Vehicles / full load	7 days (~70%)	28 days	—
Full design strength	28 days	28 days	7 days
Dry for coverings	~30 days per inch	1 week per cm (up to 4 cm)	1 day per mm
Paint / decorate	—	after moisture test	7–14 days

Curing is not drying — and the difference costs floors

Curing is the chemical hardening that needs water kept in; drying is the slow escape of leftover moisture. Sealing a slab under vinyl too early traps that moisture and blisters the floor. Keep concrete damp for the first week (cure), then let it breathe (dry), and test moisture before any tight covering.

🧮 Calculate screed for your floor

Frequently asked questions

Can I speed up concrete curing?

You can shorten setting with accelerators or warm water, but strength still needs its 28 days. Never force-dry with heaters in week one — rapid moisture loss causes surface cracks.

How long before removing formwork?

Vertical forms come off after 24–48 hours in warm weather; load-bearing props under slabs and beams stay 7–14 days, until ~70% strength.

How long does screed dry before tiling?

Tile can go down at residual moisture below 2 CM-% — typically 3–4 weeks for a 5 cm screed. Wood and vinyl are stricter: 1.8 CM-% and often 6–8 weeks.

Does cold weather stop curing?

Below 5 °C hydration nearly stalls and fresh concrete can be frost-damaged. Winter pours need heated water, insulation blankets, and roughly double the milestone times.