Mild spring and fall days are easiest on fresh concrete in Colorado Springs. Summer pours work but are often scheduled early to beat heat, dry wind and afternoon storms that can pit a fresh surface. Winter pours are possible with cold-weather protection. Whatever the season, ask about air-entrained concrete, curing and keeping deicers off the first winter.
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Concrete gets its strength from a chemical reaction between cement and water, and that reaction is sensitive to temperature and moisture, especially in the first few days. Colorado Springs has a climate that can swing hard in a single day: bright sun at altitude, low humidity, wind, afternoon thunderstorms in summer and nights below freezing for much of the year. This guide covers how those conditions affect a pour and what a good contractor does about them.
Why the first days matter
Fresh concrete needs moisture and moderate temperatures to cure. If the surface dries too fast, it can develop plastic shrinkage cracks and end up weak and dusty. If it freezes before it gains enough strength, the surface can be permanently damaged. The American Concrete Institute publishes guidance on both hot-weather and cold-weather concreting, and most of what follows is the practical side of that guidance.
Spring
Spring can be a good time to pour once nights stay above freezing, but the Pikes Peak region is known for late-season snow and big temperature swings. Contractors watch the forecast closely, may delay a pour for a cold front, and keep blankets on hand. Spring is also when ground thaws and may be wet, which matters on expansive clay: a soaked subgrade can be soft and may need time to dry or extra preparation.
Summer
Summer is the busiest season. The challenge here isn't only heat; it's evaporation. At around 6,000 feet and higher, the air is thin and often dry, the sun is intense, and wind can pick up in the afternoon. All of that pulls water out of the surface of fresh concrete. Contractors commonly respond by:
- Pouring early in the morning
- Dampening the base and forms so they don't soak water out of the mix
- Using windbreaks, sunshades or evaporation retarders
- Sizing each pour so the crew can finish it in time
- Starting curing as soon as finishing is done, with curing compound, wet coverings or plastic
Afternoon thunderstorms are common in summer along the Front Range, and some bring hail. The Front Range's hail season generally runs from spring into late summer. A downpour or hail on concrete that hasn't set can pit and ruin the surface, which is especially costly on stamped or colored work. Ask the contractor how they'll protect the slab if a storm builds, and don't be surprised if they reschedule.
Hail rarely hurts a cured, well-built slab, but it can chip sealers and coatings. If a storm hits decorative concrete, check the sealer afterward.
Fall
Early fall is often ideal: moderate days, cooler nights and fewer storms. As the season goes on, the main risk becomes the first hard freeze. Concrete placed late in the year has less time to dry and gain strength before its first freeze-thaw cycles and its first exposure to deicers. Many contractors suggest pouring early enough in the fall that the slab has several weeks of mild weather before winter.
Winter
Concrete can be poured in winter with the right precautions. Cold-weather practice typically includes never placing concrete on frozen ground, using heated water or accelerating admixtures, covering the slab with insulated blankets, and keeping it protected until it reaches enough strength. Sunny winter days in Colorado Springs can be surprisingly warm, but nights still freeze, so protection has to cover the overnight hours. Expect cold-weather pours to cost more and to be weather-dependent.
Freeze-thaw: the long game
Beyond pour day, the biggest climate stress on exterior concrete here is freeze-thaw. Snow melts in the sun, water soaks into the surface, and it refreezes at night, over and over through the winter. Each cycle can work at a weak surface. The defenses are well established:
- Air-entrained concrete. Tiny, evenly spaced air bubbles give freezing water room to expand. The Portland Cement Association recommends air entrainment for concrete exposed to freezing and deicers.
- Proper finishing. Finishing while bleed water is on the surface, or adding water to make finishing easier, weakens the top layer.
- Good curing. Well-cured concrete has a denser, stronger surface.
- Drainage. Slabs that shed water dry out between cycles; slabs that hold puddles take more damage.
Deicers and the first winter
Deicing chemicals make freeze-thaw damage worse, and new concrete is most vulnerable. Common advice is to avoid deicers entirely during a slab's first winter and use sand for traction instead. Products containing ammonium nitrate or ammonium sulfate are especially harmful to concrete and should be avoided at any age; some fertilizers contain them too. Road deicers also drip off cars onto driveways and garage floors, which is one reason sealing and regular rinsing help.
Higher elevations
Communities like Monument, near 7,000 feet, and Woodland Park, at about 8,465 feet, have shorter warm seasons and more snow than central Colorado Springs. The pouring window there is tighter, and cold-weather precautions come into play earlier in the fall and later in the spring. The Pikes Peak Regional Building Department also uses a higher design snow load for structures at or above 7,000 feet, which matters if your project includes a roof or building.
Practical planning tips
- Book early for spring and summer; good contractors fill their schedules.
- Ask how the contractor handles hot, windy, stormy and cold days, and what makes them postpone.
- Confirm the mix is air-entrained for any exterior slab.
- Ask what curing method they use and how long it lasts.
- Plan to keep cars off for about a week, or as the contractor advises.
- Get permits and HOA approvals lined up before the pour date so weather is the only variable.
- Make sure Colorado 811 has been contacted before excavation.
Ready to get on a contractor's schedule? Request a concrete contractor, and see our driveway and patio pages for what goes into a long-lasting slab.
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Frequently asked questions
How cold is too cold to pour concrete?
It depends on the mix and the protection used. ACI cold-weather guidance focuses on keeping fresh concrete from freezing and protecting it until it gains strength. Contractors decide based on the forecast, especially overnight lows, and may use blankets, heated water or accelerators.
Should I worry if it rains or hails after my slab is poured?
Within the first few hours, heavy rain or hail can damage the surface. Once the concrete has set, rain is generally fine and can even help curing. Ask your contractor to check the slab after any storm on pour day.
Can I use deicer on my new driveway this winter?
Most guidance says to avoid deicers on concrete during its first winter, and to avoid ammonium nitrate and ammonium sulfate products at any age. Use sand for traction and shovel promptly instead.
Sources and further reading
- American Concrete Institute (ACI)
- Portland Cement Association (PCA)
- Colorado Geological Survey: expansive soil
- Colorado Geological Survey seminar paper on Colorado Springs and Pueblo area soils
- CSU Extension PlantTalk: Expansive Soils
- Pikes Peak Regional Building Department
- PPRBD contractor license and registration types
- PPRBD basic design information (snow loads)
- City of Colorado Springs: Engineering, Inspections, Permitting and Fees
- El Paso County Public Works: Work in the Right-of-Way Permit FAQ
- City of Manitou Springs: CGS debris flow map
- Colorado Springs Utilities: 811 before you dig
- Colorado 811: homeowners