DelaySet™ ready-mixed concrete extends working time in hot weather while keeping slump and workability stable. It allows full finishing time without extra water, preventing porous concrete and cracking.
DelaySet™ slows the initial set to maintain plastic state for transport and placement, then achieves the normal final set for predictable curing and strength gain.
More time for placing and troweling reduces surface blemishes and evaporation issues.
Preserves mix design for higher durability and strength.
Options for 2-hour or 6-hour retardation suit various project needs.
Our CBM Concrete Solutions product line covers a wide range of project needs – from self-consolidating and high-workability flatwork mixes to fibre-reinforced, accelerated strength, extended workability, and durability-focused formulations. All mixes are performance-based and CSA-compliant. Our technical team can also develop custom mix designs for projects with specific structural or environmental requirements.
We work directly with engineers and contractors before the first truck arrives – reviewing exposure class, strength development, pumping distances, and workability windows to build a concrete program around your project, not around a standard product. The Gordie Howe International Bridge, the Eglinton Crosstown LRT, and 141 Bay are examples of that process at work.
Yes. Every customer has access to the same ready mix concrete solutions and quality-controlled mixes that go into our largest builds. Get in touch with your local CBM representative to discuss your requirements.
CBM is proud to be part of Votorantim Cimentos, one of the largest building materials companies in the world. Our VC Way is the operating philosophy that runs across the entire Votorantim Cimentos family – and it shapes how our teams work every day. For our customers, that means decisions made close to the job, clear communication from order to delivery, and accountability that does not stop once the truck leaves the plant. The work we did at Ripley’s Aquarium, the Gordie Howe International Bridge, and other countless projects reflects exactly that – sustained technical collaboration, dependable execution, and a standard of care that holds across the full life of a project.
DelaySet™ incorporates a set-retarding admixture that extends the dormant period of cement hydration by temporarily binding calcium ions, maintaining slump loss below 25 mm per hour in temperatures up to 32°C. Normal acceleration and final set resume predictably, delivering equivalent 28-day strengths to non-retarded mixes when proper curing practices are followed.
Dosage varies with ambient temperature, haul time, and cement type—typically 400-800 mL/100 kg cement for 2-hour extension (up to 27°C) and 1200-2000 mL/100 kg for 6-hour extension (32°C+). Trial batches establish exact performance curves, accounting for wind speed, humidity, and concrete temperature at discharge to avoid cold joints.
Field verification uses initial set time testing (ASTM C403) alongside slump retention monitoring every 30 minutes during placement. Finish within the extended plastic window, avoiding prolonged exposure that risks evaporation cracking. Joint timing follows standard temperature-compensated spacing rules once final set occurs.
Reach out today! Our experts offer personalized guidance and solutions for your concrete challenges.
