How soon remove forms so I can finish sides?"

[install4you]

Greetings.
I'm new here. Just posted brief intro. Hoping for fast answer.

Deck builder "poured" concrete around 6x6 posts. Stopped several inches below grade. He decided the concrete needed to be above grade to keep soil off posts.
I didn't want 2' circle of concrete above grade so I asked & he agreed I could build forms to make smaller footprint above grade. I let it go back under deck where it would be gravel.

My question: what's the shortest time I can wait before removing forms so I can trowel the sides & top? The form create a 10" x 10" block around a 6x6 post except for 1 double. Range from about 3" tall to 8" tall. I'm on central time & work was done about 4-5pm. Central Alabama, high mid 80's today, mid 60's tonight. DRY no rain expected for a week. Used quikrete # 1011.

2 pics attached. One is first form I built & other is double firm almost finished.

Thanks for any help. I may need to come back out tonight!

Eddie

 

[El VMX]

You should be able to remove those small forms for finishing the sides by sometime early tomorrow morning, which is about 12 to 16 hours after the pour. Concrete will set fairly quickly, and the key time to watch for is when the concrete has hardened enough that if you were to press your finger on an exposed corner it would not leave a dent, meaning it has enough strength to hold its small shape. I’m guessing you’ve done it already by now.

 

[install4you]

Thanks for reply. The forms were filled Friday afternoon & I see that EL VMX answered Saturday night. I for to mention the date when I posted. Now it's Sunday morning.

I was able to remove 2 forms late Saturday afternoon-close to 24 hours after mixing. The other 2 seemed too tight to be knocking against the barely-set concrete. The 2 we're past troweling.

I have a rubbing brick I'll try that to ease the edges & corners & maybe the top surfaces. I think that will be enough. Doing everything that mushroomed out of this deck replacement has about worn me out. I still have at least a week to go.

BTW...I may need toa start another thread for this but is anyone can gas an answer to this next question I'd appreciate some help. The back wall of the house under the deck is swirled mortar stucco on block. The house is 45 years old & the stucco has deteriorated to crumbling in places. I was a 1300 psi pressure washer to clean for painting & it knocked some stucco off. I anticipated this & figured that low pressure would knock off loose paint & bad stucco. >>How aggressive should I get cleaning the loose stuff off before I apply new? I don't want to go too far or do to little.
Thanks, Eddie