Perlite portland mixture

first time posting, used perlite portland mixed 5 to 1 but used a little too much water and had some puddle of water when stressing .is this gonna create a problem,should I take it out and start over thanks

Hi Bradley and welcome to the BrickWood forum.

If you used Perlite I think you’ll be okay. The Portland cement is in the mix to bind the Perlite insulating material and give the insulated slab some form, but it’s not make-or-break structural. Just leave it alone for a couple of days, and perhaps gently soak up the excess water or use your masons brush to whisk it off the slab.

Two days from now, if you have a hard surface (hard enough so you don’t leave an impression if you press with your thumb), you’re fine. If it’s still soft, then you’ll have a head start on scooping it out and trying again.

Note that I’m talking about Perlite. For those of you who opt for Vermiculite, you’re unlikely to see water puddles but it takes 5-6 days to cure, and that’s normal.

Reply here and let us know how it goes, and good luck!