Had to pick between a hand float and a power trowel for a 30 yard slab last week

Got a call to finish a warehouse floor in Denver on Tuesday. Normally I roll with my power trowel for anything over 20 yards, but the owner said no gas engines inside because of some ventilation issue. So I had to use a hand float on the whole thing. Took me and one other guy about 9 hours instead of maybe 4 with the machine. Surface came out decent but I could see some waviness in the light. Anyone else had to switch methods mid-job and regret it?

3 comments

3 Comments

james_ramirez2mo ago

Got stuck using a hand float on a big slab once too, makes you wonder why old school methods are still around.

jessica_miller2mo ago

Makes you wonder? I don't know, James. It's a hand float, not a life or death decision. I've used one plenty of times on big slabs myself and never felt like it was some ancient mystery. It's just a tool that works fine for the job if you know what you're doing. People act like old methods are some kind of sacred art, but really it's just concrete work, not rocket science.

uma_webb287d ago

Oh come ON, jessica_miller, calling it "just concrete work" when you're talking about a 30 yard slab is a bit much. I've used hand floats on big floors too and let me tell you, the waviness the OP is talking about is REAL. You can't get the same consistent pressure and speed with your arm that a machine gives you, no matter HOW good you are. That's why power trowels exist in the FIRST place.