Tried a power float on my last driveway pour instead of hand finishing

I spent 12 hours hand troweling a 500 square foot slab in Phoenix last July and the next job I used a power float and cut the time in half with way less surface defects, so am I just being stubborn or is there a real reason to stick with the old way?

2 comments

2 Comments

harper_wright18d ago

My 2019 driveway in Tucson that was power floated developed microcracks in three months, while my 2005 hand-troweled patio in the same sun still looks perfect. The real issue is that power floats can mask surface moisture problems that hand troweling exposes early, leading to long-term durability failures on certain mix designs.

casey39318d ago

Power floats are the way to go for flat work every time, less risk of pulling the surface or leaving inconsistent texture. Hand troweling is just tradition at this point, not a real quality advantage on most residential slabs. Old school guys hate change but the results speak for themselves.