7 Tips And Tricks For Finishing Concrete And The Tools You Will Need

Watching someone pour and finish concrete is much different from finishing it yourself. You know you will need concrete, a shovel, and a trowel, but what else should you use? The intricacies of properly and professionally finishing concrete take time to master, so it is okay for even the experienced general contractor to read up on techniques and take notes. In any case, find every concrete tool you will ever need at Acme Tools, your premier authorized online retailer, for every project.

Required Tools for Finishing Concrete

• Concrete Mix
  • Obviously, correct? We are just making sure all our bases are covered.
• Bucket
  • A five-gallon bucket works beautifully to mix concrete.
• Concrete Mixer
  • An electric concrete mixer will make the job easy. A wheelbarrow mixer or towable concrete mixer would be best for larger jobs.
• A long 2×4 for leveling
  • Any straight two-by-four will work. Make sure it is long enough for the job.
• Bull Float or Darby
  • To flatten edges that may be left after you initially flatten the concrete with the two-by-four.
• Hand Float or Magnesium Float
  • To create that perfect, flat surface and smooth finish. The magnesium float is best for air-entrained concrete.
• Edging Tool
  • Do not just leave the edges unattended. You are going for a perfect finish; make it perfect.
• Straightedge or Snap Line
  • The best way to make straight lines before edging or grooving concrete.
• Grooving Tool
  • Grooves help give concrete that perfectly finished appearance, but they do much more. Grooving concrete helps control cracking.
• Concrete Dye
  • Color your concrete or create designs during finishing. You can make concrete look like various things, including rock, brick, or marble.
• Broom or Concrete Brush
  • Concrete troweled to perfection looks fantastic, but it also creates the potential for serious accidents. The perfectly flat and smooth surface presents a slip-and-fall hazard when wet. Creating a texture helps prevent future accidents.

1. Make it look Finished

This tip is the most important, even if it is not a step in the process, so that we will start here. We all want our artistry to be remembered as quality work, not just a load of concrete poured into a square or other predetermined shape. Never leave a job without making sure it looks professional and with a feeling of pride in your work.

2. Choosing and Mixing Concrete

Keep in mind that not all concrete is created equal. Some types of concrete handle extreme temperatures better than others, while others can take on more weight. Make sure the concrete you choose to use fits the purpose for which it is required. You will want to use at least 3,000 PSI concrete for sidewalks and driveways, but the best concrete for heavy loads is at least 4,000 PSI.

Mix the concrete precisely like the instructions recommend. You will always get the best results when you measure and mix precisely instead of going by eye.

3. Pouring, Tamping, and Troweling

Pouring

There is no specific rhyme or reason when you are pouring concrete. You do, however, want to make sure there are no bubbles that will cause craters later.

Tamping

The process of tamping, or compressing, is rarely needed with many types of concrete mixes today. Tamping some kinds of concrete can weaken the slab and ruin the project. Double-check the type of concrete mix you are using before tamping.

Troweling

Troweling concrete is not the most straightforward job. When ready to trowel, use a wooden or magnesium float to smooth the surface. Remember that some texture is good, especially in an area exposed to water or the elements.

One thing you can do to finish the surface of your concrete if you are unhappy with your troweling job is to use a broom. All you must do is lightly drag the broom across the surface of the concrete until it is flat. Get an old broom and be prepared to replace it if you do not clean it quickly. A broom-finished concrete surface offers much more traction on wet concrete than a smooth, trowel-finished surface.

4. Know When to Finish

Inexperience in finishing concrete often leads to one of two mistakes – troweling too soon or too much. Both mistakes pull too much water to the surface.

You end up with a white, dusty, cracked surface. Concrete sets more quickly on warm days, so make sure to work at a pace that is appropriate to the weather.

5. Work Bleedwater Back into the Concrete

Water will rise to the surface of the concrete while it is setting, but do not allow the water to evaporate. Work the surface with a trowel to back the water into the concrete, preventing dusting, scaling, and cracking simultaneously in the concrete finishing process.

6. Add Color

Many contractors have learned the art of being creative with finished concrete. We have seen some impressive, finished concrete that resembles marble, stone, brick, or tile. All it takes is some colored concrete dye and severe dedication to perfect your work.

7. Protect Your Concrete

Apply a sealant to the concrete after it is finished, dried, and cured. Applying a suitable sealant will protect the concrete for 3-5 years.

Places You Can Use Concrete

You can use concrete for many applications, including:

• Basement Flooring
• Utility Room Flooring
• Warehouse and Commercial Flooring
• Driveway
• Garage
• Carport
• Footers
• Mailbox Pads
• Patio
• Dog Runs

Property owners tend to love the simplicity of concrete. It is an easy and inexpensive project that lets the artistic general contractor show off their skills.