Tried power troweling with a lighter touch and got better results

Everyone says you gotta put some muscle into it and lean hard on the machine to get a good finish. Last week on a driveway job in Denton, I was feeling lazy and just guided it with barely any pressure. The surface came out way smoother with less chatter marks than usual. Has anyone else found that backing off the pressure actually helps?

2 comments

2 Comments

sandraf846d ago

Yeah but backing off pressure can go sideways fast depending on the mix. If the concrete's on the wet side or you're finishing late, a light touch just floats the surface and leaves it weak. I've seen guys get a nice finish that way only to have it dust up a month later. Better to find the sweet spot where you're not wrestling it but still keeping good contact. Lighter works sometimes but don't act like it's a golden rule.

wyatta306d ago

You mentioned getting smoother results with less pressure, and that pretty much describes my entire life approach. I tried the "lean on it harder" method once and ended up chasing the machine across a garage floor like it was a runaway shopping cart. So yeah, easing up definitely works for me, your mileage may vary depending on how much coffee you've had though.