Showerthought: Is power floating overkill for most flatwork or am I just lazy?

I skipped power floating on a 30x40 garage slab last week in Columbus and just used a bull float with a magnesium hand trowel. Came out flat as glass, but now I'm wondering if I just got lucky or if we all buy into the hype. Anyone else skip the power float and regret it later?

2 comments

2 Comments

grace_wright1mo ago

Yeah, you might've just got lucky. A buddy of mine tried skipping the power float on a similar sized slab for his own garage out near Dayton, figured the same thing, 'flat as glass' he said. Six months later he had these weird low spots that collected water every time it rained, and he ended up having to grind it all down and patch it. He still cusses about that weekend. So maybe it depends more on the concrete mix and how fast you work than anything else, but I wouldn't risk it again myself. Have you noticed any issues with water pooling after a rain?

alice_hart1mo agoMost Upvoted

Wait, wait, wait. Your buddy had to grind it ALL down? That sounds like an absolute nightmare weekend, not just a bad one. I'm actually kind of shocked he didn't just rip the whole thing out and start over, that's how much I hate grinding concrete. And the water pooling thing is real, you're right. I actually did have one tiny spot near the garage door that holds a little puddle after a heavy storm, but it's so small it dries up in a few hours. But man, hearing about your buddy's disaster makes me feel like I dodged a bullet way bigger than I thought. I hope he at least got a good story out of it, even if his back still hurts.