Changed my mind about power trowels after talking to an old hand down in Tucson

I always thought power trowels were basically cheating, like you weren't a real finisher if you didn't do everything by hand. Then I was on a job with this guy named Sal, been pouring concrete since the 70s, and he watched me hand finishing a 2,000 square foot slab. He said 'kid, you're just making more work for your back and your finish isn't even that good.' Showed me how he uses a power trowel to get a smoother surface with less effort, and he was right. Anyone else ever have to eat crow on a piece of equipment they thought was for rookies?

3 comments

3 Comments

charles_young921mo ago

Huh, that's a solid reality check right there. Did Sal mention if he's ever seen a power trowel screw up a pour in a way hand finishing wouldn't have? I'm curious if there's a specific situation where the old school way still wins out, like with a lot of tricky edges or a mix that sets up fast.

the_drew1mo ago

Had a job once where we were pouring around a bunch of anchor bolts and odd angles by a loading dock. Power trowel just couldn't get in there clean, left these weird ridges that had to be hand fixed anyway. Mix was also going off quicker than expected on a hot day, so by the time we hit it with the machine it was already too stiff. Hand finishing let me work the edges and control the density way better. So yeah, I'd say tricky edges and fast-setting mixes are where the old school method still wins out every time.

jessej231mo ago

I bet Sal's never had to hand-finish a slab in 110 degree heat with a fast mix, and that's where the old school way still wins.