Changed my mind on dry shaking floors for a harder finish

I always thought dry shaking cement onto fresh concrete was just for show, something old timers did out of habit. Last year on a warehouse job, the foreman insisted we do it and I rolled my eyes but went along. A couple months later, we went back and the floor we shook was way more resistant to scrapes and stains than the sections we skipped. It actually bonds and fills the surface pores, making it last longer under heavy use. Now I dry shake every commercial floor I pour, no questions asked. It takes a bit more time to spread it evenly before the final trowel, but the difference in durability is real. If you're passing on it like I did, you might be leaving a weaker surface for your clients. That warehouse floor convinced me it's not just extra work.

4 comments

4 Comments

the_olivia1mo agoMost Upvoted

Feel like maybe it's being overhyped a bit. I mean yeah a big warehouse with forklifts all day is one thing, but for a lot of places the base slab is already plenty strong. I've seen floors last years without that extra step. Idk, sometimes it seems like just doing good regular work with the right mix is enough for most shops or garages. Makes you wonder if the extra time is worth it on every single job.

max22318d ago

Hold up, that's a dangerous way to look at it. The base slab being "plenty strong" is not the same as the surface being able to handle wear. A good mix gives you strength, but the hardener is what keeps the top from turning to dust and powder under foot traffic. I've seen plenty of those "good enough" floors look awful in a year, all pitted and rough. For a home garage maybe you roll the dice, but for any real business use, skipping it is asking for a redo way too soon. The extra step IS the regular work for a floor that lasts.

max_johnson1mo ago

My mom bought a garlic press that does one job, but her old knife works fine. We keep adding steps and tools for problems that aren't really there.

cole5491mo ago

Totally. We overcomplicate things. Think about kitchen gadgets. Take avocado slicers. They do one job a knife already does. Egg separators? Just crack the egg. We keep buying these tools for made up problems. It's like we want more stuff, not better results. A good knife handles most of it.