Concrete Finishing Tools Buyer's Guide
In Bob Harris' Guide to Stamped Concrete, the veteran decorative concrete pro says it's essential to match the tool to the job. "The work you do immediately following concrete placement is critical, since this is when you must create the perfect canvas for decorative stamping," Harris emphasizes. For example, he notes that you're likely to need different tools for finishing exterior concrete that's air entrained because the high air content can make the concrete sticky. Harris finds that a magnesium bull float works best because it won't stick to the concrete. For non-air-entrained concrete, on the other hand, he recommends using a laminated wood bull float because it does the best job of smoothing and leveling the surface. The extra heft of the wood float makes it effective at cutting high spots, filling low-lying areas, and consolidating the aggregates to bring more paste to the surface. Harris also prefers to use steel trowels or fresnos for final finishing of exterior concrete flatwork prior to stamping because they produce a smoother, flatter surface. Understanding these nuances and knowing which finishing tools work best under certain conditions should be the key factors guiding your purchasing decision. To get the results your new tools were designed to achieve, it's also important to hone your finishing skills so you wield the tools properly. Harris recommends that decorative concrete contractors get trained and certified by the American Concrete Institute as concrete flatwork finishers and technicians. Author Anne Balogh, ConcreteNetwork.com Columnist and Senior Editor of Concrete Expressions magazine Find a Concrete Contractor 24 Services in 221 Metros -- U.S. and Canada 
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