Tried using a different trowel blade on a garage floor in Spokane and the finish came out all wrong.

It was a 30x40 slab, and the supplier was out of my usual magnesium trowel. They had these new stainless steel ones they said were 'the future'. So I gave it a shot. The steel grabbed the surface way harder than I'm used to. Ended up with these weird, almost shiny streaks in some spots while other areas were still too open. Had to go back over it twice with my old backup trowel to even it out. Cost me an extra hour and a half. I guess you don't mess with what works on the final pass. Has anyone else had a bad time switching trowel materials mid-job?

2 comments

2 Comments

xena94611d ago

What's the betting pool on how many times I've done something like that?

wright.rowan11d ago

Honestly, switching tools mid-job is how you find better methods. Sticking with the same old magnesium just means you're scared of a little learning curve. That steel trowel probably needed a lighter touch and a different angle, which you'd have figured out if you practiced on a small patch first. Blaming the tool is the easy way out when the real issue is being too set in your ways to adapt. New materials come out for a reason, to fix old problems, and refusing to try them keeps the whole trade from getting better.