Proper use of wooden Float

and Steel float

Trowels

• Troweling is done in the final stages of finishing and only after the
surface has been floated. Troweling makes the surface hard and
dense. Hand finishing trowels should be made of steel, usually 3 to 5
inches wide and 10 to 20 inches long. Use large sizes for the first
troweling to spread the blade pressure over a large area, which
minimizes the risk of prematurely sealing the surface. Keep the trowel
blade as flat as possible
Steps for Finishing a Troweled Floor

1.Place the fresh concrete

2. Screed or strike off the concrete to the proper elevation
3. Bull float to remove ridges and fill voids left by the screeding
operations, and to slightly embed the large aggregate particles before
bleed water collects on the surface.
4. Wait for the concrete to stiffen and for bleed water to escape and
disappear.
4. Edge along form edges to densify and compact the concrete, which
minimizes edge chipping.
• 6. Joint (tooled) to control random slab cracking.
7. Float to embed the coarse aggregate particles, remove surface
imperfections, and create a smooth surface. Use a wood or
magnesium float and don’t seal the surface.
8. Trowel to create a smooth, hard surface. Use a steel or fresno
trowel, depending on the desired