Question about using a magnesium float on every job

I see guys swear by the magnesium float for everything, but on a garage slab I did in Dallas last spring, I switched to a wood float for the first pass. The finish had way less pitting and a smoother look after the trowel. Anyone else find magnesium can pull up too much paste on certain mixes?

3 comments

3 Comments

evafoster26d ago

You ever notice how the mix just feels different in that heat? Down here in Texas, magnesium can be too grabby on a hot day. I'll use wood if the concrete is setting up fast. It doesn't drag the cream up as much, gives you more control. Some guys just stick with one tool, but you gotta watch what the slab is doing.

finleym3726d ago

Yeah, the "grabby" magnesium thing is real. Read an article from a finisher in Arizona who said the same thing. They called it "hot weather stick" and said switching to wood or even a plastic float can save your finish. It's all about that surface tension changing when the sun bakes the water out too fast. Sticking to one tool is how you get a rough finish or burn the slab.

derekn1826d ago

That "sticking to one tool" line is so true for a lot of things. I see it with people who only know one way to fix something, like a software bug, and they just keep hammering at it even when it's clearly not working. You gotta read the situation and switch your approach, like swapping the float.