The bubble float in Tampa that ruined my driveway finish

I finished a 1,200 square foot driveway last week in Tampa and used a brand new magnesium float from a big box store. By the third pass the leading edge had a bubble in the casting, so it left lines I had to burn out with a steel trowel. Took me an extra 2 hours on a day the sun was already cooking the surface fast. Has anyone else had luck buffing out small bubbles before the final pass, or is it always a rip out and replace?

2 comments

2 Comments

wade_anderson2d ago

That float sounds like it came straight from the bargain bin. Bought one of those once and the handle snapped off on the second pour, had to finish the whole pad with a damn trowel and a bad back. Sometimes the cheap stuff costs more in the end, especially when the sun is beating down on you like a furnace.

abbyhall2d ago

Man, you hit the nail right on the head. Same thing happened to me with a cheap float from the hardware store, the handle got wobbly after like ten minutes of use and I ended up dragging it through the whole slab just praying it didn't snap. The worst part is when it does break, you're stuck there in the heat with half a pour and no backup plan. That bargain price feels real smart until your back is screaming and the concrete's setting faster than you can work. Now I just buy a decent one and treat it like a tool, not a toy. Cheap stuff always finds a way to make you pay double in sweat and time.