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PSA: I was wrong about using a 4-foot bull float on every pour
An old timer named Carl at a job in Boise told me my 4-footer was causing waves on bigger slabs over 20 yards. He said to switch to a 6-foot for anything over 15 feet wide. I tried it on a garage floor last week and the finish was way flatter. Anyone else have a size rule they stick to?
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oliver21mo ago
That old timer knew his stuff. Bigger floats just handle the concrete better on wide pours, less back and forth. For driveways or shop floors, I won't even pull out the 4-footer anymore. The extra length stops those little dips and ridges you get from too many passes. It's one of those simple fixes that makes a huge difference in the final look.
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the_paul1mo ago
Yeah, the part about less back and forth with a bigger float makes total sense. I mean, it reminds me of this time we were doing a long sidewalk section and the new guy kept making these tiny waves with a short darby. Foreman finally swapped it out for a longer one and it just smoothed right out, like it was more about the tool's reach than how hard he was working. Idk, maybe some jobs just need the bigger gear even if your technique is solid.
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alexw751mo ago
Honestly I've been using a 4 foot float for years on all kinds of slabs and never had a complaint. Tbh it sounds like more of a technique thing than a tool rule. I get a flat finish by just watching my edges and not overworking it. Ngl I'm not buying a whole new float just for a few extra feet of width.
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