I finally got a smooth finish on a big slab in this Florida heat

We were pouring a 20x30 patio in Tampa last week and the mix was setting up way too fast, leaving rough spots. My buddy from Alabama told me to mist the surface with a light spray of water from a garden hose right before the final trowel pass. I tried it with my Marshalltown finishing trowel and it worked like a charm, letting me get that glassy finish without the concrete tearing. Has anyone else used this trick on a hot day with a different brand of trowel?

3 comments

3 Comments

angelapalmer1d ago

Ever worry about that water mist causing problems later? I used to be totally against it for the same reason, thought it was just asking for dusting. But last month in Jacksonville, we were finishing a pool deck and the mix was locking up on us. Out of pure desperation, we gave it the lightest mist you can imagine, just enough to take the shine off. Let it soak in for a minute, then hit it with the trowel. The finish set up perfect and it's holding up fine so far. Maybe the trick is using so little water it barely dampens the top.

jana_miller3113h ago

Totally get that, had the same exact thing happen in Tampa.

wood.noah1d ago

We had a crew in Orlando last summer try that water mist trick on a driveway and it caused a thin layer of scaling after a few months. The boss made us grind it out. I stick to using a retarder spray for the mix or just working faster with my Goldblatt trowel. Adding water on top can mess with the cure and weaken the surface layer.