So I used a leaf blower to dry a slab in a pinch

Had a small patio pour in Tacoma last Thursday and the rain clouds rolled in right as we finished the broom finish. My power trowel was packed up and the truck was a block away. My buddy joked about using his gas leaf blower, so we gave it a shot. Held it about two feet off the surface and moved it in slow circles, and it dried the top layer just enough in about 15 minutes to seal it before the drizzle hit. Has anyone else used something totally not meant for concrete in a tight spot?

2 comments

2 Comments

nancy3915h ago

Honestly, that sounds like a great way to ruin a good pour. You just forced all the bleed water back into the mix and probably weakened the top layer. A little drizzle is better than messing with the slab's water content like that. It might look dry on top, but you've set it up for dusting and scaling down the road. Sometimes you just have to let the weather happen and protect it the right way after.

walker.michael3h ago

Come on, is it really that big of a deal? Seen plenty of guys hit a slab with a float or a broom right as a light rain starts to seal it up. It's not like we're talking about a monsoon here. A bit of water worked in might even help the finish in some cases. Feels like we're treating every pour like a NASA project sometimes.