Finishing the Concrete in the Garage

Earlier they had built the form at the end of the garage and at the side door. Preparing to Pour the Concrete Garage Floor >

Today the cement truck poured the concrete. This post is a continuation of Pouring the Concrete Floor in the Garage >

They started working right away to smooth the finish.

This is a Pneumatic Walk Behind Screed. It is “designed to provide a consistent, even surface without any guide or supporting tube.” It vibrates to level the cement. It takes off any high spots and fills any low spots. The gravel that had been visible started to disappear below the surface.

This went really fast. He moved the screed back and forth slowly as it vibrated to create a level flat surface.

This is a bull float.  They screwed on enough handles to reach in across the cement. They pushed it out tilted like in this picture, then pulled it back with it tilted the other way, so that the leading edge was always slightly up. This leveled out the marks left by the screed and filled any small holes. It just took a couple of passes.

Cream, the gravel-free concrete, started to come to the surface.

This all forced the larger aggregate down, leaving the “cream,” a slurry of cement and sand, to fill the surface.

They waited a little while. They cleaned up and the cement truck left. They moved their truck in so they could set up some lights.

This is a Power Trowel.

The Power Trowel is a machine with a combination blade to level and finish the cement in one step.

Next they used hand floats to go over the surface.

The things on his feet are actually knee pads. They let him slide that slide around on the concrete.

They swept the surface with wide strokes. Again, just a couple of passes.

They rounded the concrete sticking out of the top of the post.

We went home while they cleaned up.

By the time we got back, they were done and gone.

Here is the top of the post. See the fuzzy fibers?

They had grooved the concrete. This is for if it cracks.

The groove creates a weakened spot for the crack to form where it won’t be seen.

Next: Running the Gas Lines >