Table of Contents
A bull float is used to level and smooth freshly poured concrete. Concrete used for visible projects, such as driveways, patios and sidewalks, often requires finishing. A bull float is a tool used for finishing concrete.
Can you finish concrete with a float?
A float compacts the concrete surface, giving it a smooth look. Putting a smooth, durable finish on concrete is a skill you can only master with the proper set of tools and practice.
Can you finish concrete without a bull float?
Fresnos are used for troweling slabs that do not require a hard trowel surface. A Fresnos will speed up the troweling process. Fresnos should not be used as bull floats. Troweling can also be accomplished by machine.
Why do you use a bull float on concrete?
The purpose of darbying or bull floating concrete is to level ridges and fill voids left by the screeding operation. It should also slightly embed the coarse aggregate to make subsequent finishing operations easier.
How long before you can float concrete?
Allow all of the water to disappear before you do anything else. This can take 20 minutes or 4 hours depending on the temperature, humidity and how hard the wind is blowing. After the bleed water is all gone, you can get out your steel finishing trowel and put on the final touches.
Why does magnesium float on concrete?
Magnesium smooths the surface of fresh concrete and opens the pores for proper evaporation, all without pulling the surface like a wood or resin tool. Most magnesium floats are extruded or cast.
What is the difference between a trowel and a float?
A float has a thicker base than a trowel and is usually made of plastic, sponge, rubber, wood or magnesium – a lightweight pale grey metal. It’s used to even up the surface on plaster or concrete, make it firmer and give whatever texture is required. The finish will depend on the float chosen.
What is Devil float?
[′dev·əl ‚flōt] (engineering) A hand float containing nails projecting at each corner and used to roughen the surface of plaster to provide a key for the next coat. Also known as devil; nail coat.
Do I need to use a bull float?
A bull float is used to level and smooth freshly poured concrete. Concrete used for visible projects, such as driveways, patios and sidewalks, often requires finishing.
What is the difference between a Fresno and a bull float?
What it is: The fresno may look similar to the bull float, but its blade is made of tempered or “blue” steel. The fresno should only be used following the bull float. Purpose: The fresno is applied after the bull float to better seal the surface of the slab. Size: Approximately 6” x 36” but sizes do vary.
How do you get a good finish on concrete?
Here are the steps for finishing a concrete slab: Spread the concrete. Use a square shovel or a come-along tool to push and pull the wet concrete into place. Screed the concrete. Float the surface. Edge the slab. Groove in joints. Trowel the surface.
What to do if it rains after pouring concrete?
Tips for Handling Rain After Pouring Concrete Don’t broadcast dry cement onto the concrete to soak up surface water. This will impair the finish and further weaken the top layer. Instead, once the rain passes, use a float to push the water off the edge of the slab before you start finishing.
What are the two stages of finishing the concrete?
Screeding (Step-1) screeding. This is the process of striking off the excess concrete to bring the top surface to proper grade. Floating (Step-2) bull float for finishing concrete. Floating consists in removing the irregularities on the surface of concrete which are left after screeding. Trowelling (Step-3) Trowelling.
Should I wet concrete while curing?
ANSWER: Keeping concrete moist helps the curing process. If too much water is lost from the concrete through evaporation, the hardening process slows down or ceases. Concrete continues to gain strength after pouring for as long as it retains moisture, but the longer it moist-cures, the slower the rate of strength gain.
Can you over work concrete?
Never overwork or over finish the surface of any exposed concrete slab. This brings too much fine material to the surface, works out the designed air entrainment*, and will weaken the surface of the slab leaving the top of slab more vulnerable to freeze/thaw damage and sheet scaling*.
How long should concrete cure before putting weight on it?
Initial Setting Times for Concrete In standard industrial cases, full strength concrete is recognized at 28 days. At seven days, you should have concrete that is cured to 70% full strength or greater. But to answer the question of, “How long does concrete take to set?” concrete setting time is generally 24 to 48 hours.
How long should concrete cure before removing forms?
Walls and columns can be removed after about 24-48 hours. Slabs, with their props left under them, can typically be removed after 3-4 days.
How do you smooth concrete after it dries?
These are the 4 steps in how to smooth concrete after it dries: Remove all imperfections on the surface. Vacuum up all debris and apply the adherent. Apply a new layer of concrete. Sand the surface and wash the concrete. Apply a layer of vitrifier to protect the concrete.
Why do you finish concrete?
Finishing makes concrete attractive and serviceable. The final texture, hardness, and joint pattern on slabs, floors, sidewalks, patios, and driveways depend on the concrete’s end use. Exterior slabs must be sloped to carry away water and must provide a texture that will not be slippery when wet.
When should you not use air entrained concrete?
4.1 Air-entraining agents should not be used in floors that are to have a dense, smooth, hard troweled surface. 6.2. 7 An air entraining agent should not be specified or used for concrete to be given a smooth, dense, hard-troweled finish because blistering or delamination may occur.
What is a concrete Darby?
A darby is a long, flat tool used to smooth in plastering and rendering. It can also be used on concrete floors. It consists of two handles on a flat plate with slightly lipped edges. A darby is similar to a float, except larger.
What is a plastering float?
Floating plastered walls Floats are used during the plastering process to make sure that every part of the wall is as flat and smooth as possible – known as floating.
How do you use a devil float?
Carefully drag the devil float over the surface in a figure of eight motion. Work your way up and down the length of the wall until it is completely covered. Aim to leave a gap no larger than about 150mm (6″) between scratches, and be careful not to dig the float in too hard.
How do you float a hard wall?
Depending on the background wall, if its high suction, plenty of water until the brick/block doesn’t absorb any more, apply your hardwall , feather it of when setting then float up with the float flat to the wall. No need for pva prior to skim unless you have left it for a few days.
Can you finish concrete with a float?
A float compacts the concrete surface, giving it a smooth look. Putting a smooth, durable finish on concrete is a skill you can only master with the proper set of tools and practice.
Can you finish concrete without a bull float?
Fresnos are used for troweling slabs that do not require a hard trowel surface. A Fresnos will speed up the troweling process. Fresnos should not be used as bull floats. Troweling can also be accomplished by machine.
Why do you use a bull float on concrete?
The purpose of darbying or bull floating concrete is to level ridges and fill voids left by the screeding operation. It should also slightly embed the coarse aggregate to make subsequent finishing operations easier.
How long before you can float concrete?
Allow all of the water to disappear before you do anything else. This can take 20 minutes or 4 hours depending on the temperature, humidity and how hard the wind is blowing. After the bleed water is all gone, you can get out your steel finishing trowel and put on the final touches.
Why does magnesium float on concrete?
Magnesium smooths the surface of fresh concrete and opens the pores for proper evaporation, all without pulling the surface like a wood or resin tool. Most magnesium floats are extruded or cast.
What is the difference between a trowel and a float?
A float has a thicker base than a trowel and is usually made of plastic, sponge, rubber, wood or magnesium – a lightweight pale grey metal. It’s used to even up the surface on plaster or concrete, make it firmer and give whatever texture is required. The finish will depend on the float chosen.
What is Devil float?
[′dev·əl ‚flōt] (engineering) A hand float containing nails projecting at each corner and used to roughen the surface of plaster to provide a key for the next coat. Also known as devil; nail coat.
Do I need to use a bull float?
A bull float is used to level and smooth freshly poured concrete. Concrete used for visible projects, such as driveways, patios and sidewalks, often requires finishing.
What is the difference between a Fresno and a bull float?
What it is: The fresno may look similar to the bull float, but its blade is made of tempered or “blue” steel. The fresno should only be used following the bull float. Purpose: The fresno is applied after the bull float to better seal the surface of the slab. Size: Approximately 6” x 36” but sizes do vary.
How do you get a good finish on concrete?
Here are the steps for finishing a concrete slab: Spread the concrete. Use a square shovel or a come-along tool to push and pull the wet concrete into place. Screed the concrete. Float the surface. Edge the slab. Groove in joints. Trowel the surface.
What to do if it rains after pouring concrete?
Tips for Handling Rain After Pouring Concrete Don’t broadcast dry cement onto the concrete to soak up surface water. This will impair the finish and further weaken the top layer. Instead, once the rain passes, use a float to push the water off the edge of the slab before you start finishing.
What are the two stages of finishing the concrete?
Screeding (Step-1) screeding. This is the process of striking off the excess concrete to bring the top surface to proper grade. Floating (Step-2) bull float for finishing concrete. Floating consists in removing the irregularities on the surface of concrete which are left after screeding. Trowelling (Step-3) Trowelling.
Should I wet concrete while curing?
ANSWER: Keeping concrete moist helps the curing process. If too much water is lost from the concrete through evaporation, the hardening process slows down or ceases. Concrete continues to gain strength after pouring for as long as it retains moisture, but the longer it moist-cures, the slower the rate of strength gain.
Can you over work concrete?
Never overwork or over finish the surface of any exposed concrete slab. This brings too much fine material to the surface, works out the designed air entrainment*, and will weaken the surface of the slab leaving the top of slab more vulnerable to freeze/thaw damage and sheet scaling*.
How long should concrete cure before putting weight on it?
Initial Setting Times for Concrete In standard industrial cases, full strength concrete is recognized at 28 days. At seven days, you should have concrete that is cured to 70% full strength or greater. But to answer the question of, “How long does concrete take to set?” concrete setting time is generally 24 to 48 hours.
How long should concrete cure before removing forms?
Walls and columns can be removed after about 24-48 hours. Slabs, with their props left under them, can typically be removed after 3-4 days.
How do you smooth concrete after it dries?
These are the 4 steps in how to smooth concrete after it dries: Remove all imperfections on the surface. Vacuum up all debris and apply the adherent. Apply a new layer of concrete. Sand the surface and wash the concrete. Apply a layer of vitrifier to protect the concrete.
Why do you finish concrete?
Finishing makes concrete attractive and serviceable. The final texture, hardness, and joint pattern on slabs, floors, sidewalks, patios, and driveways depend on the concrete’s end use. Exterior slabs must be sloped to carry away water and must provide a texture that will not be slippery when wet.
When should you not use air entrained concrete?
4.1 Air-entraining agents should not be used in floors that are to have a dense, smooth, hard troweled surface. 6.2. 7 An air entraining agent should not be specified or used for concrete to be given a smooth, dense, hard-troweled finish because blistering or delamination may occur.
What is a concrete Darby?
A darby is a long, flat tool used to smooth in plastering and rendering. It can also be used on concrete floors. It consists of two handles on a flat plate with slightly lipped edges. A darby is similar to a float, except larger.
