Saw a video of a guy using a broom finish on a driveway and thought it was a joke

This was maybe 8 months ago, a buddy sent me a clip of some finisher in Texas doing a full broom finish on a long driveway. I laughed because here in the PNW we mostly do exposed aggregate or smooth trowel for residential. Tried it on a small pad behind my garage last month just to see. Four passes with the right broom and it came out cleaner than any stamped job I did last year. Has anyone else had a comeback tool or technique they wrote off then tried?

2 comments

2 Comments

lindareed26d ago

@mary_wells you nailed it with the edger thing, same boat here. My first broom finish looked like a drunk toddler did it with a hay rake, honestly. I was so cocky about my smooth trowel work that I didn't even pack a broom in my truck for like three years. Tried it on that little pad and the texture was just dead quiet and clean, plus no sealer needed. Makes me wonder what other simple tricks I've been too proud to test out.

mary_wells26d ago

Oh I had the EXACT same reaction until I tried a cheap edger attachment I always thought was gimmicky and now I use it on every pour. Made me realize how much time I wasted being a snob about tools.