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Update: Saw a sidewalk pour in Charleston that made me rethink my broom finish technique.
The crew there used a stiff-bristled push broom and pulled it back towards themselves in one smooth motion, creating a perfectly uniform texture without any of the wavy lines I sometimes get, so has anyone else tried that specific pull-back method on a large slab?
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blakecampbell1mo ago
That pull-back trick probably works great until you hit a section that's setting up faster. The real skill is knowing when to switch from pushing to pulling based on the sheen. Saw a guy mess up a whole panel because he didn't adjust for the sun hitting one end.
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Oh the sheen... right, because we all carry little gloss meters in our back pockets. Blakecampbell makes it sound like we're reading tea leaves instead of finishing concrete. That pull-back method is solid until your helper forgets to wet the broom and you're basically dragging a brick across the top. Seen guys get so hung up on the sun's angle they forget to actually move their feet.
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aaron_wilson1726m ago
Totally! I've had that exact thing happen where the mix starts to grab and you're suddenly fighting the broom instead of guiding it.
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