Hard Trowel Finish Projects 2007

  
Hard Trowel for basements and garages (click on image to view full size).
Our flatwork hard troweled finishes are some of the best around. Attention to detail and to the design of the concrete being used is what sets us apart from most of the others. We're ACI Certified and understand the consequences of surfaces finished poorly.

A full 90% of our hard trowel finish projects are completed without the use of a machine under 1,600 sq. ft., unless otherwise specified by the designated contractor or project manager.

Basements & garages are finished to within less than 1/4" (finished grade) in every 100' for flatness.

Concrete that contains fiber or concrete that is air entrained often times may not be finished to present a slick burnished look, as the design, style of the concrete usually would prevent this.

Some specifications may require us to hard trowel air-entrained concrete, which we will do in many cases. You must also keep in mind that we will not hard trowel finish concrete that is air-entrained with a machine.

It is the responsibilty of the general contractor to be aware of the risk associated with the hard trowel finish of concrete that is air-entrained. A few of the risks are listed below:


Under most service conditions, interior slabs don't have a high moisture content or a chance to freeze, so air-entrained concrete isn’t needed to ensure a durable floor surface. Unless the building is enclosed and the roof is completed, it’s impossible to protect non-air-entrained concrete slabs from external moisture.

Some general contractors will often require interior concrete to be air-entrained if the chances are good that the slab will be exposed to a cold, wet environment during construction. In addition to requiring entrained air, the concrete design may also specify a lower water-cement ratio and a higher compressive strength that can increase the cost of the concrete.

There are certain risks involved that the general contractor needs to be aware of when dealing with air-entrained concrete and it's application:

The risk of concrete scaling and possible repair cost due to cold weather exposure, the cost of air-entrained versus non air-entrained concrete, the increased risk of delamination and blistering, and possible repair cost when the surface is machine troweled, and the reduction in surface air content and change in hardened air void parameters when the surface is machine troweled.

ACI 301- 99, “Specifications for Structural Concrete,” states that intentionally entrained air should not be incorporated in normalweight concrete slabs that require a dense, polished, machine-troweled surface.

ACI 302.1R-96, “Guide for Concrete Floor and Slab Construction,” states that entrained air is not recommended for concrete to be given a smooth, dense, hard-troweled finish.

D.A. Redd Concrete Construction LLC will hard trowel air-entrained concrete if required to do so by specification, but will not use a machine and will only proceed with the acknowledgment that the risk associated with delamination or blistering and the changes in hardened air void parameters are entirely the responsibility of the general contractor, project manager or owner.