I was sure a power trowel was overkill for a small patio job until last month

A buddy needed a 10x12 patio poured and I told him we could just hand float it, no problem. He insisted on renting a walk behind power trowel, saying it would save us half a day. I thought it was a waste of money for such a small slab. We got it done in under 4 hours with a finish that was way more even than I could have done by hand. Now I'm rethinking my whole approach to smaller flatwork. For those of you who do mostly residential, do you think a power trowel is worth it for jobs under 200 square feet?

3 comments

3 Comments

craig.alex6d ago

You guys are right about saving your body, but there's another thing. A power trowel lets you hit the timing right every time. On a small slab, the window for a perfect hand finish is so short. If you get distracted or the sun hits it wrong, you're stuck with a crusty patch or marks. The machine just goes over it all evenly, so you don't have that panic. It takes the stress out of watching the clock.

the_paul6d ago

Man, "rethinking my whole approach" hits home. I did the same thing after a small garage slab last year. I fought the rental cost and my arm was dead for two days. The finish was just okay. Now, if it's bigger than a sidewalk section, I'm getting the machine. It's not just about time, it's about not being completely wrecked at the end of the day.

pat_moore6d ago

The rental cost is a bargain compared to the pain. A machine finish is just better, full stop. It turns a long, hard day into a normal one. You can't put a price on saving your body and getting a pro result. My rule now is anything bigger than a single step gets the trowel.