PSA: Don't use the same trowel for acid stain and regular finish like I did

Last month I did a 400 square foot patio in Austin and figured I'd save some time by using my go-to finishing trowel for both the concrete work and then the acid stain application. Big mistake. The stain residue got into the trowel's surface and left weird dark streaks across the fresh slab the next day. Had to grind down and redo an entire 8x10 section. Cost me an extra $150 in materials and a full Saturday. Has anyone else had a tool cross-contaminate a job like that?

3 comments

3 Comments

amy_craig281mo agoMost Upvoted

go-to finishing trowel" yeah that's a hard lesson.

price.ben1mo ago

Did you rinse and scrub the trowel at all between jobs or just wipe it off?

the_olivia1mo agoMost Upvoted

And honestly the water you're using matters more than people think. Hard water leaves mineral deposits that can actually create drag on the blade surface over time, even if you're wiping it clean between jobs. I started using distilled water just for cleaning my finishing tools and noticed a real difference in how smooth the trowel felt after a few months of regular use.