I swore by a 6-foot magnesium float for years, but a buddy in Phoenix had me try a 4-foot aluminum one on a hot pour.

The smaller float let me finish a section before the flash set started, which never happened with my old tool... the surface came out way smoother with less reworking. Anyone else find a shorter float works better in high heat?

3 comments

3 Comments

maxl937h ago

My uncle was a tile guy who always said the heat changed everything. He'd pack a separate, smaller trowel just for the afternoon jobs when the sun was directly on the patio, saying the bigger one would drag and pull at the thin-set before he could set the tile straight.

the_alice9h ago

Switching tools for one hot pour is a fluke, not a plan. A six foot magnesium float gives you the weight and reach to properly level a slab. A four foot tool forces you into more passes, which can actually create more issues with surface marks. Proper timing and technique with the right sized tool beats changing gear every time the weather shifts. You just have to work faster and know how to handle the mix before it sets.

troychen8h ago

Come on, a six footer is just too much tool for a small crew. You get better control swapping to the four foot when it starts to set up fast.