Question about using a magnesium float versus a wood float on a garage floor

Just finished a two car garage in Boise last week and did a side by side test. I used a magnesium float on the left bay and my old wood float on the right. The difference was not small. The mag side was tight and smooth after two passes, with no pitting or open spots. The wood side took four passes and still left a slightly rough, open texture that needed extra trowel work. It felt like I was fighting the concrete with the wood, but the mag just glided and sealed it up. I wasted about 20 minutes fixing the wood float side. Has anyone else switched and found it saves that much time on a basic slab?

3 comments

3 Comments

rosed3223d ago

My uncle swore by his wood float for thirty years and fought me when I bought a mag float. After seeing your side by side test, I finally get why he was so mad. He wasn't protecting some ancient wisdom, he was just being stubborn. Why would you work twice as hard for a worse finish? It's like choosing to dig a hole with a spoon.

morganm6922d ago

Ever try to argue with someone who's been wrong for longer than you've been alive? I once spent a whole afternoon trying to convince my dad a power drill was better than a hand-crank one (he still says it's cheating). Some battles you just can't win, even with proof right in front of them.

foster.mary3d agoTop Commenter

Consider how many guys stick with wood floats just to feel like real craftsmen.