Spent two days trying to get a smooth finish on a sloped patio with a weird aggregate mix.

It was a small job in a backyard in Tacoma, maybe 200 square feet. The homeowner had ordered a special decorative mix with some larger river rock in it. My usual magnesium float just wasn't cutting it, kept pulling the big stones out. Tried a steel trowel, a wood float, even a fresno. Nothing worked. Finally, an old timer I called said to mist it lightly and use a plastic trowel with almost no pressure. That did the trick, but by then I'd already burned a full day and a half on it. Anyone have a better method for finishing a mix with chunky aggregate?

2 comments

2 Comments

stella_roberts3d ago

That "old timer" advice always comes just after you've already learned the hard way.

hugo_moore3d ago

Tell you what, the trick is to ask the "how would you mess this up" question before you start. Feels silly, but it forces them to give the warning early. Still happens all the time though, you just get a little better at dodging the obvious mistakes.