Had to pick between a 3/8 inch and a 1/2 inch bull float for a big garage slab

Honestly, I was doing a 30 by 40 foot garage floor last month and the crew was split. Half wanted the 3/8 inch because it's lighter and faster. The other half, me included, wanted the 1/2 inch for the extra weight to really press down the aggregate. We went with the 1/2 inch. Tbh, it was a bit more work to push, but the finish was way tighter with almost no rock pockets. Has anyone else had to make that call on a big pour? What did you go with?

3 comments

3 Comments

sanchez.mia3mo ago

How thick was your slab? I'd always pick the heavier float for a bigger pour.

price.alice3mo ago

Lighter float gets the job done just fine though...

verab282mo ago

Lighter floats? That's what I told myself too until my last slab came out looking like a topographical map of the Appalachian Trail. I went with a light float on a 3 inch thick pour and ended up with all these random peaks and valleys. My driveway now has its own little mountain range and a puddle that lasts three days after it rains. So yeah, light float works great if you're making a bird bath.