My uncle told me to never use a garden hose to wash off a broom finish

He said the spray pattern is too harsh and leaves marks. I ignored him once on a small patio job and had to come back the next day to rework the whole surface. What's your go-to method for a final wash down?

4 comments

4 Comments

sanchez.julia2mo ago

I read that same thing about the spray pattern in a concrete forum last year. The post said even a "shower" setting can have tiny high pressure spots you don't see. My go-to is a pump sprayer, the kind you'd use for weed killer. You fill it with water and it gives a super fine, even mist. It takes a bit longer than a hose but you get zero marks and total control. It was a game changer for me on broom finishes.

ross.kim2mo ago

Yeah, that "spray pattern is too harsh" thing is dead on. I use a regular watering can with the sprinkler head on it, the kind you'd use for flowers. Lets you control the flow and just mist it down evenly. Way less risk of washing out the cement or leaving those hose marks.

emma_jones1mo ago

Actually, the pump sprayer method works pretty well for bigger areas if you get a 4 gallon one. I did a 500 square foot patio with mine and it only took two refills. The key is to keep the pressure low and hold the wand close to the concrete, not up high like you would for weeds. A friend borrowed my sprayer once and cranked the pressure up too high and actually blew a small divot in the finish. So just something to watch for if you try it.

max7162mo ago

Actually, that watering can method sounds like it would take forever on anything bigger than a small patio. A good adjustable nozzle on a hose set to "shower" works just as gently and gets the job done in a fraction of the time. You just have to keep it moving and not aim it straight down in one spot.