PSA: I keep seeing guys skip the broom finish on exterior slabs

I was at a job site in Spokane last week where the crew just power troweled a patio and called it done, no broom at all. That surface is gonna be slick as ice with the first rain and someone's gonna take a bad fall. How do you even forget that basic step?

4 comments

4 Comments

daniel3912mo ago

Maybe it's not that big a deal for every patio. Some finishes are pretty rough even without a broom, so they might still have decent grip. Could just be a style choice that works fine.

nancyramirez2mo ago

My uncle's patio was power troweled and it's like an ice rink after rain. Honestly that smooth finish is a real problem.

blake_kelly195d ago

A power trowel done right gives you a dense, hard surface that sheds water fast and doesn't grow moss or algae like rough concrete does. Broom finishes just hold dirt and moisture, making them way more slippery in the long run when that stuff builds up. Maybe your uncle's patio needs a sealant with grip added, but blaming the smooth finish for being a hazard is jumping to conclusions.

sean482mo agoMost Upvoted

A power trowel leaves it way too smooth for safety, that's just asking for a slip and fall lol. It's not a style choice, it's skipping a basic safety step.