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That time a foreman told me to slow down on a pour in Phoenix
I was on a big slab pour about 2 years ago outside Phoenix, working my tail off to keep up with the pump. The foreman, old guy named Chuck, just walked over and put his hand on my shoulder and said 'kid, if you rush it, you'll be grinding it flat next week.' He didn't yell or anything, just looked at me. I thought I was being efficient, you know, fast trowel passes and quick edges. But he showed me how I was actually leaving tiny ridges that would set up hard and cause a mess later. I had to stand there and watch him work slow for 10 minutes, and his finish came out glassy smooth. Ever had a boss or coworker call you out on your pace and totally change the way you work?
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nathan_kim1d ago
Old Chuck knew what he was talking about. Speed kills on a big slab, especially in Phoenix heat where that concrete sets up quick. I had a similar thing happen on a warehouse floor where my buddy slowed me down by pointing out my edges were curling. That extra 30 seconds per pull on the trowel saved us a whole day of grinding later. You learn that smooth and steady beats fast and sloppy every time.
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shanes661d ago
Is it really that serious though? Seems like you can get away with a little hustle on most pours and not have to grind anything later. Honestly, most of the time people overthink concrete and it's fine.
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craig.parker1d agoMost Upvoted
HOLD UP. You're really suggesting speed doesn't matter on a pour? I can't tell if you've just been lucky or you haven't done a big floor. Because that "little hustle" you're talking about is exactly how you end up with trowel marks you can't get out and a surface that sets up uneven. Once that concrete hits its initial set, you're done for. There's no fixing it with a little extra sweat later.
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