Power trowels may be utilized on larger concrete slabs that require a floated or troweled finish. These devices are often used to construct a more thickly troweled floor on concrete that is too rigid to handle with conventional equipment. Power trowels, as compared to concrete hand finishing equipment, significantly increase performance and minimize expenses by completing more square footage of a slab area each day. At the same time, they increase the quality of the concrete surface and help to keep the slab flat.
There are several walk-behind trowels available on the market. Standard sizes in the industry range from 24-in. edging trowels to 48-in. versions, which are all employed on a variety of tasks. Finishers using manual tools may finish 300 to 1,000 square feet per day, but finishers using a 36-in. power trowel can finish 1,000 to 3,000 square feet per day, depending on the conditions. Aside from the diameter size of a walk-behind trowel, which is most often 24, 36, and 48 in., walk-behind trowels are classified into three types.
- General finishing – This is a great place for contractors who are just getting started or developing their concrete company, since it transitions from hand tool finishing to power trowels. They will vastly improve their production time, lowering costs and improving slab quality.
- High horsepower models – the extra weight and power are especially suitable for usage when floating where more torque is necessary and is beneficial in specific climatic circumstances such as hot, windy weather.
- Variable speed trowel – utilized by contractors that want a large speed range (20-200 rpm), as is typical for industrial flooring projects.
The majority of concrete finishing jobs are dependent on size. Walk-behind trowels are best suited for smaller projects like as laying a home basement floor and getting into locations that ride-on trowels cannot access due to architectural design or preinstalled piping, among other things. However, walk-behind trowels have applications beyond residential slabs, such as commercial-industrial floors or usage on high-rise decks. If a contractor wants to complete less than 3,000 square feet per day, a walk-behind trowel is usually an excellent alternative. A 36-inch ride-on trowel is justified for any contractor who finishes more than that every day.
When choosing a walk-behind trowel, consider the project size, environment factors, and whether the jobsite is indoors or outside. For example, if the weather is particularly hot, dry, and windy, some contractors prefer a high-horsepower model that delivers more torque for low-speed floating while adding weight during the finishing process. Smaller light-weight trowels become the finisher’s choice for cool-weather finishing. A variable transmission trowel provides a broad speed range for low speed, high torque floating through high-speed burnishing all-in-one machine for the expert who consistently maintains industrial floors.
