Concrete Construction Tools for Construction Sites

Concrete Finishing Tools

• Trowels: Trowels also help smooth concrete surfaces for their finish coats before being left to dry. Hand-troweling is common for smaller slabs, or power trowels are often preferred for large slabs. There are varying types of trowels for specific concrete work.
• Float Blades and Troweling Blades: A variety of blade types is available for floats and power trowels, each designed to accomplish different finishes. Some care must be taken during the troweling stage not to burnish the surface and prolong drying time.
• Groove Cutter/Jointer Tool: For certain job types, grooving the surface also helps prevent cracking or excess damage from shrinkage as the concrete dries or during use.
• Edger: An edger is a tool designed to round exposed concrete edges for a smooth finish.
• Brooms: A traditional finish for a concrete slab is a broom finish – drawing a broom across the surface of the almost-dried concrete slab for a slip-resistant surface. The finished look can be a smooth draw or a more artistic pattern.
• Polishers: After the slab has dried sufficiently, polishers can be used to produce a surface finish effect, from gentle smoothing of the surface for traction and safety to a mirror-like shine for an aesthetic finish.
• Grinders: Grinding can also be used for aesthetic effects like a distressed finish or is also sometimes necessary if a slab surface has been over-trowelled and excess moisture is sealed inside the slab.
• Dust Collection Systems: When grinding, polishing, drilling, or sawing concrete, a dust collection system helps clear the work area and protect the health of the onsite workers.

Concreting Equipments

1. Mixers: Um, naturally, right? But whether you’re mixing in a truck, a portable mixer or a wheelbarrow, you want to be sure your concrete is thoroughly mixed for maximum strength and durability.
2. Wheelbarrows: Ideal for transporting (or even mixing) small batches of concrete or tools on the job site.
3. Rubber Boots or Work Boots: Concrete is stiff stuff, and wearing waterproof boots is the best way to get through it and prevent contact with your skin. It’s also easy to rinse your footwear after the concrete is down.
4. Gloves: Many concrete mixes contain potentially caustic admixtures that can cause serious burns from extended contact with bare skin. Gloves prevent overexposure to these components (and save a few occasional blisters, too).
5. Safety Glasses: Standard on most job sites, wearing safety glasses is an important safety measure when drilling, grinding, power trowelling or sawing concrete.
6. Compactors: If the site of the concrete slab is to be prepped with a sub-base of any type, a compactor helps settle the stone or aggregate into position.
7. Levels: Both the sub-base and slab surface must be level. A standard long-line level, or a laser level, will let you verify that the slab is completely according to spec before pouring and after.
8. Tape Measures: Concrete forms and slab depth need the same “measure twice, pour once” verification as any other material on the job site. They are also useful for testing placement and mapping.
9. Moisture Retarders: Moisture or vapor retarders are used to prevent water vapor from intruding on a finished concrete slab. They are generally placed directly under on grade or below grade slabs.
10. Saws: Reciprocating saws, circular saws or grinders can be necessary to cut rebar or forms on the job site. They can also be necessary if a problem develops under the slab and a portion of the concrete has to be removed after it has set and dried.
11. Shovels: Shovels help distribute concrete around the job site to fill in gaps left during the pouring process or for smaller applications. Square-ended shovels generally work better for concrete; rounded ones spread concrete unevenly.
12. Rakes and Come-Along Rakes: Using a rake is the quickest way to begin getting the freshly-poured concrete spread more uniformly into place. Garden rakes work but concrete rakes, also called come-along rakes, have a more scooped blade for more easily pre-leveling new concrete. Concrete rakes also have a tine on the back of the blade to help lift rebar or mesh into position before the concrete begins to harden.
13. Tampers: A tamper is used with low slump concrete to push the aggregate below the slab surface. There are types that are used standing on the wet concrete or roller types that can be used from the slab edge.
14. Vibrators: Concrete vibrators help release trapped air pockets and excess water from the concrete mix to prevent possibly compromising problems in medium to high slump concrete.
15. Screeds: Screeds come in a variety of sizes and can be a specific tool (also called straight edges or bump cutters), or can be simple flat pieces of dimensional lumber. The purpose of a screed is to smooth concrete after it has been moved into place by scraping away any excess from the slab surface.
16. Bull Floats: Bull floats are wide-bladed tools on a long (possibly telescoping handle) that provide the first pass for leveling ridges and filling voids in the concrete after the screed work has been done.
17. Magnesium Floats: Magnesium floats (or mag floats) are smaller handheld floats typically used to float slab edges or to use for finish work on smaller slabs.
18. Kneeling Boards: For hand troweling work especially, kneeling boards provide a smooth way to support your weight on the wet concrete while moving easily along the slab surface.

Concrete Smoothing Tool

Screeds: Screeds are long, straight, stiff tubing or boards used to smooth and roughly level wet concrete shortly after it is poured. Screeds are available in different sizes and can even be project-specific, such as those used for building concrete bridges.

Concrete Leveling Tools

• Use a Magnesium Float: Once the concrete has been poured, the first tool to use is a magnesium float, a tool used for leveling the surface of the wet concrete. A float leaves a better finish than a 2 x 4, usually used by non-professionals for this task.
• Use a Finishing Trowel: To finish the concrete, use a steel finishing trowel to achieve a smooth texture. The tool brings water to the surface of the concrete. Don’t use too much water, but at the time same time, work the tool to create a smooth finish.
• Use a Concrete Edger: The next tool to use is a concrete edger. This tool has an L-shaped edge on one side to break the concrete edge away from the form boards. It also has a tapered edge to give the edge of the concrete a professional finish. Use the concrete edger just as the concrete is beginning to stiffen. Lay it against the edge of the form and drag it across the concrete.
• Use a Concrete Control Jointer: Concrete has a tendency to crack. To help control where cracking occurs, use a concrete control jointer. Place a 2 x 4 board across the form boards and drag the tool along the straight edge. A rib running down the middle of the tool draws lines in the concrete. If the concrete cracks, it will crack in the joint, rather than in the center of your patio.
• Use a Pressure Washer: An old slab of concrete that has a few pits but is still structurally sound can be resurfaced. Resurfacing is an economical way to fix up an existing slab instead of replacing the entire structure. Remember to pressure wash the concrete before resurfacing. Pressure washing gets rid of oil and debris and washes away the top layer of concrete so that the new product will bond to the old surface.
• Keep it Damp: Spray the slab with water to keep the material from drying too quickly. Use a mortar mixer chucked into a standard drill to mix concrete resurfacer and water in a five gallon bucket. Wear safety glasses when performing this step. Pour the mixture from the bucket onto the slab and use a concrete squeegee to spread it. The minimum thickness for the resurfacing mixture is about 1/4″.
• Use a Concrete Finishing Broom: After the product has been floated across the slab, drag a concrete finishing broom across the surface. The finishing broom gives the concrete texture to make it skid-resistant.

Concrete Finishing Hand Tools

• Trowels: Trowels also help smooth concrete surfaces for their finish coats before being left to dry. Hand-troweling is common for smaller slabs, or power trowels are often preferred for large slabs. There are varying types of trowels for specific concrete work.
• Float Blades and Troweling Blades: A variety of blade types is available for floats and power trowels, each designed to accomplish different finishes. Some care must be taken during the troweling stage not to burnish the surface and prolong drying time.
• Groove Cutter/Jointer Tool: For certain job types, grooving the surface also helps prevent cracking or excess damage from shrinkage as the concrete dries or during use.
• Edger: An edger is a tool designed to round exposed concrete edges for a smooth finish.
• Brooms: A traditional finish for a concrete slab is a broom finish – drawing a broom across the surface of the almost-dried concrete slab for a slip-resistant surface. The finished look can be a smooth draw or a more artistic pattern.
• Polishers: After the slab has dried sufficiently, polishers can be used to produce a surface finish effect, from gentle smoothing of the surface for traction and safety to a mirror-like shine for an aesthetic finish.
• Grinders: Grinding can also be used for aesthetic effects like a distressed finish or is also sometimes necessary if a slab surface has been over-trowelled and excess moisture is sealed inside the slab.
• Dust Collection Systems: When grinding, polishing, drilling, or sawing concrete, a dust collection system helps clear the work area and protect the health of the onsite workers.

Concrete Pouring Tools

• Use a Magnesium Float.
• Use a Finishing Trowel.
• Use a Concrete Edger.
• Use a Concrete Control Jointer.
• Use a Pressure Washer.
• Keep it Damp.
• Use a Concrete Finishing Broom.

Concrete Finisher Tools

• Trowels.
• Float Blades and Troweling Blades.
• Groove Cutter/Jointer Tool.
• Edger.
• Brooms.
• Polishers.
• Grinders.
• Dust Collection Systems.

Concrete Working Tools

• Use a Magnesium Float: Once the concrete has been poured, the first tool to use is a magnesium float, a tool used for leveling the surface of the wet concrete. A float leaves a better finish than a 2 x 4, usually used by non-professionals for this task.
• Use a Finishing Trowel: To finish the concrete, use a steel finishing trowel to achieve a smooth texture. The tool brings water to the surface of the concrete. Don’t use too much water, but at the time same time, work the tool to create a smooth finish.
• Use a Concrete Edger: The next tool to use is a concrete edger. This tool has an L-shaped edge on one side to break the concrete edge away from the form boards. It also has a tapered edge to give the edge of the concrete a professional finish. Use the concrete edger just as the concrete is beginning to stiffen. Lay it against the edge of the form and drag it across the concrete.
• Use a Concrete Control Jointer: Concrete has a tendency to crack. To help control where cracking occurs, use a concrete control jointer. Place a 2 x 4 board across the form boards and drag the tool along the straight edge. A rib running down the middle of the tool draws lines in the concrete. If the concrete cracks, it will crack in the joint, rather than in the center of your patio.
• Use a Pressure Washer: An old slab of concrete that has a few pits but is still structurally sound can be resurfaced. Resurfacing is an economical way to fix up an existing slab instead of replacing the entire structure. Remember to pressure wash the concrete before resurfacing. Pressure washing gets rid of oil and debris and washes away the top layer of concrete so that the new product will bond to the old surface.
• Keep it Damp: Spray the slab with water to keep the material from drying too quickly. Use a mortar mixer chucked into a standard drill to mix concrete resurfacer and water in a five gallon bucket. Wear safety glasses when performing this step. Pour the mixture from the bucket onto the slab and use a concrete squeegee to spread it. The minimum thickness for the resurfacing mixture is about 1/4″.
• Use a Concrete Finishing Broom: After the product has been floated across the slab, drag a concrete finishing broom across the surface. The finishing broom gives the concrete texture to make it skid-resistant.

Basic Concrete Tools

• Pressure Washer.
• Magnesium Float.
• Safety Goggles.
• Concrete Edger.
• Finishing Trowel.

Concrete Laying Tools

1. Mixers: Um, naturally, right? But whether you’re mixing in a truck, a portable mixer or a wheelbarrow, you want to be sure your concrete is thoroughly mixed for maximum strength and durability.
2. Wheelbarrows: Ideal for transporting (or even mixing) small batches of concrete or tools on the job site.
3. Rubber Boots or Work Boots: Concrete is stiff stuff, and wearing waterproof boots is the best way to get through it and prevent contact with your skin. It’s also easy to rinse your footwear after the concrete is down.
4. Gloves: Many concrete mixes contain potentially caustic admixtures that can cause serious burns from extended contact with bare skin. Gloves prevent overexposure to these components (and save a few occasional blisters, too).
5. Safety Glasses: Standard on most job sites, wearing safety glasses is an important safety measure when drilling, grinding, power trowelling or sawing concrete.
6. Compactors: If the site of the concrete slab is to be prepped with a sub-base of any type, a compactor helps settle the stone or aggregate into position.
7. Levels: Both the sub-base and slab surface must be level. A standard long-line level, or a laser level, will let you verify that the slab is completely according to spec before pouring and after.
8. Tape Measures: Concrete forms and slab depth need the same “measure twice, pour once” verification as any other material on the job site. They are also useful for testing placement and mapping.
9. Moisture Retarders: Moisture or vapor retarders are used to prevent water vapor from intruding on a finished concrete slab. They are generally placed directly under on grade or below grade slabs.
10. Saws: Reciprocating saws, circular saws or grinders can be necessary to cut rebar or forms on the job site. They can also be necessary if a problem develops under the slab and a portion of the concrete has to be removed after it has set and dried.
11. Shovels: Shovels help distribute concrete around the job site to fill in gaps left during the pouring process or for smaller applications. Square-ended shovels generally work better for concrete; rounded ones spread concrete unevenly.
12. Rakes and Come-Along Rakes: Using a rake is the quickest way to begin getting the freshly-poured concrete spread more uniformly into place. Garden rakes work but concrete rakes, also called come-along rakes, have a more scooped blade for more easily pre-leveling new concrete. Concrete rakes also have a tine on the back of the blade to help lift rebar or mesh into position before the concrete begins to harden.