That old timer at the jobsite said my troweling looked 'too pretty'
I was working a driveway pour in Austin last August, and this retired finisher named Bud came by to watch. He told me I was overworking the surface, that my finish looked like a swimming pool deck instead of a driveway meant for trucks. I was using a magnesium float right up to the end, trying to get that smooth, sealed look. He said to back off earlier and let a broom finish do the work for traction. Next week I tried it on a patio, stopping the trowel after the second pass and hitting it with a medium broom instead. The customer actually said they liked the grip better, and it cut my finishing time by almost 20 minutes. Has anyone else had a old school finisher call them out on something that changed their whole routine?