My old boss told me to never use a magnesium float on a garage floor

He said it would always leave marks and a steel float was the only way to go. I listened for years, until a job last fall in Tacoma where the mix was setting up way too fast. Out of desperation, I grabbed my mag float and it worked perfectly, no marks at all. The trick was keeping it super clean and using a light touch. I've used it on three garage floors since with zero issues. What's one piece of old-school advice you guys ended up tossing out?

3 comments

3 Comments

hart.mark1mo ago

Wait, you did a job in Tacoma last fall? That weather is all over the place up there. I'm shocked it worked so well, but @nancy524 is right, the mix changes everything. I guess the old rule just doesn't hold up if you know what you're doing.

nancy5241mo ago

Oh man, that's a good one. I always heard the same thing about mag floats. Turns out a lot of old rules just depend on the mix and the weather, right?

alice_kim1mo ago

Actually the mag float thing is pretty solid advice, it's not just an old rule. Using one too early can really mess up the surface finish. The mix and weather change how fast you work, but the tool itself has a specific job. You gotta let the bleed water come up first or you'll seal it in.