When you’re working with wet concrete there are always a couple of tools that you need to keep in hand. After the concrete is poured, no one wants to be in a situation where they forgot an essential tool. While there are tons of high-tech tools on the markets, there are still some key ones that you’ll always need. Read on as we dive into the top 10 tools every concrete contractor must-have.
The first essential is a concrete screed.
These are important since they ensure that you can flatten and smoothen the concrete after it has been poured.
Screeds are pieces of long and straight board or tubing that can be cut in just about any size.
Next is the concrete vibrator. These come in handy so that your concrete dries evenly and smoothly. These are usually available in the form of an internal vibrator which probes into the wet concrete, a form vibrator that attaches to the outside, a screed variant which attaches to the moving screed, and the table vibrator.
So, depending on your job, these vibrators will come in handy so that you can do just about any project.
Another important tool is the wheelbarrow. There’s are a no-brainer and can be used to transport small volumes of concrete across your worksite. Additionally, they can also be used to carry concrete from across the site to for slump tests.
Portable concrete mixers are a huge time saver and stress reducer.
Instead of mixing small amounts, you’ll be able to mix more and fill in where you need. The best part is that the concrete mixers do all of the work for you.
While you’re working with concrete, it’s always a good idea to ensure that you have boots and gloves. This is an essential since concrete often contain harmful chemicals that will damage your skin. So, be sure to always have your gloves and boots ready when you’re working.
When it comes to producing quality work, you’ll need to ensure that you’ve got vapour barriers. These are usually placed over wet concrete to prevent moisture from evaporating. When moisture evaporates, it weakens the strength of your concrete.
On your job site, there are tons of different saws that may come in handy and one of them is the concrete saw.
This will be used to cut joints while the concrete is setting. Most saws can only cut wood so concrete saws will come in handy. Check out some good tips at https://thriveconcrete.com for using concrete tools most efficiently.
Another important tool is the bull float which can be used to ensure that your surface is as compact and smooth as possible. These are used after you’ve completed the screening phase. In the instance where a bull float doesn’t reach the corners, you’ll need smaller floats that can get into these areas.
Groove cutters are also one of the most essential tools that concrete contractors must have. These ensure that grooves are neatly cut into walkways, residential slabs, pavements, driveways and others. Groove cutters are known by their horizontal plate and vertical fin attachment.
Last on the list is the laser level.
These are necessary for determining the correct height of embedded items. Unlike others, these are the most accurate!
As we conclude we have just looked at the top 10 essential tools that concrete contractors need. All of these can be helpful in just about each job that you do. While performing tasks that involve concrete, don’t forget to use proper PPE.