Trowel for Smooth Concrete Finish

What happens in this clip

This is the critical step for achieving a perfectly smooth finish. After the concrete has lost its watery sheen and started to stiffen (known as 'setting up' or 'initial set'), a steel hand trowel is used. The worker in the video demonstrates repeated passes over the concrete surface. The first pass typically uses the trowel held relatively flat, followed by subsequent passes where the trowel is tilted slightly more, and increasing pressure is applied. This action further compresses the concrete, closes the surface pores, removes any remaining imperfections, and brings the finest cement particles to the top. Multiple passes, often spaced out as the concrete continues to harden, are usually required. Each pass refines the surface, making it denser and smoother, ultimately creating a hard, polished, and perfectly smooth finish free of trowel marks.

Goal: Once the concrete begins to set, use a steel hand trowel with increasing pressure and angled passes to achieve a dense, smooth, and polished surface, eliminating all trowel marks.

What's used

Tools

• Steel Hand Trowel

About the full video

This project guides through the creation of 'floating' concrete stepping stones, with a primary focus on achieving a smooth, dense surface through skilled troweling techniques. The process covers setting up precise formwork, pouring and leveling concrete, performing multiple stages of troweling, curing the concrete, and finally, cleaning and applying a protective sealant or colorant to enhance durability and aesthetic appeal.

Step 8 of 10: Finish the Concrete

Once the concrete has set further and the float marks have disappeared, use a steel trowel to create a smooth, hard finish. Hold the trowel at a slight angle and move it in large, sweeping arcs across the surface. For a very smooth finish, multiple passes may be necessary as the concrete hardens.

Open this step in the guide

Every video in How to Pour a Concrete Landing Pad for Deck Stairs

1. Step 1: Excavate Area

   • 13:17–15:33 Prepare Stair Base and Pour Concrete Pad
   • 0:04–0:15 Site Preparation and Trench Digging
   • 4:20–8:36 Prepare & Pour Concrete Pad

2. Step 2: Install Formwork

   • 2:04–2:33 Build and Position Concrete Form
   • 0:33–0:47 Formwork Installation
   • 0:00–0:34 Lay Out and Assemble Initial Form Boards

3. Step 3: Add and Compact Gravel Base

   • 2:21–2:33 Add & Compact Basecourse
   • 3:15–4:05 Lay and Compact Gravel Base
   • 0:20–0:38 Prepare Gravel Base

4. Step 4: Place Rebar or Wire Mesh

   • 2:45–3:06 Add Steel Reinforcement (Rebar)
   • 1:30–1:40 Add Wire Mesh Reinforcement
   • 5:41–6:46 Rebar Placement for Reinforcement

5. Step 5: Mix and Pour Concrete

   • 0:30–0:42 Pour and Level Concrete
   • 3:10–3:41 Pour and Screed Concrete
   • 1:58–2:31 Mix and Pour Concrete

6. Step 6: Screed the Concrete

   • 0:04–0:13 Screed the Concrete
   • 0:24–1:01 Screed the Concrete Surface
   • 0:17–0:45 Screed the Concrete Surface

7. Step 7: Float the Concrete

   • 0:16–0:25 Float the Concrete Surface
   • 0:44–0:46 Hand Float Concrete Surface
   • 1:15–1:29 Float Concrete

8. Step 8: Finish the Concrete

   • 0:07–0:11 Trowel for Smooth Concrete Finish (this video)
   • 10:04–11:22 Final Troweling and Finishing
   • 3:30–4:49 Concrete Floating and Troweling

9. Step 9: Cure the Concrete

   • 2:08–2:39 Cure Concrete
   • 0:57–0:59 Cure Concrete and Remove Forms
   • 5:50–6:12 Cure the Concrete

10. Step 10: Remove Formwork

    • 8:43–10:04 Remove Form and Backfill
    • 4:03–4:08 Remove Formwork
    • 0:52–0:54 Remove Formwork