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Appreciation post: the $20 magnesium float I almost didn't buy
Picked up a cheap magnesium float from a local supply yard in Phoenix last month just to see if it was worth the hype over my usual steel. First use on a 400 square foot patio, the finish came out way smoother and I finished 20 minutes faster than normal. Anyone else find that a different float material changed how your slab turned out?
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drewsullivan15d ago
Steel floats are fine for garage floors and basic work but magnesium changed everything for me on hot weather pours. The way it glides without tearing the surface is night and day once you get the hang of it. Plus you don't have to fight with water bleeding up like steel forces you to do. That 20 minute savings adds up fast when you're trying to beat a setting time in Phoenix summer heat. I won't go back to steel unless I'm doing something real small and simple.
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drewsullivan23d ago
Honestly, that 20 minute save is no joke. I switched from steel to magnesium about two years ago on a 600 square foot driveway pour and the difference in finishing time was wild. With steel you're constantly fighting to keep the surface from tearing, but magnesium glides way easier especially in dry heat. The thing that sealed it for me was how much less water I had to bring up to the surface, which meant less cracking later.
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