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Heard a guy at the supply house say something that stuck with me
Was grabbing bags of Quikrete in Fort Worth this morning and overheard an older finisher tell his apprentice, "the cream is the boss, not the clock." Made me think about how many pads I've rushed because I wanted to be done by noon, then had to burnish the hell out of a soft spot later. Has anyone else found that waiting that extra 20 minutes before troweling saves more time than it costs?
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riley_west19d ago
Yeah, the "cream is the boss" thing sounds cool but I gotta call BS on it being some kind of universal rule. Every job site has its own mix, weather, and mud that day, so waiting 20 extra minutes on a slab that's already hot can screw you just as bad as rushing. I've watched guys stare at a pad like it's a magic trick and end up with a crusty surface because they overthought it. Honestly, if you know your mix and you're not hammering the trowel like a maniac, the clock and the cream usually line up fine. That older finisher probably just likes sounding wise, but there's a reason we have finishers of all ages doing this job everyday without burning every pour. Time is money, and that extra 20 minutes adds up fast when you're running three pads a week.
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