Jeff Jeff on thu 30 sep 10
Poured some cement today and tried to smooth it out with a trowel. I did
so with the trowel about 90 degrees to the surface of the cement. The cemen=
t
had an undesired rough surface. It dawned on me how one gets a smooth
surface on cement. (This also applies to plaster.)
Hold the trowel, as close to parallel, to the cement/plaster surface, as
possible. (Once the material has come to a "leatherhard" state.)
A curious thing happens as you do. The surface particles come into
alignment and water comes to the surface. As the particles align the surfac=
e
becomes shiny. (The free water.) As the water comes to the surface that too=
aids
in increasing the smoothness of the surface.
If done at the right time one can achieve near mirror like smoothness of
the surface. (In the case of plaster.) Once the smooth cement has dried for=
a
bit, in this case, one can go back and give it texture.
It dawned on me why cement guys go for smoothness before adding texture.
Without smoothness the surface is irregular, with smoothness at least one h=
as
a common starting point. One can then roughen as desired.
Jeff Longtin
Minneapolis
ps. I mention this in case someone is pouring a wedging table in place and
cannot turn the slab over. Undertaking this process to smooth the surface
will also pop any air bubbles so your wedging table surface will be/can be
very smooth.
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