Concrete finisher
Encyclopedia
A concrete finisher, also known as a cement mason, is a tradesman
who works with concrete
. The job entails placing, finishing, protecting and repairing concrete in engineering and construction projects. Concrete finishers are often responsible for setting the concrete forms
, ensuring they have the correct depth and pitch. Concrete finishers place the concrete either directly from the concrete wagon chute, concrete pump, concrete skip or wheelbarrow. They spread the concrete using shovels and rakes
, sometimes using a straightedge back and forth across the top of the forms to “screed,” or level, the freshly placed concrete. After levelling the concrete, they smooth the surface using either a hand masonry trowel
, a long handed “bull float” or powered floats. After the concrete has been leveled and floated, concrete finishers press an edger between the forms and the concrete to give a chamfer
ed edges that is less likely to chip.
Tradesman
This article is about the skilled manual worker meaning of the term; for other uses see Tradesperson .A tradesman is a skilled manual worker in a particular trade or craft. Economically and socially, a tradesman's status is considered between a laborer and a professional, with a high degree of both...
who works with concrete
Concrete
Concrete is a composite construction material, composed of cement and other cementitious materials such as fly ash and slag cement, aggregate , water and chemical admixtures.The word concrete comes from the Latin word...
. The job entails placing, finishing, protecting and repairing concrete in engineering and construction projects. Concrete finishers are often responsible for setting the concrete forms
Formwork
Formwork is the term given to either temporary or permanent molds into which concrete or similar materials are poured. In the context of concrete construction, the falsework supports the shuttering moulds.-Formwork and concrete form types:...
, ensuring they have the correct depth and pitch. Concrete finishers place the concrete either directly from the concrete wagon chute, concrete pump, concrete skip or wheelbarrow. They spread the concrete using shovels and rakes
Rake (tool)
A rake is a broom for outside; an horticultural implement consisting of a toothed bar fixed transversely to a handle, and used to collect leaves, hay, grass, etc., and, in gardening, for loosening the soil, light weeding and levelling, removing dead grass from...
, sometimes using a straightedge back and forth across the top of the forms to “screed,” or level, the freshly placed concrete. After levelling the concrete, they smooth the surface using either a hand masonry trowel
Masonry trowel
The Masonry trowel is a hand trowel used in brickwork or stonework for leveling, spreading and shaping mortar or concrete. They come in several shapes and sizes depending on the task...
, a long handed “bull float” or powered floats. After the concrete has been leveled and floated, concrete finishers press an edger between the forms and the concrete to give a chamfer
Chamfer
A chamfer is a beveled edge connecting two surfaces. If the surfaces are at right angles, the chamfer will typically be symmetrical at 45 degrees. A fillet is the rounding off of an interior corner. A rounding of an exterior corner is called a "round" or a "radius"."Chamfer" is a term commonly...
ed edges that is less likely to chip.
See also
- ConcreteConcreteConcrete is a composite construction material, composed of cement and other cementitious materials such as fly ash and slag cement, aggregate , water and chemical admixtures.The word concrete comes from the Latin word...
- ConstructionConstructionIn the fields of architecture and civil engineering, construction is a process that consists of the building or assembling of infrastructure. Far from being a single activity, large scale construction is a feat of human multitasking...
- Operative Plasterers' and Cement Masons' International AssociationOperative Plasterers' and Cement Masons' International AssociationThe Operative Plasterers' and Cement Masons' International Association of the United States and Canada is a trade union of plasterers and cement masons in the construction industry in the United States and Canada. Members of the union finish interior walls and ceilings of buildings and apply...
- American Concrete InstituteAmerican Concrete InstituteThe American Concrete Institute is a non-profit technical society and standard developing organization . ACI was founded in 1904 and its headquarters are currently located in Farmington Hills, Michigan, USA.- ACI History :1904-1929:...
External links
- Certified Concrete Flatwork Finisher
- Illustrated instructions on how to pour & finish concrete <--- expired link
- Speedcrete | Concrete Articles Concrete placing and finishing articles