Power trowels can be used on larger concrete slabs requiring a floated or troweled finish. Typically these machines are used to produce a more densely troweled floor on concrete that is too stiff to otherwise handle utilizing manual tools. Compared to concrete hand finishing tools, power trowels significantly increase production and reduce costs by their ability to finish more square footage of a slab area per day. At the same time they improve quality of the concrete surface and help to maintain flatness on the slab.
There are a variety of walk-behind trowels to choose from on the market. Industry standard sizes range from 24” edging trowels to 48” inch models which are all used on a wide range of projects. Finishers working with hand tools can finish 300 to 1000 square feet per day, whereas using a 36” power trowel they can finish 1000 to 3000 square feet per day depending on conditions.