Can we talk about how I was troweling way too early for 12 years?
I was finishing a 900 sq ft driveway in Toledo last month and the bull float was leaving these little ridges I could not smooth out. An old finisher named Ray watched me for two minutes and asked why I was on it while the bleed water was still sitting there, said I was basically pushing water back into the mix. Turns out I had been rushing the wait my whole career because I thought slow meant lazy. Now I watch the sheen instead of the clock and my edges come out clean the first pass. Anybody else get called out on something basic way too late?
Man that Ray sounds like a lifesaver, I had almost the same thing happen with my dad on a garage slab years back. He caught me floating while there was still a shine on top and told me I was basically working the cream back down into the mud, which explained why my finish kept peeling and dusting on me. Twelve years is a long time to fight the same problem, but at least now you know the mix tells you when it is ready, not your watch. Bet your shoulders feel better too since you are not out there wrestling it early lol.