Tried using a hand trowel from Big Lots to save $30 and it left grooves like a damn plowed field

I figured hey, steel is steel right? Bought a $8 trowel from Big Lots for a small patio pour last Saturday. That thing flexed like a wet noodle and left these ugly ridges I had to grind down for two hours after it set. Learned my lesson: cheap tools cost more in time every single time. Any of you guys swear by a specific brand that wont break the bank but actually works?

3 comments

3 Comments

miller.paul2mo ago

Steel is definitely not just steel when it comes to trowels - cheap ones use soft metal that warps right away. Marshalltown is worth the extra cash, a basic one runs like $15-20 and won't leave your concrete looking like a topographical map.

nathang672mo ago

Does the handle material actually matter more than the blade for grip and control?

dixon.rose20d ago

Oh man, I grabbed a cheap trowel once and my cat walked right across the fresh concrete before I could fix it!