Hand trowel vs power trowel for small garage floors - which one gives a better finish on a tight budget?

I spent $150 on a power trowel for a 20x20 garage last month but ended up switching back to my hand trowel halfway through because the machine left too many swirl marks, and now I'm wondering if it was just me or if anyone else has had better luck with one or the other for smaller jobs?

2 comments

2 Comments

the_jordan17d ago

Stick with the hand trowel for small garages every time. Power trowels are great for big open slabs but they just don't have enough room to work right in a 20x20 space. The swirl marks you saw are super common when you're trying to maneuver a machine in tight corners and around edges. Hand troweling lets you feel the concrete better and work it exactly how you want, especially with the second pass after the bleed water dries up. I've done three garage floors now with just a hand trowel and they all came out smooth as glass with no weird lines or patterns. Save your money on the power trowel and just use it for a better finishing trowel or a good magnesium float instead.

the_nathan17d agoProlific Poster

Ngl I haven't even thought about the weight factor. A power trowel is heavy and carrying it around for hours in a tight space would wreck your back way worse than just kneeling with a hand trowel. Plus with the vibration from the machine you're way more likely to mess up your wrist or arm after repeated use.