Figured out why my broom finish was always uneven

For years I used to do my broom finish in one long continuous drag from one side to the other. Then about 6 months ago I watched a guy on a job in Dallas pull the broom in short overlapping strokes instead. He told me it keeps the lines straighter and stops that wavy look you get when the broom slows down halfway across. Next day I tried his method on a 40 yard driveway and the finish came out way more consistent. Has anyone else found that the length of your broom stroke matters more than speed or angle?

2 comments

2 Comments

grantthomas5d ago

Did you notice if the short overlapping strokes left any visible lap marks where each pass overlapped? I always worry about that when I try to break up my pulls like that. Ngl I've been doing the long drag method for like 8 years now and I get that wavy look you talked about but I just assumed it was from my concrete mix being too wet or the broom bristles being too soft. Your guy over in Dallas has me wondering if I should just try cutting my strokes in half.

kevin_bailey5d ago

I read the lap marks don't show if you overlap by half the broom width.