Old timer's 2-inch rule made me rethink my whole float game

I was finishing a garage floor in Gary, Indiana back in March when this 70 year old guy walks up and watches me for a minute. He says "you're moving too fast, that cream needs to sit like a blanket, not a spread." I always figured speed was the secret to a flat finish, but he showed me his trick of waiting an extra 15 minutes with a 2-inch margin on the edges before final trowel. Has anyone else tried slowing way down like that, or is it just for certain mixes?

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james_martin931mo ago

That cream needs to sit like a blanket" is the part that got me... did he explain what happens if you push it too soon? Because I've had spots that looked fine for the first pass but then turned into a rough patch later. Was he talking about just the edges with that 2 inch rule, or the whole slab? I always figured the edges set faster since they're exposed, but maybe that's backwards with a garage pour in March.