How to Finish Fiber-Reinforced Concrete Slab
- 1). Skate a bull float back and forth across the concrete to smooth the surface.
- 2). Run the blade of a trowel around the inside edge of the slab form boards to prevent the boards from sticking.
- 3). Install control joints in slabs larger than 15 feet in any direction. Cut grooves into the concrete every 6 to 8 feet, using a straight board to guide a concrete groove-cutting tool. Embed control joints into the grooves. Use control joints that are one-quarter the thickness of the slab. Control joints will relieve pressure on concrete due to natural shifting.
- 4). Allow the concrete to stiffen until it can take pressure but is still somewhat impressionable and smooth the surface further with a hand float.
- 5). Run an edging tool around the edge to round the corners. Even though the concrete is reinforced, sharp corners are still susceptible to chipping. Add any desired surface texture to the concrete, such as a broom finish.
- 6). Spray the surface with an even coat of curing compound and sealer.
- 7). Cover the slab with plastic sheeting to create a moist environment for curing. Tape the seams and keep the edges pinned with bricks. Lift up the plastic periodically and mist the concrete with water.
- 8). Remove the form boards after two days of curing and continue to cure the concrete for three additional days.
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