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I finally caved and tried the sponge finish on a big slab last week
Been doing concrete work for 12 years and always swore by the broom finish for driveways. Thought the sponge finish was just for fancy patios that crack in the first winter. But I picked up a job in Palmer, Alaska for a guy who wanted a textured but smooth look on his garage floor. I read this article from the American Concrete Institute that said sponge finishes actually hold up better in freeze-thaw cycles if you get the timing right. Something about the surface tension and how the water evaporates. I did a test patch on a small area first and damned if it didn't come out cleaner than any broom job I've done. The homeowner was thrilled and now I'm wondering how many jobs I've missed out on. Has anyone else switched finishes later in their career and regretted not trying it sooner?
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bencampbell4mo ago
Read that same ACI article and it changed my mind too.
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sean5024mo ago
Right, that article was a total game changer for me too lol. Still can't believe I was so sure about the other side before reading it. Feels like the whole thing was designed to make you feel smart for disagreeing until you actually see the evidence. Funny how a few well placed facts can flip your whole opinion around. Must be nice being so confident about it before, I'm just glad I finally got out of that hole.
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