Overlays and coatings to decorate, restore, or protect concrete has become very popular over the last ten years or so. This is partially because of the advancing polymer systems that offer stronger performance and higher qualities of esthetics. While the polymer systems have advanced rather quickly the equipment required for finishing concrete floors has lagged.
There are a lot of different types equipment required for the various jobs in the realm of finishing concrete. Some of the equipment is very basic and other equipment is complex, heavy duty, and/or expensive. Take trowels for example, trowels can be basic and small enough to do hand held troweling on the hands and knees of the workers. Then there are conventional power trowels which are very heavy, very expensive, and can be complex depending on your experience with the machines. As with hand troweling on hands and knees being labor intensive, such heavy equipment can be a big strain on the operator as well. That’s why the HoverTrowel is so impressive. The HoverTrowel is an advancement in the world of power trowels.
The HoverTrowel results in flatter, smoother, and more constant finishes while eliminating the labor intensive handwork that is needed to finish aggregate heavy systems, and it does it faster too. The HoverTrowel has been described as one of the most versatile power trowels available on the market. The HoverTrowel has shown to be able to adapt to finish varying types of urethane, polymer, and cementitious overlay systems. It is both a power trowel and a hand trowel. It has the ability to finish areas that typically require the use of hand trowels and cannot use a power trowel.
The biggest difference between a conventional power trowel and the HoverTrowel is the weight. Conventional machines weigh between 100 to 200 lbs; the HoverTrowel weighs only 35 lbs. With the heavier conventional power trowels, swirl and chatter marks are caused by the weight of the machine when finishing epoxy overlays. While the marks can be ground out, it is labor intensive, is not suggested for color quartz, and it increases downtime. The HoverTrowel moves smoothly over the surfaces with just enough pressure to result in uniform compression not leaving any frustrating trowel marks. This also make the job of the operator less labor intensive, reducing fatigue and increasing efficiency.
The HoverTrowel caters to various overlay systems with various interchangeable parts and accessories. It can also finish conventional concrete work in more restricted areas. The base of the machine has blades and blade guards, as well as the power source that can be switched out. A vast range of rpms and torque loads with the ability to handle varying resin viscosities and aggregate to liquid ratios is provided by either a 4-cycle gas engine or 18- and 36-cfm pneumatic motors. The air motors are non sparking and exhaust free, which are perfect for indoor use, particularly in sensitive areas. The 4 cycle engine is perfect for outdoor use. Weights can be added in increments of 2.5 lbs for up to 22 lbs to adjust the HoverTrowels performance.
There are also interchangeable blade options. Spring-steel blades are the standard blades, which can be switched for stainless steel or polymer blades. For specific applications, aluminum, mahogany, magnesium, and laminated floats are also available. Blades attach with snap rings for quick replacement or cleaning and come in 9.5 inches and 14 inches. The 34 inch diameter blade guard can also be switched to a 25 inch guard by the operator for maneuverability in hard to reach places, like around columns or posts, in doorways, or adjacent to walls. With either guard, the HoverTrowel can come within ½ inch of a barrier, which cuts out a lot of handwork. There is also a fingertip pinch control that adjusts the blade angle up to 10 degrees instantly, as well as a telescoping handle that extends from 42 to 64 inches and is removable. This allows the operator to reach further overlay without having to walk on it.
This machine is capable of so much and it benefits the operator by taking some of the heavy labor out with better results. We think that’s pretty important when it comes to employee health and safety. There are also more uses being discovered for the HoverTrowel such as using it on thin ¼ inch polymer-modified overlay systems to create swirls that give a unique marbleizing appearance or using the machine to dry shake color hardeners onto decorative concrete before stamping. We are impressed by the versatility of this machine and are looking forward to seeing new uses for it in the future.
There are so many creative and custom options for finishing concrete, but first and foremost important is the concrete itself. At Custom Concrete Creations we have state of the art equipment and a properly trained team with years of experience. Custom Concrete Creations is a premier contractor serving the Omaha area as well at the Midwest. Give us a call or send us an email for your custom concrete finishing needs today!