How do you smooth out concrete?

Answer 1

It has to be like wet mud. Won't smooth out well if it's too dry. Get a trowel, I think it's called a trowel. Work it overt the cement, smoothing it as you go.

Answer 2

For patching, use wet concrete and use a damp clean trowel to smooth the surface. For larger areas like a pathway, make a frame from pieces of wood, this should be not too big, say 1m x 1m x 5cm depending on the size of your concrete mixer. Then pour the concrete in the centre and use another piece of straight wood (longer than the width of the frame) resting on two sides of the frame to tamp the mix down. Once more or less flat, get a smooth finish by sort of briskly tapping and shuffling the length of wood from one edge of the frame to the other, the concrete will gloss up as water comes to the surface but then settle back under its own weight and fill in any lows and smooth off any highs. Don't over work it. Leave to dry then take off the frame and start the next one.

Answer 3

I heard using the edge of a 2 by 4 beam or a tool that looks like a large putty knife or this other tool that looks like an old fashioned cast iron (can't think of the name) but the plate is about the size of a household sized iron.

Good Luck

P.S. If you mess up then don't finish the project until you have called a professional because if you finish it in the wrong way then it will cost more to have it ripped out.

Answer 4

if your laying a foundation then you just get a 2x4 or whatever measures from one side to the other and you get someone to help you and you run the 2x4 across it back and fourth in a sawing motion this will smooth it out and get rid of any air bubbles that might be underneath that you don't want to pop while it is setting good luck I love the fact that all the other answers are from women also and yes if it is a small job use a trowel but bump the sides of whatever it is to get rid of the air bubbles if you don't and it starts to dry then it will have a huge crack in it and then you have to patch it up or redo it