Tried a new edge tool on a basement floor and it was a mess

I picked up a different kind of bull float with a curved edge for a job in a tight basement last week. The idea was to get into the corners better. Instead of a clean edge, it just pushed a wave of slurry ahead of it and left a ridge. I had to go back over everything with a hand trowel, which added an hour. Has anyone found a good tool for tight inside corners that doesn't do this?

3 comments

3 Comments

mitchell.wade2d ago

Ever try a smaller hand float, like william320 said, but with a sharp edge?

grant.margaret2d ago

A sharp edge on a float is the last thing you want in a corner. It just digs in and leaves lines. William320 is right about the magnesium trowel for the final pass, but you need something flexible to get the mud in there first. I keep a 4-inch putty knife with the corners rounded off just for this. It bends enough to follow the wall but still pushes material where it needs to go. The trick is to load it thin and use it before the mud starts to set.

william3202d ago

Ugh, that sounds so frustrating. I've had the same thing happen with those curved floats, they just move the problem around. Honestly, a good old magnesium hand trowel is still my go-to for a final pass in corners.