All Cement Mixers pretty much perform the same basic function: Mix Sand, Gravel, Water and Portland Cement together. Cement Mixers are differentiated by their batch size.
Starting with the smallest Cement Mixers: Portable Mixers – Materials are fed in by Manual Labor ( Batch Size 2-5 Cubic Feet). Ideal for for: Brick Laying, Fence Post Bases or Small Footpaths (a step lower than this would be to Mix using a Wheelbarrow and a Garden Hoe).
Electric Portable Mixers are desirable where quiet or smokeless operation is an issue (Inside a room). They are also lightweight and a little more Portable than the Gas or Diesel mixers.
Gas and Diesel Portable Mixers are step up from Electric ones primarily because they are more powerful and they are not dependent on a power supply. Another advantage is that they are not tethered by an extension cord which is always a concern since water is splashed around. They are commonly used by builders who use them on a daily basis. Comparing Gas to Diesel: Gas Mixers are less expensive and slightly cleaner burning than Diesel. Diesel mixers however last longer, are more powerful and easier easier to maintain. Diesel Fuel is much less volatile than Gasoline and remains stable much longer than Gasoline – this is a concern for winter storage and transporting!
Styles within the Portable Range: Site Mixers, Tip-Up Mixers and Upright Mixers. There are also Cement Mixer Attachments that are fitted to Construction Equipment.
Moving to the next classification of Mixers: Skip Fed – Materials are fed by Equipment (Batch Sizes 2-3 Cubic Yards) This is used on larger commercial projects where there is a much greater demand for Cement and where it may not be feasible to bring in a Cement Truck. Available in Electric Gas or Diesel Models. This type mixer is usually mounted on a trailer and can be placed under a Cement Silo.
The largest type Cement Mixer most widely used is the Cement Truck – Materials are loaded at a Plant (Batch Size 8-12 Cubic Yards) The Cement is mixed in transit and delivered to job sites. The Cement can be unloaded via a chute for ground level applications or the Cement is poured into a Concrete Pump system for above ground applications.
Mixing Cement
Learn How to mix Cement (Concrete) guide
Like most construction projects, Mixing Concrete is more common sense than Rocket Science. However Preparation, The Order of Events and Cleanup are hugely important for a successful job.
Preparation
Lets assume we are a pouring a slab for a Hot Tub, using a Portable Electric Mixer. When we start mixing and pouring cement, we don’t want to have any interruptions that may affect the curing of the concrete. Therefore, it’s important to have everything on hand and ready. There are some obvious materials and tools: Aggregate (Sand Gravel Mix) Portland Cement, Water, a Shovel and a Utility Knife to open bags of material. It’s good to have the Cement Mixer and materials close to the slab area and to have a water hose with a shut off on the end of it! – You don’t want to leave a hose running and flood the area (Buckets are helpful too). Before you start to mix make sure that your Wheelbarrow will fit under the Mixer to catch the wet Concrete. Safety – Make sure that you have, Gloves, Dust Goggles and an Approved Dust Mask (Portland Cement can cause Burns and both the Aggregate and Portland Cement are toxic to breathe). At this point you also want to know where your finishing tools are!
Order of Events
Turn on the Mixer, Splash a few cups of water into the tub (This will reduce dust) now you are ready for Aggregate, once added, now add a little more water to stop it clumping together. Now for the Portland Cement. Usually this is sold in 90 Pound bags and it often has the mix ratio printed on the back: 1 Portland Cement to 5 Aggregate is common for this type slab but make sure or try to err on the side of adding more Portland Cement if you have to (be consistent throughout). Many factors affect how much water to add, especially hot weather, However you don’t want to add too much water or the mix will start splash out in a big way! After feeding the materials, allow time for the Mixer to do the work for a couple of minutes before unloading. When you unload into a Wheelbarrow (or onto the Slap) keep the Mixer running in between Batches and throw in one Shovel of Aggregate and a few cups of water – This will help to keep leftovers from Setting Up inside the Mixer. Repeat the process as needed.
Cleanup
Once the slab is poured there is no great rush to start Screeding and Finishing, there is time to wash the Mixer out and clean off any or tools that have Concrete on them before it hardens! (Adding some pebbles and water to the Mixer can abrade away semi-hardened Concrete). Likewise, when Finishing, wash tools as soon as they are no longer needed.
Tips:
When using a wheelbarrow to pour from, make sure that it’s weight doesn’t sit on the Form Boards as this can skew them and change their level.
Any Bags Portland Cement left over should be sitting up on a pallet and kept dry with a tarp. It is good to have a tarp to cover the slab in case of Rain?
Facts
The volume of Mixed Concrete is 30% lower than the added volumes of Aggregate and Portland Cement.
Concrete continues to harden for up to Eighty Years.
History
Concrete in one form or another has been around dating back to the ancient Egyptians. Although not popular at that time, it wasn’t until the ancient Romans concrete really took off. The Romans used concrete to build the aqueducts, roads, and many of their buildings. Modern cement in concrete was given credit to Joseph Aspdin in 1824 when he patented his mixture known as Portland cement. Concrete is the most used man made material in the history of the world. Everywhere you look you will find something made out of concrete.
What Makes Concrete
Modern concrete in its basic form is nothing more than 3 items; Portland cement, aggregate, and water. There are many who confuse concrete and cement but Portland cement is just one component to make concrete. Cement is the binder that holds everything together. It’s kind of like glue, but it needs the two other components to make it stick.
Aggregate is the material used to add filler and help give strength to the mix. The larger the aggregate the stronger the mix. Aggregate can be anything from sand for fine detail forms of concrete such as mortar, to sand and gravel or crushed stone, used in making sidewalks, foundations, and supports for fence poles. Sand is in general grade concrete with crushed stone, but crushed stone is not in the fine mix like mortar.
Water is the activation ingredient in the mix. The water causes a chemical reaction with the Portland cement to make it workable and thus start the process of hardening and strengthening. The reaction is called hydration. Its important to note that concrete does not get its strength from the drying process.
How Does Concrete Harden?
Concrete gets strong from the chemical reaction when water mixes with the cement that causes it to harden. Knowing this, it is always better to allow concrete to “slow cure” over a few days. The longer the water and cement can react to each other the stronger the concrete becomes. Have you ever noticed when road crews are making a concrete roadway or laying the surface on a bridge, that they have sprinklers spraying the poured concrete about a ½ a day after the pour? They know that keeping the concrete moist allows the reaction to get stronger. DO NOT spray concrete with water during or right after a fresh pour. You need the hardening process to take effect for 2 to 4 hours before water misting is recommended. Another technique to help keep the water in is to cover the project with a tarp. This will help seal the moisture in and allow for that slower cure time. After about 3 days you can remove the tarp.
Mixing Concrete
When you purchase a bag of concrete, the cement, sand, and stone aggregate are all ready premixed to the proper ratios for the type of concrete you have purchased. It is up to you to properly mix the last ingredient; water. Please take note, that you should wear a dust mask and safety goggles when mixing concrete. When you open a bag and pour, the dust from the mixture will rise in plumes, and Portland cement is not the best thing to breath in or get into your eyes. Always take safety precautions.
Concrete is sensitive to the amount of water you add. The less water in the mix, the stronger the concrete and the more water in the mix, the weaker the concrete. Keep in mind though that in order to cause the reaction of the cement, the mix has to be saturated. No dry powder can be left. Dry powder will cause pockets in your mix and thus create weak spots that will eventually lead to the failure of your project. When reading the instructions on a bag of concrete it will usually tell you how much water in quarts to add to bag of concrete. (Bags of concrete are usually 80 pounds). But the true measure of concrete mix to water is a pound for pound mixture. One gallon of water is about 8.35 pounds. In a typical sidewalk mix, for every pound of concrete mix, there is about a ½ pound of water. So its about a 2:1 ratio. Broken down, 1 pound of concrete would be mixed with about a ½ pint (or one cup) of water. It takes very little water to get the ball rolling making concrete.
If you decide not to take the scientific approach to measuring out the concrete to water ratio, the best advice is add the dry mix first then slowly add water and stir until your mix is moist but thick. If mixed properly, you should be able to make a concrete “mud ball” set it down and have it slowly flatten into a pie shape after about 45 seconds. If you get soup, add more concrete mix until its clearly too dry then add a little bit of water to get the right consistency. Believe it or not, some of the old masons would take a mouth full of water and spit it into the bucket of concrete mix. Again, it takes very little water and they always knew how much they held in their mouths. If your doing a small project (1 bag of concrete or less) You can mix it in a sturdy bucket. Anything more you should probably rent a portable concrete mixer. When mixing you should stir with a hand spade shovel and fold it over as if you were mixing a cake batter. You should mix it for 6-10 minutes and until you are quite sure that all the mix is wet.
Pouring Concrete
Concrete has a pot life (working time). The average pot life is about 20 minutes. Read the instructions on the bag of mix for specific times. What pot life means is, once you start adding water the chemical reaction to harden has begun. After a certain amount of time, the concrete mix has passed the point of being able to be poured and spread for your project. The idea is to only mix what you can use in the recommended working time.
Once you pour your concrete onto your project surface, you can use a concrete rake (A wide steel blade with small or no teeth attached to a handle), or a shovel to work the concrete into every nook and cranny of the project surface. After its all poured and leveled out, you can smooth the surface using various length trowels. Hold your trowel at a 45 degree angle to level it, then reduce the angle to about 25 degrees to give it a smooth surface. If the concrete starts sticking to your trowel, the mix is getting to dry. Try dipping your trowel in a bucket of water, or if necessary, very lightly mist the surface of your project.
If you think your project is too big to work in the allotted time, then it is recommended to bring in professionals to do the job. Projects such as pouring an entire sidewalk, or a concrete pad in your garage or a new foundation for an addition, require concrete by the truckload, and a team of people to get it spread. Some of the tools that are required for the big jobs include gas powered vibrators to get all the air pockets out of the poured concrete, re-bar to strengthen the concrete, large smoothing trowels or power levelers to smooth and level the surface of the project.
Some projects well within the range of a Do It Yourself enthusiast is repairing or replacing a section of sidewalk, making concrete steps, laying decorative walkways with brick and a concrete binder, making decorative concrete block edging, pouring to set fence posts, etc.
Important Notes On Concrete
Concrete cant flex and has no tensile strength. Concrete is strong, but it is also very brittle. Concrete on its own does not make a good structural support. When doing a sidewalk, or stairs, or any other project that the concrete would be supporting weight, you must have a firm solid even surface. Before a sidewalk gets poured, the ground is dug down, graded, then crushed stone or gravel is placed on the working surface. It is usually rolled to make it solid and firm. Through the seasons, the ground heaves and shrinks based on water and temperature. Since there’s no flex to concrete, it will crack very quickly. Concrete is also not water proof either. Water can absorb into the concrete and freeze which causes expansion and creates cracks.
To help protect concrete there are sealers you can purchase to help with water resistance, giving your project extended life. If you are doing a larger pour, like a sidewalk slab, it is important to have expansion joints in your work. I’m sure you have noticed the lines separating a sidewalk into slabs. Those lines are expansion joints. Concrete will expand and shrink slightly with water absorption. These cuts give the concrete room to do this without breaking. If it was just one long slab, the concrete would crack everywhere in just one season, and all that hard work and expense would be wasted. You can cut in an expansion joint once the concrete starts to firm (About 45 minutes to an hour) then use a thin piece of metal (such as a painters trim blade) or thin wood (like a piece of paneling) and work it straight down using a gentle back and forth sawing motion. Go slow as not to tear up your work.
Another way to counter the weaknesses of concrete, metal rods or “re-bar”. The re-bar helps absorb the flex and tensile pressures allowing the concrete to stand firm. Most do it yourself projects wont require the use of re-bar, so I am not going to get into detail on its use.
Portable cement mixers are the perfect solution for small projects around the home that require the use of cement. These small devices can be used for a wide range of projects, including repairing driveways, pouring cement patios and even making cement fixtures for the lawn and garden.
Choosing Your Cement Mixer
There are several things to consider when buying portable cement mixers. The size and the weight of the machine will be important to think about. You will typically want a machine light enough to move without assistance, and a machine that fits into the storage space that you have available. There are very small mixers that can easily fit into the trunk of a car, allowing for easy transport and storage at home. Depending on the type of project you work on the overall capacity of the mixer may also be important.
Choosing an Appropriate Capacity for Your Mixer
The average portable mixer can hold two eighty pound bags of ready to mix concrete, but larger and smaller sizes are also widely available. Look for a machine made with quality metals, such as stainless steel, if you plan on using the machine regularly over time. Higher quality mixers are going to last longer and provide better service than those machines made with lower quality materials. The engine is also important to look at. More powerful mixers can ensure the concrete is mixed properly and can also often mix larger amounts of concrete in less time.
Using a Mixer
Portable cement mixers can be purchased fairly inexpensively and used over several years time, or longer, allowing you to have access to the mixer anytime. You can also rent small cement mixers for one time projects, as well. You will need to have a user’s manual that tells you the amounts of dry concrete mix and water to add to the machine to ensure the concrete sets up properly.
Concrete can be sensitive to moisture and humidity in the air. Do it yourself projects using a portable concrete mixer should be completed on drier days when there is little chance of rain. If possible, you will also want to work when there is lower humidity in the air to promote the drying of the concrete that you pour.
Other Tools to Have on Hand
When using portable cement mixers you really need to have some specific tools on hand to move and smooth the concrete. Boards, preferably new, will form the area where you are pouring concrete. The first step of the process is to dig the area where you will be pouring the concrete. The ground should be completely level and free of any debris to create a uniform thickness in the slab and to avoid using more concrete than necessary.
After you have prepped the ground where you will be laying the concrete you will want to make sure that you have all the tools needed for the job. Along with portable cement mixers you need to have a trowel, stakes, boards for setting the form, a rake, a shovel and a device to smooth the concrete. If you are looking for a rough finish on the concrete you can sweep it lightly with a broom to form tiny ridges along the surface. A bull float can be used to finish the concrete to a glossy, smooth surface. Other options for finishing include using a wood float. For the corners and edges of the slab you will need an edger.
Mixing Your Concrete with a Portable Mixer
Portable cement mixers often require that you add the cement and water in small portions until you have reached the desired consistency for the mixture. The weather may have an impact on the amount of water that you need for a specific amount of cement, so be sure to monitor the mixture rather than just adding the suggested amount of water. Too much water weakens the concrete and makes it difficult for the mixture to dry.
When adding water to the portable concrete mixers you will need to add the water in batches to reach the right consistency. A mixture that is wet and slightly thicker is generally preferred for home concrete projects. You can add the amount of water suggested on the bag to the concrete mixer, saving about a gallon to mix in once the initial amounts of water and concrete have combined thoroughly.
Tips and Tricks
When using portable cement mixers it is a good idea to take your time and become accustomed to the machine. You will usually be able to choose from either a gas powered or electricity powered cement mixer. At home, an electric mixer can be simple to use when there is an outlet nearby while a gas powered mixer is more flexible in location. You will also want to know how to care for the machine.
After mixing each batch of concrete, rinsing the inside of the machine is ideal. The extra rinse will remove all of the loose bits of concrete that have stuck to the inside of the machine, which when dry is very difficult to remove. Prompt cleaning of your portable cement mixers is recommended to ensure the machine lasts for an extended period of time without extra buildup on the inside of the machine.
When using portable cement mixers it is also best if you know exactly how much cement you will need for your project. You can use an online calculator for the square foot and depth of the slab that you are laying. Knowing exactly how much concrete you need beforehand can keep you from making an extra trip for more cement mix and can also assist you in staying within your schedule for finishing the project.
Concrete machinery comes in a wide range of different forms and it is constantly being improved upon in order to make working with concrete easier and more efficient. The progress that is made in the creation and perfection of concrete machinery has helped make the lives of professional builders far easier, but it has also made machines such as concrete mixers available even for non-professionals. Concrete mixers and other machines are now affordable and useful tools even for builders who are only interested in DIY rather than earning their living through building.
Concrete mixers are one of the most basic pieces of machinery that are available for use with concrete. A mixer can offer some important advantages for builders on projects of any scale. Mixing concrete is hard and very physical work. A lot of professional and amateur builders find that mixing even a small amount of concrete or cement can be very tiring and can lead to problems such as muscles aches and back pain. Mixing concrete manually is also very inefficient. It takes a long time to mix concrete to the right consistency. By using a concrete mixer, it is possible for the builder to focus on other aspects of the job while the concrete is being mixed for them. Concrete mixers can also provide a continuous supply of concrete or cement, so they are ideal for big building projects where there are a number of workers who need cement. The concrete mixer can keep turning in order to keep the concrete fluid, while the builders can come any collect a batch of concrete when they need it. There is no need to stop and mix up a fresh batch of concrete before each part of the job.
Concrete mixers can make the life of a builder much easier. They can also help to improve efficiency and they can even make the building work better. By using a concrete mixer, it is possible to ensure that the concrete will be homogeneously mixed and so that it will be able to produce better results.
Concrete mixers were once the preserve of the professional builder, but advances in the technology have helped reduce the cost of owning a concrete mixer, and they have also made it possible for small, portable concrete mixers to be made and sold. These portable mixers are ideal for smaller building projects, so they can be used by DIY enthusiasts, or by professionals who need a mobile mixer to bring to their building sites.
Although mixers are one of the most frequently used concrete machines, and one of the machines that has developed significantly in recent times, they are not the only types of machines that are used by builders working with concrete and cement. A large number of other types of equipment are also available, although these are rarely used outside of the professional field since they tend to be beyond the budgets and needs of the everyday DIY builder.
Other Types of Concrete Machinery
Other types of machinery that may be used when building with concrete include rammers, vibrators, vibratory rollers, screeds and plate compactors, power trowels and concrete breakers. These machines can help at every stage of the building process, from the preparation of the soil to the laying of the concrete, and they can even help to remove old concrete if it is no longer needed. Choosing the right types of machinery to invest in can be very important. The right machines will help to make life easier for the builder and to improve the quality of their work, while the wrong choices will just end up creating unnecessary costs.
Vibratory rollers, which may be walked behind rollers or larger ride on rollers, can be used to ensure a smooth surface on which to lay concrete. They are useful on big jobs where the surface needs to be smoothed and compacted before the concrete can be laid. Vibratory plate compactors are smaller machines that can also be used to compact the soil before laying concrete. They are usually more maneuverable than rollers. Rammers can provide a much stronger and more concentrated compacting force.
Power trowels can be used to ensure that concrete work will be of the highest quality. Smaller walk behind power trowels can be used on smaller areas of concrete, while large ride on power trowels are available for use on larger surfaces. Power trowels are typically only used on large, professional jobs, where the quality of the surface may require the help of such a machine.
Concrete vibrators can help to ensure that concrete is of the highest quality by removing trapped air from the concrete after it has been poured into place. Recently poured concrete can include up to 20 percent of trapped air. By using a concrete vibrator to settle the concrete into place, much of this air can be removed. This can result in concrete that is between 3 and 5 percent stronger for every 1 percent of air that is removed. Concrete vibrators come in various shapes and sizes. They are particularly useful for professional builders in situations where the strength and quality of the concrete is important.
Concrete breakers are a form of machinery that can be very useful for builders who often need to work with concrete. They can provide the power that is needed to break up existing concrete that needs to be removed, making the job much easier on the builder’s body.
Choosing the right tools for the type of work that needs to be done, and the scale of the project can help to make working with concrete much easier. It can also help to ensure that the finished product is of the highest possible quality.
The Belle Group
Belle cement mixers are manufactured by the Belle Group, a highly respected manufacturer of construction equipment. Belle is one of the most trustworthy manufacturers of high quality cement mixers, in a range of different styles and sizes.
The company was established during the 1950s. Today, the products that it manufactures are used around the world. The types of equipment manufactured by the Belle Group include wheelbarrows, scaffolding, products for compacting, moving, cutting, breaking and concreting as well as for mixing cement.
The Belle Group first started producing small scale cement mixers that were intended for home users who needed portable cement mixers. The founder of the Belle Group, Douglas Blackhurst, first worked on these mixer designs during the 1950s. In 1961, the company started producing its famous Minimix design. The company was formed as Belle Engineering in 1963. The company has now become an international business. The Belle Group is still based in the Peak District, in the UK, but since 2009 it has been part of the Montpellier, France based Altrad Group.
Belle has built up a reputation for excellent quality. Its designs have been created with superb attention to detail and the mixers are tested for more than 1000 hours in order to ensure that they will be as reliable as possible. They are also drop tested to ensure that they will be rugged enough for construction work.
Why Buy A Belle Mixer?
If you are buying a cement mixer then it will be worthwhile considering making your choice a Belle mixer. The Belle Group is an established and reputable company that is known for producing high quality, reliable cement mixers. If you need a cement mixer then it is a good idea to consider choosing one from the Belle range, as it will help ensure that your mixer will be as durable and reliable as possible.
If you do decide to buy a cement mixer rather than hiring one, then you may be hoping to resell your mixer at some point in the future. Choosing a Belle cement mixer can then be a particularly good choice since the respected brand name can help to ensure that you will be able to find a buyer for your second hand mixer.
Durability
The excellent quality and reliability of Belle cement mixers is the most important reason for choosing a mixer produced by this company. Belle cement mixers may not be the cheapest option, but they are the most durable so they will tend to work better for longer.
Types of Belle Cement Mixers
The Belle Group manufactures several different ranges of cement mixers. They include mixers of different sizes, shapes and styles, so it is possible to find the right Belle cement mixer for different types of jobs. For example, the Belle Minimix range is ideal for those who only need a small mixer or who are looking for a portable mixer. The Belle 150 mixer is one of the most popular choices. A range of larger, heavier Belle mixers are available for professionals in the construction industry. The Belle Group also manufactures a number of useful tools and products that can be used alongside your cement mixer.
Baromix range
The Baromix range includes the Baromix Minor and the Baromix Commodore. The Baromix Minor is a compact and portable mixer that is designed for use by professionals. It can be used either on or off its stand and it is exceptionally durable and robust. The Baromix Commodore is a heavy-duty cement mixer that is ideal for professionals who need to produce large batches of cement. It is a tough, high performance mixer that is suitable even for prolonged use on site.
Richier Beton
The Richier Beton range includes a number of different models of the RB500B mixer. These are all large, skip fed mixers that are intended for professional use. The range includes mixers that use different power supplies and which offer different ranges of functions and controls.
The Belle range is the largest and most varied line of mixers produced by the Belle Group. It includes paddle mixers, site mixers, tip up mixers and upright mixers of different sizes and types. Some are rugged and high performance enough for use on professional building sites, while others are ideal for smaller DIY jobs.
Belle range
The two types of paddle mixers in the Belle range are the Promix 1200 to 1600 models and the Tubmix 50. The Promix models provide handheld, variable speed electric mixers that can be used to mix mortar, plaster and other substances as well as to mix cement. The Tubmix 50 is another handheld paddle mixer, but it is designed for professional use. It can be used to mix a wide range of substances, including paint, adhesives and plaster as well as cement. The Tubmix 50 provides excellent performance and it requires no effort from the user.
There are three site mixers in the Belle range. These are the Premier XT, the Superior 300, 350 and 400, and the Tract Mix. The Premier XT is a heavy duty site mixer that offers superb performance. It is an advanced, professional grade mixer that comes in a range of different sizes. The Superior models are a series of heavy duty mobile site mixers. They offer large capacities and high durability that make them ideal for continuous use on professional building sites. The Belle Tract Mix provides a portable professional option, with tow-able site mixers that can easily be transported by road.
The tip up mixers in the Belle range are some of the most popular cement mixers produced by this company. There are three Minimix options, which offer a range of different capacities that are suitable for different needs. The Minimix 150 is a portable, compact cement mixer that is intended for small to medium size projects, but which offers the performance that is required by professional builders. It is one of the most popular products produced by the Belle Group. The Minimix 140 is a slightly smaller mixer that is ideal for semi-professional or amateur use. It can be used wither with or without its stand and it is very portable. The Minimix 130 can also be used either on or off its stand. It is a very cost effective option that offers high portability with a compact design. It is ideal for DIY projects.
The Belle range also includes a number of upright mixers. The Maxi 140 offers a very heavy duty option for professional builders. The BWE 80, 110 and 130 models are very compact yet robust. They are suitable for professional use, being very reliable, and they provide the perfect compromise between performance and size. They can be used on medium size jobs. The BWE 150, 200 and 250 are large capacity, professional quality mixers that are robust enough for continuous use. The TBE 130 and 165 are very economical choices that are reliable and light weight. They are suitable for both semi-professional and DIY uses.
Multiple tools are used for this, here is synopsis at hand tool level, larger projects call for mechanized equipment.
A Cement Spreader is like a garden rake without the teeth, just a sheet metal. It can be used to push or pull wet Cement into place.
A Screeding or Strike-Off bar is a long straight edged bar that removes excess Cement from a pour before finishing work is done. On the low end this can be a straight two by four but on the high end a precise aluminum bar is made for this.
A Cement Tamper is a screen like device that is used to push the Gravel (part of the Aggregate) below the Cement surface; This facilitates an easier Finish operation.
Bull Floats and Darbies are long flat plates which are pulled and pushed (Flat side down) over the cement. Their purpose is to average out the high and low spots over their entire length and fill in voids. They also determine the consistency of the surface depending on the number of passes or the angle they are pitched at ( A Hand Float is a smaller equivalent for tighter locations) Floats are made from different types of metal, or wood depending on the desired surface.
A Cement Edger is a specialized trowel which has a rolled edge to makes soft edges on walkways and slabs. A Cement Groover is another specialized trowel which embeds Expansion Joints.
Note: Masonry work requires a different range specialized of tools and Trowels.
