HOVERTROWEL FINISHES POLYMER FLOOR TOPPINGS WITH EASE

Source:www.stonediamondtool.com Date:2018/10/11 Read:423

By Anne Balogh, The ConcreteNetwork

The use of toppings and overlays to decorate, protect, or restore concrete flatwork has exploded in the last decade. Behind this trend is an influx to the market of newer polymer systems that offer outstanding performance and aesthetic qualities. Until recently, however, equipment for finishing these state-of-the-art floor toppings has not evolved at the same rapid pace.

"A lot of guys doing this work are still on their knees, hand troweling. Its very labor intensive," says Drew Fagley, who for years co-owned a contracting business that installed decorative quartz epoxy systems. He and his partner wanted to eliminate the laborious handwork typically required to finish these aggregate-rich systems while finding a faster way to produce smoother, flatter, more consistent finishes. Their solution was the HoverTrowel, an invention Fagley describes as the most versatile power trowel on the market.

Although this patented precision finishing machine was originally developed for use on decorative quartz toppings, it has proven to be very adaptable and can finish many types of polymer, urethane, and cementitious overlay systems. "Its basically a power trowel that hand trowels. It can finish flooring systems where power has never been used before, only hand finishing. I havent found too many limitations. Its a matter of timing in most cases." Fagley says.

The key difference between the HoverTrowel and a conventional power trowel is its weight, which is a mere 35 pounds. "The big machines can weigh anywhere from 100 to 200 pounds. When finishing epoxy overlays, this weight causes swirl and chatter marks," explains Fagley. Although its possible to grind out these imperfections after the surface cures, the process is labor intensive, increases downtime, and is not an option for color quartz, he adds. The HoverTrowel glides over the surface, exerting just enough force to produce uniform compression without leaving unsightly trowel marks. The low weight also reduces operator fatigue and increases efficiency.

An array of interchangeable components and accessories further enhances the trowels capabilities. "It can cater to the many different overlay systems out there, as well as the same system under different ambient conditions," Fagley says. It also has applications for finishing conventional concrete flatwork, especially smaller areas or restricted spaces.

Operators can modify the base machine by switching the power source, blades, or blade guard. The power options, which include 18- and 36-cfm pneumatic motors and a new 2-cycle gas engine, supply a wide range of torque loads and rpms to handle different resin viscosities and sand-to-liquid ratios. The non-sparking, exhaust-free air motors are well suited for indoor installations, especially in sensitive environments, while the 2-cycle engine (to be replaced by a 4-cycle engine in 2003) is convenient for outdoor use. Finishers can further fine-tune the trowel's performance by adding weights in 2 1/2-pound increments to increase the trowel weight by as much as 22 pounds.

Blade options are nearly as numerous as those for hand trowels. The standard spring-steel blades can be switched to stainless steel or polymer blades. Aluminum, magnesium, mahogany, and laminated floats are also available for specific applications. All blades are available in two sizes (9 1/2 and 14 inches) and attach with snap rings for fast cleaning or replacement.

The operator can also switch from a 34-inch-diameter blade guard to a smaller 25-inch guard for greater maneuverability in tight areas, such as doorways, adjacent to walls, or around posts or columns. "The trowel can get within 1/2 inch of an obstruction with either guard, eliminating a lot of handwork," says Fagley.

Other notable features include a fingertip pitch control that instantly adjusts the blade angle up to 10 degrees, and a removable telescoping handle that extends in length from 42 to 64 inches. When the handle is fully extended, the operator can reach farther onto the fresh overlay without walking on it.