Description
Smooth, finish, and cure poured concrete surfaces—slabs, floors, sidewalks, curbs, and pavements—using hand and power tools. Set and align forms, place and consolidate concrete, create joints and edges, and apply textures, treatments, and sealers to achieve specified finishes.
- • Check formwork and subgrade to ensure proper construction and cleanliness.
- • Set and align forms to required pitch, grade, and depth.
- • Signal trucks and position chutes or pumps for efficient placement.
- • Place, spread, and level concrete with rakes, come-alongs, and shovels.
- • Screed surfaces with hand or power screeds to specified elevations.
- • Float concrete with bull floats or hand floats to remove imperfections.
- • Trowel surfaces with hand or power trowels to required finish.
- • Form edges and mold joints with edgers, jointers, and straightedges.
- • Saw cut control joints at specified spacing and depth.
- • Apply broom, stamped, exposed aggregate, or other textures as required.
- • Broadcast color hardeners or aggregates and embed with float or roller when specified.
- • Operate internal or surface vibrators to consolidate concrete.
- • Monitor wind, heat, and cold and adjust finishing and curing practices.
- • Apply curing, hardening, and sealing compounds per specifications.
- • Install anchor bolts, steel plates, door thresholds, and other embeds in fresh concrete.
- • Prepare surfaces by cleaning, wetting, and applying bonding agents before patching or overlays.
- • Repair defects by chipping, grinding, and filling voids, honeycombs, holes, and cracks.
- • Cut out damaged sections and drill and place reinforcing for repairs.
- • Grind high spots and polish surfaces when specified.
- • Build and set small wood forms for curbs, steps, and patches.
- • Waterproof or restore concrete surfaces using appropriate products.
- • Perform surface cleaning or etching and rinse thoroughly as specified.
- • Verify slopes, elevations, and tolerances with levels and straightedges.
- • Protect finished surfaces during curing and control traffic and moisture.
- • Direct and assist laborers during placing and finishing operations.
- • Maintain tools and equipment and keep work areas clean and safe.
- • Inspect and align forms to the required grade, pitch, and depth.
- • Set, brace, and adjust forms for slabs, sidewalks, curbs, and gutters.
- • Signal trucks and position chutes to facilitate concrete placement.
- • Place, spread, and consolidate concrete using rakes, come-alongs, and vibrators.
- • Screed to elevation and crown with hand or power screeds.
- • Bull float and darby to embed aggregate and level the surface.
- • Edge, groove, and form joints with edgers, jointers, and straightedges.
- • Power trowel and hand trowel to achieve specified finishes.
- • Produce broom, swirl, or other textured finishes as specified.
- • Monitor wind, temperature, and humidity and adjust finishing and curing methods.
- • Apply curing compounds, sealers, densifiers, or hardeners.
- • Saw-cut control joints to prescribed spacing and depth.
- • Stamp or stencil decorative patterns and apply integral color or stains.
- • Set anchor bolts, embeds, steel plates, door sills, and other fixtures in fresh concrete.
- • Repair voids, honeycombs, and defects with grout or patching compounds.
- • Chip, grind, or sand high spots and rough projections to tolerance.
- • Prepare surfaces by cleaning, roughening, or acid-etching for overlays or toppings.
- • Build small repair forms and install edge forms for patches.
- • Perform exposed-aggregate finishes by seeding and rolling aggregate.
- • Polish or burnish concrete with walk-behind or planetary machines.
- • Waterproof or restore concrete using appropriate coatings or membranes.
- • Clean and maintain finishing tools and equipment.
- • Coordinate and lead laborers during placement and finishing as required.
- • Verify surface flatness, slope, and finish quality against specifications.
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This site includes information from O*NET by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. Career Clutch has modified some of this information for student readability. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.
Last reviewed: Jan 2026
