Vibrating screed: a professional tool for laying concrete

A vibrating screed is a convenient tool that allows you to compact a concrete surface efficiently. Thanks to this, there will be no holes, cracks or other defects in it. How the device works and how to use it correctly is described in detail in the article.

Tool structure

The vibrating screed is designed to compact and level the surface. Its main part is an aluminum frame, which looks like a building rule. In the center there is a gasoline or electric engine. It rotates and transmits impulse to the eccentric mechanism. Due to this, vibrations occur and affect the aluminum frame. As a result, it effectively compacts and levels the concrete.

The lath can reach a length from 0.5-1 to 8-10 m. To know how to work with a vibrating lath, you need to choose a suitable design. They produce telescopic, sectional and rigid versions. The latter do not fold, so they are transported in their original state.

Vibrating slats are also classified according to another criterion:

1. Single – consist of one ski (working surface) that levels the concrete floor.
2. Double – consist of 2 frames that are connected to each other by means of a crossbar.

There are floating and guiding instruments. It is easier to manage floating ones, since their frame does not exceed 5 m in length, and they can work with a thickness of up to 180 mm.The guides are wider, but they work with a layer reaching 300 mm.

How to use the device

Before you start using it, you need to understand how to use a vibrating screed for laying concrete. To do this, you need to calculate how to correctly orient the guides and begin compacting. The main stages are:

1. Wear special clothing.
2. Position the guides at the zero mark according to the instructions.
3. Set the required engine power (depending on the thickness of the layer).
4. Fill with concrete mixture so that its surface is slightly higher than the level along which the guides go.
5. Proceed to work, making sure that the guides do not get knocked down.
6. When finished, carefully remove any remaining mixture, rinse the guides and the ski itself.

To understand how to use a vibrating screed for concrete, it is important to monitor the level of the concrete mixture. It should not go below the working mark. If the level has gone too low, you should add a new volume of the mixture and run the vibrating ski again.

It is worth considering the features of a gasoline device. You can start working only at the moment when it reaches the required number of revolutions. It is known from practice that the best indicator is 1500. In this case, the device is pulled through the ropes, which are attached to the handles using carabiners. It is better to work slowly so that the surface is as dense and even as possible.