What is the first step in finishing concrete?

The first step in finishing concrete is screeding. This process involves leveling and smoothing the freshly poured concrete to ensure it has a uniform surface and is the correct height. During screeding, a flat tool, often a board or a screed, is used to strike off excess concrete and create a flat surface. This step is critical because it sets the foundation for all subsequent finishing work.

Following screeding, other finishing techniques, such as floating and troweling, are employed to refine the surface further. Floating, for example, aims to smooth the surface and fill in any small air pockets. Troweling provides an even more refined finish, resulting in a dense, smooth surface. However, without the initial step of screeding to establish the base level, none of these subsequent steps could be performed effectively. Therefore, screeding is essential as the starting point in the concrete finishing process.