Walk-behind trowels typically have one rotor with four blades, are powered by a gasoline engine and are available in 30-, 36- and 48-inch blade diameters. Ordinarily, hand tools might finish 300 to 600 square feet per day where as a 36-inch walk-behind power trowel can finish 700 to 1500 square feet per day depending on job circumstances and weather conditions.
Ride-on models can dramatically increase production. Typically, a ride-on can cover three to five times as much concrete compared to walk-behind units. Depending on the jobsite conditions and operator proficiency, one ride-on model can replace three to four walk-behind units. Another advantage with ride-on units is improved quality and flatness off the slab.
Ride-on trowels operate in two different configurations, overlapping and non-overlapping. Typically, the non-overlapping position of the blades requires higher torque and can accommodate pans during the floating operation. The overlapping position is often used at faster rotor speeds and provides seamless coverage during the finishing process.
One set of combination blades lasts 25,000 to 30,000 square feet if used from start to finish, 50,000 to 100,000 square feet if used for finishing.