Best Hand Tools for Concrete Finishers (2025) — How Pros Make & Modify Their Own
Concrete finishing is an art that separates the amateurs from the true craftsmen. Every professional finisher knows the difference between a smooth, glass-tight slab and a wavy, uneven mess often comes down to one thing — the tools in your hands. From the legendary Marshalltown finishing trowels and hand mags to Kraft Tool edgers, jointers, and floats, the right setup determines how efficient, clean, and consistent your finish turns out.
But here’s the thing — not every job can be done with store-bought tools. Over time, most seasoned finishers end up modifying or creating their own custom hand tools to handle tough situations — like beating down a high spot near a drain, pulling a perfect fan texture on a drying slab, or saving your knees on a long hot pour. In this post, we’ll cover the must-have professional hand tools for 2025, and then show you how pros make three of their own custom tools that outperform anything you can buy off the shelf.
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Top Professional Hand Tools Every Concrete Finisher Should Own (2025)
Whether you’re finishing driveways, decorative patios, or stamped slabs, these tools are the foundation of your setup:
- Finishing Trowels (Marshalltown or Kraft) – Precision-balanced stainless or blue-steel trowels are a finisher’s main weapon for a tight, burnished surface.
- Mag Floats – Essential for opening up the surface after screeding and bringing cream to the top. Aluminum hand mags from Marshalltown remain a trade favorite for their light weight and control.
- Edgers & Jointers – Kraft Tool and Marshalltown offer durable options for crisp edges and consistent control joints.
- Hand Groovers – Great for clean, controlled crack lines and decorative finishing.
- Finishing Brooms – Soft horsehair or synthetic bristles give that perfect final texture pass without tearing up the surface.
Each of these tools serves its purpose — but when the sun’s baking, the concrete’s setting faster than you can move, and the slab starts fighting back, that’s when custom tools shine.
3 Custom Tools Every Pro Should Build
Over the years, experienced finishers have learned to improvise — bending steel, shaping plastic, or modifying handles to suit the job. Here are three custom tools pros make themselves that can save your slab and your back.
1. The Pounder
When concrete starts to harden around pipes, edges, or thick areas, a float or trowel just won’t cut it. The pounder is a heavy, flat-bottomed tool used to beat down high spots or fill low dips without leaving deep marks.
How it’s made: Most pros bolt a flat steel plate (about 10" x 3") to a custom handle, sometimes wrapping it with a rubber or foam grip. The weight does the work — one or two hits, and the bump disappears. Full build guide →
2. The Plastic Rounded Float
Used mainly for “spinning” or creating that rough fan-texture look in the finish stage, the rounded float helps keep surface cream consistent without digging in.
How it’s made: Cut a piece of durable plastic (like HDPE or a repurposed job site scrap) into a rounded rectangle, attach a handle, and round the edges to prevent streaks. It glides over semi-set / wet concrete like butter, helping create that perfect swirl. Full build guide →
3. Custom Knee Pads That Don’t Sink
Every finisher knows kneeling on wet mud or sticky cream can turn into a nightmare. Regular knee pads either stick, sink, or load up with concrete. Custom pads float on the surface instead of sinking in, saving time and leaving smaller impressions.
How they’re made: Many pros cut foam or rubber mats into ergonomic shapes and glue or strap them onto old motorcycle tires. The result — pads that float on the surface instead of sinking in, saving time and your knees. Full build guide →
Why Custom Tools Matter
Concrete finishing isn’t just labor — it’s craftsmanship. When you’re on your hands and knees battling the sun, wind, and time, having tools that match your exact working style is everything. That’s why most pros eventually tweak, weld, or build something that doesn’t exist in stores — because the job demands it.
For detailed step-by-step instructions on each tool, check out the dedicated posts below:
Want to take your concrete projects to the next level? Download the Concrete Buddy app for free — your all-in-one concrete calculator and resource for pros and DIYers.
