If you’ve ever worked with concrete before, then you know how demanding it is. Once the material is poured and allowed to harden, then there’s not much that can be done. Hence, every contractor that works with concrete must have the essential tools for the job.

Should You Own Or Rent These Tools?

Fortunately, you don’t need to shell out a lot of cash for most of these tools. Hence, it makes more sense to own them. Plus you’ll save more money in the long run when you avoid rental fees. Furthermore, you don’t have to waste precious time picking them up and returning them.

However, there are a couple of equipments that could be too expensive for the average contractor to afford. So unless you’re using them regularly, then it’s best to just rent them whenever needed.

So without further ado, here are five tools that every concrete contractor should own:

Screeds

These are long, straight tubes or boards that are utilized to smoothen out wet concrete, not long after it has been poured. For simple tasks such as paving a driveway or a small floor space, you can simply cut out a 2 X 4 wooden board and use it as a screed.  If you can’t be bothered to do that, you can always buy a commercial screed. These are usually made out of aluminium and available in a variety of lengths, starting from 6 feet. 

You can even buy screeds that are custom-made for different projects such as building a bridge.

Rebar Benders

If you’re working with concrete, then there’s most likely rebar involved. In most scenarios, you’ll have to cut and even bend rebar, to meet structural specifications. Hence, we highly recommend that you keep the highest quality rebar bender you can find handy.

Safety Gear

When taking on any form of construction job, there’s bound to be some danger involved. Hence, it’s a must for all contractors and their crews to wear safety equipment at all times. The three most important pieces of gear are:

• Eyewear – certain types of concrete can irritate and even burn your eyes.
• Hearing Protection – this is to protect your ears from the noise output by heavy power tools.
• Masks – these prevent you from inhaling dust and other debris.
• Concrete-Grade Rubber Gloves – there are certain chemicals in concrete that can suck out moisture from your skin. As a result, your skin can suffer serious damage. In fact, there are reports of construction workers having to undergo amputations due to chemical damage.

Wheelbarrows

Usually you’ll have to transport small amounts of concrete or even equipment around the construction site. Usually, there’s no better tool for this than the wheelbarrow. However, you must make sure that it’s a very sturdy wheelbarrow, with pneumatic tires and a tray made of a durable material like steel.

Buckets

Buckets are indispensable when you’re working with concrete. You need them to carry water which can splash on the concrete to keep them from drying too fast. This makes it easier to add the finishing touches.

These five tools need to be present at every construction site where concrete work is taking place.