What is a float for?

[obmitty]

Been thinking of doing a bit of DIY plastering, and got a DVD on the subject. Watched it twice, and they never use a float, but I have seen people mention it a few times on here without explanation...

What are they for?

Cheers!

 

[ColJack]

carnivals and parades..

no seriously.. i think they are used for floors..

 

[brist]

Used to finish render on walls

 

[obmitty]

...So after dry skimming you rub it down with a float?

 

[brist]

Nothing to do with skimming.After u render a wall with sand and cement you use a float to get a smooth finish as it dries

 

[noseall]

the word float has become synonymous with a plasterers trowel and just about any tool resembling a plasterers towel.

poly float.
grout float.
rubber float.
steel float.
render float.

i'm at a loss as to why the word float is used to describe a plasterers trowel though. i was led to believe that a float was the rubbing up trowel that was at first made from wood but later made from expanded polythene, hence 'polyfloat'. this was used to flatten and key a backing coat.

 

[The-brickie]

Its not a trowel, its a float, made of wood or plastic, used mainly for rough work that needs to be flattened, as in 'float and set' Different tool to a finishing trowel

It can used for screeding, rendering and under coat lightweight plaster.