What Is A Concrete Screed ?

A concrete screed is a tool that is used to flatten the surface of concrete once it has been poured into the forms.  The most commonly used screed has traditionally been a 2x4 that is moved back and forth manually.  This method has the least expensive outlay for equipment, but since it is manual requires more labor.

Power Screed:  In an attempt to make the 2x4 method more effective several companies market motors that attach to the top of the 2x4 to make it vibrate.  This vibration is supposed to replace some of the manual motion normally required to smoothen out the concrete.

Roller Screed:  A roller screed is usually an aluminum tube that can roll across the surface and level the concrete with much less effort that sliding a 2x4.  There are manual versions of the product, but most use some sort of electric or gas motor to drive them, making them the most time and labor effiicient.  

The combination of a power roller screed is hard to beat when it comes to doing large pours with limited labor available.