6 or 8 ft aluminum screed

I use a piece of alumium angle that I bought for a metal suppy house.
Just look up Steel in the yellow pages.

I would like to find something local and not order online......
Maybe a piece of aluminum angle that I could find at HD...Don't know their max length though.......

I was thinking.........for a 1 time use, could I use a piece of wood (making sure it is straight of course)?

In my area anyway, the local concrete plant, one of our major aggregate suppliers, and my primary lumber yard all carry them. For a one time use for something like that though I think that I would be inclined to call around to some of the other HD's or contractor's rentals.

dexters right, youll have to go to a contractor tool rental center. where pros go to rent gear thats really expensive but will only use once and a while.. youll never find one at home depot

In my area I would go to Sunbelt. They rent a lot of construction equipment to professionals and DIYers too. I looked up the price online and it says $56 per day. This is for the motorized type that vibrates.

When I rent there I just pay with my credit card and I believe the card serves as a deposit in case you didn't return your rental on-time, damaged it, or you didn't refuel it. Their rates for fuel are pretty reasonable too; they do not gouge you too much.

You can buy angle steel (maybe Al too?) at HD but it is over-priced.

I'm told that a welding supplier would be a good local source, but I have bought Al online from this company www.midweststeelsupply.com and it is cheap. I got 6.5ft lengths of 1.5" x 1.5" x 1/8" angle aluminum for $15 each and shipping on ~dozen of them was I think under $30. Only took a few days to arrive.

Just having a piece of metal is not as good as having the power tool. But if all you want is a big, thick straight-edge, you can certainly buy that.

you cant find it at a big box becasue they dont cater to tools geared for specialty trades. you have to go to a wholesaler or a tool outlet that pros go to

quite a few concrete finishers just use a straight 2x4 with some handles that are nothing more than old broom handles or 1x3`s screwed to it. for a bull float though its a specialty item

you cant find it at a big box becasue they dont cater to tools geared for specialty trades. you have to go to a wholesaler or a tool outlet that pros go to

quite a few concrete finishers just use a straight 2x4 with some handles that are nothing more than old broom handles or 1x3`s screwed to it. for a bull float though its a specialty item