5 Useful DeWalt Tools To Have When Working With Concrete

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Whether you're an experienced professional or someone undertaking a bigger-than-usual home renovation project, quality tools are a necessity for concrete work. This includes those needed for mixing, laying, flattening, and more, ensuring that once it cures, it's set just as needed. Fortunately, there are many brands that specialize in such items, making the often difficult and frustrating process of working with concrete as easy as possible. One of the most prominent is a major name in the tool world, DeWalt, which has built out a lengthy list of concrete-specific tools.

While many brands offer these specialized tools, there are a few reasons why DeWalt could be the right brand for you. For one, DeWalt has built a reputation for quality power and hand tools, which is why they're so often spotted on jobsites and in home workshops. In most cases, its tools are also warranty-backed, so if anything goes wrong, repair or replacement is often possible without additional charge. On top of all of this, DeWalt often adds new concrete and construction tools to its catalog, so there's always new stuff for concrete laborers to consider.

There are many DeWalt-branded concrete tools worth adding to the kit. This is just a sampling of some of the most useful for this variety of jobs.

Oftentimes, starting up a new concrete project means replacing previously set concrete slabs. Given this material's durability, even a cracked and crumbling concrete layer requires heavy-duty tools to break it up for removal. Looking specifically at what DeWalt offers for this step, there's the DeWalt pavement breaker, which delivers 61 ft-lbs of impact energy with its 15-amp motor to break up and remove concrete. The handles are rubber-coated, ideally to extend use time before user discomfort becomes too much, vibration control is present, and the tool features an electronic soft start to reduce bit movement away from the intended impact point. Three different chisels are also included.

Across the internet, this pavement breaker appears to have received primarily positive reviews. On the Northern Tool website, it has mostly received five-star reviews, with multiple write-ups highlighting its ability to power through concrete without trouble while keeping vibrations under control as major pluses. Reviews under its Amazon listing are largely supportive, too, amounting to a 4.6 out of 5-star rating. Common points of praise include durability, the ability to break through a wide range of hard materials, and ease of use. Of course, some mention that it is a rather heavy tool, so that's worth keeping in mind if you're debating buying.

Regardless of whether the area you're working on has had concrete set on it before, prepping the ground before a pour is an important step. This way, the concrete is evenly spread and less likely to crack prematurely due to an uneven subgrade. Instead of trying to accomplish this by hand, there are tools like the DeWalt PowerShift 60 kg class rammer, one of the many entries in DeWalt's heavy-duty cordless PowerShift tool system. It's advertised to run at a no-load speed of 680 blows per minute on a 554-watt-hour battery. The tool is designed to minimize vibration for the operator while in use, features a quick-change speed system, has a carry handle for transportation, and handles compaction up to 18 inches.

Unfortunately, online reviews of this rammer are virtually nonexistent as of publication. Fortunately, for an idea of what to expect from this tool, the White Cap YouTube channel took a look at it and asked a DeWalt representative about it. In addition to demonstrating how the rammer is used, David from DeWalt shared that the 554 Wh battery provides roughly 30 minutes of runtime on a single charge, the motor within is brushless, and that during transportation, its electric nature means no fear of oil or gas leaking out while set on its side. He also highlighted the simplified startup process, which involves pulling and pressing the power button near the handle.

As anyone who has used concrete extensively can attest, actually mixing it is a key step. While larger batches of concrete call for larger and bulkier industrial-grade mixers, on a smaller scale, an electric handheld mixer can get the job done. DeWalt has such a tool for sale, the DeWalt 9-amp spade handle drill. Running on a 120-volt motor, this tool is designed to both mix concrete and serve as a traditional drill. It features an 8-foot cord for mobility, a variable-speed reversing switch to prevent air bubbles by maintaining low RPMs, a reversing switch for drilling applications, and multiple handles for improved grip.

Most Home Depot customers seem to be satisfied with this two-in-one drill's performance, with an overall 4.5 out of 5-star rating based on 114 reviews. The majority of reviews gave it a perfect five out of five stars, commending it for its effectiveness and resilience when used as both a mixer and a drill. Many on the DeWalt website praised the mixer, too, highlighting its durability and power.

With all of that said, the drill does not include a mixing paddle in the box. While DeWalt offers loads of great accessories for home improvement projects, it doesn't sell a concrete mixing paddle on its own. Luckily, websites like Hanes Supply and Contractors Direct sell kits that include the drill, a bucket, and a mixing paddle, reducing the amount of piecing together you'd otherwise have to do.

Given how hard laying concrete is, you want to ensure it's done right. A great tool for pulling off the best pour possible, especially for deep pours, is a concrete vibrator. The vibrating head of this tool is submerged into the wet concrete, forcing out air bubbles to keep the pour as consolidated and durable as possible. A small, lightweight option that most can benefit from is the 20V Max DeWalt cordless pencil vibrator. It delivers up to 14,000 VPM and, as the name suggests, runs on a 20V Max battery, though unless you purchase a kit, the battery and charger are sold separately.

While this concrete vibrator is considerably smaller than other DeWalt tools of this type, it certainly doesn't lack performance. On Amazon, it has over 300 reviews, averaging a 4.5 out of 5-star rating. The majority of those reviews give this tool credit on multiple fronts, from its lightweight design to its ease of use to its ability to shake out concrete quickly and effectively. Seeing as other DeWalt concrete vibrators are worn like backpacks or satchels, this seems like a tool that belongs among the many DeWalt products designed to save your back while at work.

Once the concrete is mixed, the next step is pouring. However, unlike a thinner material like water, concrete isn't great at pouring and leveling out on its own. Getting a smooth, even, level finish needs to be done by hand — or by tool, rather. The DeWalt tool for this task is the DeWalt PowerShift concrete power screed, which levels and smooths concrete and is powered by a 554-watt-hour PowerShift battery. That's to say, this is a cordless model that can vary in speed between 0 and 7,800 VPM, can be adjusted in various ways for specific heights and widths, and can accommodate different board types for different smoothing needs, to name a few of its key features.

Unlike most other concrete-related DeWalt tools, this is a relatively new addition to the collection as of this writing. Still, most of the comments about it that have come to light speak highly of it. For example, Mike Day Concrete (Everything About Concrete) on YouTube compared it to the manual screeding method. They found it to be one of the best power screeds they'd ever used, praising its convenient, easy startup, how well it ran, and its versatility. Fellow YouTuber Tim Seay (@TimDCVA) was quite fond of the power screed as well and pointed to the speed and board options as two of its strongest attributes.

It should be noted that this is another case where additional shopping is needed, as the screed doesn't come with a bar or board to use with it. As mentioned, though, it is adjustable to accommodate different boards, so those from other brands and sources shouldn't present compatibility issues.

A thorough research process went into selecting these specific DeWalt concrete tools. First and foremost, we looked at the entire catalog of DeWalt concrete-specific items, specifically focusing on hand and power tools rather than accessories and add-ons. From there, we determined which are the most essential for almost every concrete job. This meant assembling a list of those who could aid at all stages of the concrete-laying process, including tools that made breaking up old concrete layers to prepare for a fresh lay much easier.

From here, the list was sufficiently narrowed down, though there were other elements to highlight. One was user sentiment, which is touched on in entries with numerous online reviews. These were assembled through reviews on the DeWalt website, YouTube, and other online sources. Simultaneously, it was noted if a tool needed additional hardware or add-ons to work, painting a full picture of the setup and use experience. Thus, the final list is of DeWalt concrete tools that are helpful on the job and, most agree, worth using and recommending to others.