Hand-held vibrating screeds are often useful when striking off concrete with ______.

• A. Wet-Screeds
• B. Dry-Screeds
• C. Hand Screeds
• D. Glass Screeds

Answer: (A)

The technique being tested is how vibration aids finishing during strike-off. A hand-held vibrating screed is most effective when the concrete is still fresh and plastic—i.e., wet. The vibration helps the mix consolidate as you move the screed, bringing the surface to grade, expelling air voids, and reducing the chance of honeycombing. This leads to a smoother, more uniform finish.

If the concrete is already dry or stiff, vibration offers little benefit and can cause dust and segregation; in that case a non-vibrating hand screed would be used. Glass screeds aren’t designed for vibration, and dry-screeds are used in different conditions, so they’re not the right pairing with vibration for strike-off.