A builder’s hoe (Dutch ‘houw’) is a hoe-like tool: a blade set at right angles to the handle, used to work the ground, clean out ditches, or mix mortar and concrete. It is a simple but versatile hand tool.
Types and use
- Ground hoe — for loosening and moving soil, or keeping trenches and ditches clear
- Mortar or concrete hoe — for mixing and working mortar and concrete by hand; the blade (often with holes or points) sits at right angles to the handle so the mix can be turned over well
- Related to the mattock, a heavier tool with a wooden handle and an elongated metal head with a point on one side and a flat part on the other
Application
The hoe is used mainly for mixing mortar and concrete by hand in a tub or on a mixing board, and for groundwork where a machine cannot reach. For larger amounts of concrete a mixer or ready-mixed concrete mortar is more practical.
Points of attention
- Work the mix thoroughly to an even colour and composition; poorly mixed mortar is weaker
- Keep the handle and blade clean; caked, hardened mortar makes the tool heavy and blunt
Related terms
- Mortar
- Masonry mortar
- Concrete mortar
- Shovel
- Lime
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