I finally found a way to keep my soapstone marks visible in the rain

After losing my layout lines three times on a job in Portland last month, I tried wiping the steel dry with a rag then hitting it with a quick pass of 80 grit, and the marks stayed put for over an hour, has anyone else got a better trick for wet conditions?

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xena_brown5019d ago

Did anyone else find that the 80 grit actually leaves little scratches that trap moisture and make the marks bleed worse once it really rains? I get the dry rag trick, that part makes sense, but adding grit to a wet job site feels like you're just giving the water more places to hide. I always carry a sharpie and a dry erase marker as backup, because once that soapstone gets wet, it's basically gone in my experience, no matter what you prep with. Plus on galvanized steel or anything with a coating, that quick grit pass can chew up the top layer and cause rust spots down the road. I'd rather just re-mark twice than risk messing with the surface, but if it works for you, keep at it.