To thin a mat out to a fine edge where it meets a gutter, driveway, existing pavement or structure. Feathering avoids a lip, but the thin edge cannot hold coarse aggregate or reach density, so it tends to ravel and peel. On quality work crews mill a butt joint or keyway so the new mix ends at full depth instead of feathering out.
Heard on the job
Don't feather it onto the concrete apron, sawcut and mill a butt joint or it'll be gone by spring.
Also heard as
- feathering
- feather edge
- feather out