Exposed aggregate or plain concrete, which is right for me?

Which finish is the most common question we get once the slab itself is sorted. They are all real concrete on the same base and mesh. They just look, cost and wear differently. Here is the straight comparison on look, grip, upkeep and cost, so you choose on facts rather than a showroom photo.

The four finishes, side by side

• Plain or broom finish. The grey workhorse at about $65 to $95 a square metre. Screeded flat and dragged with a broom for a non-slip texture. Cheapest, lowest upkeep, ideal for sheds, paths and budget driveways.
• Exposed aggregate. Roughly $100 to $150 a square metre once sealed. The top is washed back so the stone shows through, giving a textured, decorative, non-slip surface that holds up to cars and weather.
• Coloured or stencil. About $100 to $160 a square metre. Colour through the mix, or a brick, tile or cobble pattern stencilled over coloured concrete, so it reads like pavers with no joints to lift or weed.
• Honed or polished. The top of the range, around $130 to $200 a square metre. Ground back, polished and sealed for a smooth, premium decorative look.

Look, grip and upkeep

Plain broom is plain and practical, and it grips in the wet, which is exactly why it suits paths and side access. Exposed aggregate gives texture and a decorative stone finish that hides marks and grips well, so it is a favourite for driveways and pool surrounds. Coloured and stencil buy you the paver look without the joints. Honed is the smoothest and most refined, and it is the one that most wants its sealer kept up. The decorative finishes ask for a reseal every few years; the broom finish is the most hands-off.

The finish decides the look, the grip and the upkeep. The base, the mesh and the control joints decide whether the slab is still flat and crack-free in ten years. That part is the same whichever finish you pick, and it is the part a cheap quote skimps.

The slab under both is the same job

Whichever finish you choose, the slab lives or dies on what is underneath. A slab that cracks across the middle is a base and reo problem, not a finish problem. We excavate, compact the base, size the mesh to the soil and cut control joints on every finish, plain or decorative, which is why the guarantee covers the slab and footings either way.

How we help you choose

Compare the finishes on our estimator to see the price gap for your area. Then we talk it through on the free measure: where the slab lives, how you use it, the look you want, and the upkeep you are happy to do. We will show you samples and tell you honestly which finish we would lay for your spot.