Exposed aggregate
The surface is washed back to reveal the stone in the mix. Textured, hard-wearing, hides marks well, and available in a wide range of stone colours and sizes.
Decorative concrete
Decorative Concrete — Hawkesbury & Hills District
Exposed aggregate, honed, coloured or stencilled, the finish is the part everyone sees and the hardest to fix later. We pour and finish it ourselves, so the surface you picked is the surface you get.
- Licensed NSW concreting contractor
- Public liability & home warranty insured
- 13+ years on the tools
- ABN 55 852 128 340
What are the main types of decorative concrete?
Five, broadly. Exposed aggregate washes back the surface to reveal the stone. Coloured concrete uses oxide through the mix. Honed and polished grinds the surface smooth. Stencilled and stamped press a pattern in before it sets. Each has a different cost, a different texture underfoot and a different maintenance story.
- WhereHawkesbury, the Hills District and surrounds
- WhatExposed aggregate, coloured, honed, stencilled and stamped finishes
- Used onDriveways, alfresco areas, pool surrounds, paths and courtyards
- Who does itSame crew from base preparation to final finish
The complete package
Why Decorative Concrete Fails
Decorative concrete is judged entirely on appearance, which means every mistake is permanent and visible. Almost all of them happen before or during the pour, not afterwards.
Base preparation
A decorative surface on a poor base cracks in exactly the place you look at most. The preparation under a feature area matters more, not less, than under a plain slab.
Consistent batching
Colour comes from the mix. Inconsistent batches or added water on site produce patchy colour across a single pour, and it cannot be corrected afterwards.
Timing the finish
Exposed aggregate, stencil and stamp all have a window. Too early and the surface tears, too late and the texture never takes. Weather moves that window constantly.
Joint layout
Control joints have to be planned into the design. Cut where it suits the crew rather than the eye, they ruin an otherwise good-looking surface.
Curing
Uneven curing causes blotching and colour variation. Decorative work needs to be cured properly, not just left.
Sealing
Most decorative finishes need sealing, and the product and timing change the final look. This is a finishing decision, not an afterthought.
Finishes
Decorative Finishes We Pour
Worth seeing these in person rather than on a screen. Colour and texture photograph very differently to how they read underfoot.
Coloured concrete
Oxide through the mix rather than on the surface, so the colour goes all the way through. Charcoal is the most requested colour in the Hills by a distance.
Honed & polished
Ground back to expose the aggregate in a smooth surface. The most refined looking option and the most expensive, with grip needing consideration in wet areas.
Stencilled
A pattern applied before the surface sets, giving the look of pavers or brick in a single continuous slab with no joints to weed or lift.
Stamped
Texture pressed into the surface for a stone, timber or tile appearance with real depth. More dramatic than stencil and more dependent on finishing skill.
Combined finishes
Borders, bands and inlays combining two finishes — an exposed aggregate field with a charcoal border is a common way to lift a plain driveway.
Choosing
Which Finish Suits Which Job
There is no best finish, only the right one for where it is going and what it has to put up with. This is roughly how we steer people.
| Driveways | Exposed aggregate or coloured concrete. Both wear well under vehicles and hide tyre marks. Stencil works but shows wear faster in wheel tracks. |
|---|---|
| Pool surrounds | Exposed aggregate for grip and cooler surface temperature. Honed looks sharper but needs surface treatment — see pool surrounds. |
| Alfresco & courtyards | Honed, coloured or stamped, since these are low-traffic areas seen up close where finish quality shows most. |
| Paths & steps | Exposed aggregate or textured finishes for grip, particularly on any path that gets wet or slopes. |
| Large rural areas | Plain or coloured concrete. Over large areas the cost difference between finishes becomes the deciding factor. |
| Hot climates | Lighter aggregates and colours. A dark surface in full western sun gets uncomfortably hot underfoot, which matters on anything barefoot. |
Pricing
What Affects The Cost Of Decorative Concrete
Decorative work carries the same base cost as plain concrete plus the finish on top. The finish is usually the smaller half of the number, which surprises people.
- Finish typeHoned and polished sit at the top, stamped and exposed aggregate in the middle, stencil and colour closest to plain concrete.
- Stone or oxide selectionWithin exposed aggregate, stone choice changes the price considerably. Same for oxide loading in coloured concrete.
- AreaLarger areas spread the setup and finishing cost. Small feature areas are disproportionately expensive per square metre.
- Base and site preparationThe same excavation and base variables as any concrete job — see excavation and site preparation.
- ComplexityBorders, bands, curves and multiple finishes in one area all add formwork and finishing time.
- AccessWhether the truck can reach the pour or it needs a pump. Decorative pours are time-critical, which makes access more important than usual.
- SealingProduct choice and whether resealing is planned. Most decorative finishes need periodic resealing to keep their appearance.
- Weather windowDecorative pours are weather dependent. Rescheduling around heat and rain is normal and we would rather move a date than pour badly.
Recent work
Decorative Work We’ve Poured
Why Southo
Why Owners Use Us For Decorative Work
Finish quality is the reputation
High-end workmanship on visible surfaces is what we are known for. Decorative work is where that is most obvious.
We control the base too
A beautiful finish on a bad base is a cracked beautiful finish. We do both, so neither gets cut.
Joints designed in
Control joint layout planned against the design rather than cut wherever is convenient.
We will talk you out of things
If a finish is wrong for the location — too hot, too slippery, too high maintenance — we say so before you pay for it.
Photography to prove it
Hundreds of job photos across the Hawkesbury and the Hills, filed by suburb and finish, not stock images.
Licensed and insured
Licensed NSW concreting contractor with public liability and home warranty insurance. Details supplied on request.
Want it to look like something.
Tell us the area and the look you are after and we’ll talk through what actually works there.
Reviews
Our Customer Reviews
Service area
Where We Pour Decorative Concrete
Based in the Hawkesbury, working across the Hills, Sydney and the Central Coast.
Questions
Decorative Concrete FAQs
What is the difference between stencilled and stamped?
Stencil applies a pattern to the surface using a paper template and colour hardener, producing a flat printed look. Stamp presses a textured mat into the concrete for real depth and relief. Stamp looks more convincing up close and costs more.
Does decorative concrete crack more than plain?
No. It cracks the same, but it shows more because you are looking at it. That is why base preparation and control joint layout matter more on decorative work, not less.
How often does it need resealing?
It depends on the finish, the product and how much sun and traffic it gets. Sealed finishes generally need attention every few years. We will tell you what your finish needs and roughly how often.
Can you match an existing area?
Sometimes closely, rarely exactly. Concrete varies between batches and ages differently over time, so a new pour next to a ten-year-old one will not be identical. We are upfront about that before you commit.
Can I see samples first?
Photos of real jobs in your area are more useful than a sample board, and we have a lot of them filed by suburb and finish. Ask and we will show you the closest comparable job.
Will a dark colour fade?
Oxide through the mix is far more stable than a surface-applied colour, but all concrete lightens somewhat with UV exposure over years. Sealing slows it down.
Do you do decorative work on rural properties?
Yes. Acreage entrances, house surrounds and entertaining areas are a good part of our decorative work. Distance and access are factored into the quote.
Southo
Concrete
We are Sydney’s top choice for residential, civil, and industrial concreting services.
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