Two of the most common driveway finishes in South-East Queensland, compared on grip, look, maintenance and long-term wear.
Walk down any Brisbane street and you'll see two finishes more than any other: plain broom-finished concrete and exposed aggregate. Both are durable, both are well-suited to the SEQ climate, but they wear, look and feel different underfoot. Picking between them is mostly a question of style, grip and budget.
Plain (broom-finished) concrete
Plain concrete is the workhorse. The crew screeds, floats and then drags a soft broom across the surface to leave a fine, even texture. It's clean, quiet and lets the architecture of the house do the talking.
Pros
- Lower cost per square metre
- Easy to repair and patch
- Neutral look that suits most homes
- Faster to pour and finish
Trade-offs
- Shows tyre marks and oil stains more readily
- Less visual interest
- Slightly less grip when wet than exposed aggregate
Exposed aggregate concrete
Exposed aggregate is concrete with a decorative stone seeded into the top layer. After the pour, the cream is washed back to reveal the stone. The result is a textured, hard-wearing surface with a lot of visual depth.
Pros
- Strong grip — useful on sloped Brisbane blocks
- Hides tyre marks and minor staining well
- Wide range of stone colours and sizes
- A premium look that lifts the front of the house
Trade-offs
- Higher cost — stone, washing and sealing all add up
- Sealer needs refreshing every few years
- Slightly harder to patch invisibly
How to decide
If you want the simplest, most cost-effective option, plain broom-finished concrete is hard to beat. If your block is steep, your driveway is on display from the street, or you want a finish that hides everyday marks, exposed aggregate is usually worth the extra spend.
