For driveways, you can’t go past exposed aggregate (if you have a little cash to throw about). It’s durable, colourful and textured, so when it comes to tyre marks and oil stains - it’s going to perform the best at hiding the mess. It’s also nice and grippy for the sloping nature of most driveways. As an approved installer (and lovers of a quality product), we use Holcim's Geostone.
If you’re looking for the cheaper option, simple plain grey concrete with a stipple finish makes for a neat entrance and certainly does the trick! You will work a little harder to keep it clean but for driveways that don’t necessarily get a lot of use (second homes, say) or large scale driveways and carports where you’ve got excessive coverage - plain grey concrete with stipple finish would be an easy choice.
A patio /alfresco area
For high-traffic areas that you’re bound to love to death, exposed aggregate is often a fan favourite because of the low-maintenance cleaning that comes with a colourful and textured finish. It’s more expensive and yet the decorative look is often worth it. That being said, at Arkonik Concrete, we’re all about being fancy, functional and comfortable (wherever we can). Our go-to triple threat and personal favourite is honed concrete. Why? Because it not only looks fantastic and stylish but it hides dirt well and the winning factor – it feels oh-so-good on bare feet.
Bench tops & countertops
Countertops are a statement piece. You’ll want to go for a burnish finished grey concrete or, to achieve a terrazzo look, polished concrete is your pick… and trust us, it looks money!
For many years, exposed aggregate was the popular choice – but we’d like to make it less popular. While it looks lovely, when it’s already a hot 38 degree day and the ground is scorching, the additional discomfort of the textured ground on bare feet (especially young feet) can give you well, buyers remorse.
At Arkonik, we’ll always give you the finish that makes you happy. We’ll also always point out where you might have over-looked a big thing called comfort.
Our go-to finish for pool surrounds and wet areas is honed concrete – a textured look but with a smooth finish that feels good on the feet and is naturally a great non-slip surface.
And before we go anywhere, just a quick note on pavers around pools – they’re dead. Unless you love nothing more than to kill thriving weeds continuously through your lifted and uneven paver where you’ll stub your toe at least once a month.
Both honed or burnish grey finish are great finishes for both floating steps and feature walls. It will just come down to what matches best with your home and landscaping and if you’re looking for more stones and colours or a more earthy burned concrete look.
If you’re going to be putting flooring over your slab, keep to plain grey concrete with a trowel finish – just make sure it’s quality and the formwork is well-engineered. This is the most important slab in the house whether you see it or not, it’s load-bearing and the foundation for everything.
If you’re planning to have exposed concrete floors in your home, opt for high quality aggregate products like Holcim’s Geostone (yes, we're an approved installer). Exposing the stones and doing a polished floor finish will look absolutely divine.
Footings
Plain concrete - smooth towel finish - no need to spend the extra money. Get the most cost-effective concrete because it’ll never be seen however, it is load baring so make sure you’ve got the right amounts of steel and architectural requirements are met.
Under paving (pavers & tiles)
smooth towel finish plain concrete - no need to spend the extra money. Get the most cost-effective concrete because it’ll never be seen, however, make sure if the area you’re working on catches rainfall and has drainage the concrete slopes ever so slightly in the right places so that runoff can go into the drain and not sit on top of your pavers and tiles creating slip zones.
Garden edging
If you’re matching your home and aesthetics, coloured concrete will probably be your best bet. Otherwise, plain grey with a smooth trowel finish is far more cost-effective and still looks neat and tidy.
Retaining walls
Functional: Plain grey concrete with a smooth trowel finish
Decorative options: Off-form, burnish finish or honed
Stairs
Functional: Plain grey concrete with stipple finish
Decorative options: Exposed aggregate or honed concrete
Ready for a concrete quote?
Contact your local Torquay concreting team at Arkonik to chat through your project. Our expert team can guide you through the whole process and help bring your vision to life, whatever it is.
Get in touch with our team or call us!
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