Cairns Exposed Aggregate Contractors
Call (07) 4043 7499Exposed Aggregate in Cairns
Exposed aggregate in Cairns is a classic finish that reveals the natural stones within the concrete, producing a textured, slip-resistant surface with plenty of character. It suits driveways, paths, patios, entertaining areas and pool surrounds, and it handles tropical weather beautifully. Because the stones are part of the surface, exposed aggregate hides marks well, stays safe underfoot when wet and looks attractive for many years with very little ongoing upkeep.
We select quality aggregates and colour combinations to match your home, then pour the concrete and carefully expose the stones at exactly the right moment. A sealer enhances the colours and helps protect the surface from stains and weather. Timing and technique make all the difference to a clean, even, lasting finish. Contact us today to discuss your project, view finish options and arrange a quote for your exposed aggregate.
Exposed Aggregate Concrete Services in Cairns
Aggregate Driveway Pours
Full driveways in exposed aggregate, from the garage door out to the kerb, laid as one continuous finish. Plain or coloured concrete bands can be used along borders and joints, giving the driveway a defined edge and a tidy line where it meets the footpath.
Alfresco and Entertaining Areas
Living spaces off the kitchen or back deck, finished with a finer stone that sits well under outdoor furniture and a barbecue. The surface works under a patio roof or out in the open, and pairs nicely with timber decking, tiles or garden edging.
Contrast Borders and Banding
Smooth or honed bands around the edge, through the middle or along joint lines break up a large aggregate area and frame it neatly. Borders can pick up the colour of your roof or render, and they give the slab a crisp finish against lawn and gardens.
Honed Aggregate Finishes
For a flatter look, the surface is ground back after curing to slice through the stones and show their cross-section. Honed aggregate suits covered patios, entries and alfresco areas where you want the stone colours on show with a smoother face.
Paths and Side Walkways
Garden paths, side passages and the walk out to the clothesline finished to match your driveway or patio, so the whole property reads as one design. Narrow side runs are placed and washed by hand, which suits tight spaces beside fences and walls.
Strata and Commercial Paving
Aggregate paving for unit complexes, shopfronts, car parks and community spaces, where a hard-wearing surface needs to look presentable under heavy use. We stage the work around residents and customers so access is kept open while each section is placed and cured.
Hire Exposed Aggregate Contractors in Cairns: Three Easy First Steps
The fun part of exposed aggregate is picking the stone. Natural river pebble, crushed granite or a blend with coloured flecks can all look great, and we can help you narrow down the choice.
- Look at finished driveways: Ask for photos of recent driveways we have finished around Cairns, so you can see real stone colours in full tropical sunlight.
- Send a photo of your frontage: A picture of the house and current driveway helps us suggest a stone mix that complements your roof, render or timber.
- Start an enquiry online: Pop the approximate size and your suburb into the enquiry panel beside this section, and expect a free quote in reply.
Exposed aggregate is a smart pick for Cairns because the textured surface gives better grip when tropical downpours hit and hides dirt and leaf litter well. We plan the pour around the weather so the stones are exposed at just the right time. Get in touch today and start choosing your stone.
What Sets Our Exposed Aggregate Team Apart in Cairns
Retarder Applied At The Right Time
We spray a surface retarder straight after finishing, which holds back the top paste while the slab below sets. Tropical heat shortens that window, so the slab is monitored closely and washed off once the stone releases cleanly.
Enough Hands On Pour Day
Exposure has to be even across the whole slab, and patchy areas show clearly once it dries. We bring a crew sized to the job so every section is washed at the same stage, with no corner drying out ahead of the rest.
Stone Content Checked In The Mix
A good-looking surface needs plenty of stone near the top. We order a mix with an aggregate content suited to exposure and check it as it is placed, avoiding bare, paste-heavy patches once the surface is revealed.
Joints Planned Around The Layout
Control joints are essential, but they need not look like an afterthought. We set them out to line up with the house, garage door and paths, or tuck them into smooth borders, so the finished surface looks deliberate.
Strong Structure Beneath The Stone
Under the decorative top it is still a driveway that carries cars. Digging depth, base compaction, steel and slab thickness all suit your soil, whether clay, sand or rock, and the vehicles that will use it.
Neat Edges Against Lawns And Walls
Where the slab meets lawn, garden beds or the house, we form clean, straight edges and keep wash-off water and slurry out of gardens and stormwater drains, leaving the site tidy once the work is done.
Concrete Works in Cairns
Exposed Aggregate FAQs
Our answers to what Cairns clients ask about exposed aggregate: why it works so well here, comfort underfoot, cleaning, how often to reseal and matching older concrete.
It answers several local problems with one surface. The stones standing proud of the paste give tyres and shoes extra bite, which helps on sloping crossovers during a wet-season storm or where shade lets algae build up. Its busy texture also disguises leaf litter, dust and tyre marks, so a hard-working driveway keeps looking tidy between cleans. Sealed properly, it copes well with harsh UV, heavy rain and months of humidity. You will pay more than for plain broom-finished concrete, but many owners decide the look and the extra traction justify it, particularly on blocks where a smooth slab would be risky when wet.
Comfort comes down to two things: the size of the stone and how deeply the surface is washed back. Small, rounded pebbles with a shallow exposure feel pleasant underfoot, which is why we tend to suggest them around pools and on patios. Big feature stones with a deep exposure give the most traction but feel coarse, so they belong on a driveway rather than where children run around barefoot. Smooth river gravel is also gentler than sharp crushed rock of a similar size. Tell us how each area gets used and we will suggest a stone and exposure for each, instead of one specification across the whole job.
For routine care, a broom and garden hose do most of the work. The texture traps a little more grime than smooth concrete, and in shady, damp corners, such as beneath trees or along the side fence, mould, moss and algae will creep in, faster through the humid months. Treating the growth first, then pressure washing at a moderate setting, usually brings it back. Keep the wand moving and avoid blasting one spot at close range, since that can loosen stones and strip the sealer. A deep clean takes some sealer off with the grime, so plan a reseal afterwards.
In our climate most surfaces want a fresh coat somewhere between three and five years, though sun and traffic change that a lot. A driveway baking in afternoon sun with cars on it daily wears through its coat much faster than a covered path. You can usually tell when it is due: the stone loses its depth of colour and turns chalky, and water soaks in rather than beading on top. Skipping a reseal will not weaken the concrete, but the surface dulls, stains set in more easily and mould gets a foothold sooner. Resealing on schedule keeps the finish close to how it looked when new.
Getting close is usually possible if the original stone is still available, so it helps if you know what was used. Older surfaces are harder to match, because the stone weathers and its sealer dulls, so a new section looks brighter and crisper at first even with identical stone. Expect the join to stand out for the first couple of years until both areas weather together. If the match really matters, sealing old and new together after the work is finished helps blend the two. We can also prepare a sample beside the old surface so you can compare before the pour.
Other services you might need
Thinking about an aggregate driveway or patio?
Give us a rough size for the job and we can bring stone samples out to compare on site.