Concrete finishes
One material, a dozen surfaces — and the cheapest yard of paving you can buy.
Poured concrete is the default surface in a San Diego backyard, and the finish put on it while it is still wet decides whether it reads as a driveway or as a floor. Every option below is the same slab underneath; the differences are what the crew does in the four hours after the truck leaves. Concrete cracks — the question a builder should answer plainly is where the joints are that decide where.
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6 ways to narrow this down. Combine as many as you like — they stack.
4 of 4 concrete finishes in this category
Troweled & broomedBroom finish
A bristle broom dragged across the fresh slab. The cheapest finish there is, the most slip-resistant, and — laid straight, jointed thoughtfully and kept clean — a completely respectable surface.
Troweled & broomedTopcast
A retarder is sprayed on the fresh concrete so the top layer doesn’t set, and the next day it’s washed off to show the fine sand underneath. Smooth enough for bare feet and still grippy when wet.
Colour & overlaysIntegral colour
Pigment mixed into the concrete at the truck, so the colour goes all the way through. Chips and saw cuts show the same colour as the surface — which is exactly what surface-applied colour cannot claim.
Stamped & texturedBoard-formed vertical concrete
Walls poured against timber forms so the grain and the board joints print into the face. Every wall is one-off, nothing is repeated, and the formwork is most of what you are paying for.