Stylish and durable exposed aggregate concrete in Perth. CoastCrete designs driveways, alfrescos, pool surrounds and paths with custom stone finishes that suit your home.
Exposed aggregate is ideal for Perth's climate and lifestyle. The textured surface is slip-resistant, the stones add character, and the finish lasts decades.
Built to withstand vehicles, foot traffic and harsh UV. Properly sealed exposed aggregate lasts 25+ years across Perth's coastal and inland zones.
Doesn't stain easily and only needs the occasional clean. A hose-down and periodic re-seal keeps the surface looking sharp.
Choose your stone mix, colour base and finish style. Earthy sandstones, jet blacks with quartz flecks, or softer riverstone mixes to suit your home.
The textured surface improves safety around pools and slopes while adding modern appeal to both residential and commercial spaces.
Exposed aggregate is concrete that has had the top layer of cement paste removed to reveal decorative stone, gravel, or sand mixed into the slab. The result is a textured, slip-resistant surface that adds character to any space. Unlike plain concrete, exposed aggregate brings out the natural colour of the stones used, which makes it an attractive choice for design-focused outdoor areas across Perth.
The slab is poured as normal, then a surface retarder slows the cure of the very top layer. Once the concrete beneath has set, that top paste is washed back to reveal the stone. How far it is washed back is what decides whether you end up with a light scattering of stone or a deep, heavily textured surface. Our full guide to exposed aggregate walks through the process in more detail.
Perth moves between hot, dry summers and wet winters, and coastal suburbs add salt air on top. Exposed aggregate handles that better than most decorative finishes because the texture hides everyday wear rather than showing it, and a quality penetrating sealer protects against UV and salt. Sealing is not optional here. See our concrete sealer guide for what we use and why.
Over two decades of concreting experience in Perth, with specialists in exposed, honed and polished finishes. Every project is tailored to your home and budget, servicing Perth Metro, Mandurah and Gingin. Browse recent work in our project gallery.
The same finish behaves differently depending on where it goes. These are the four we are asked for most across Perth, and what changes between them.
The most common use, and the one with the most engineering behind it. A driveway carries vehicle loads, so it needs a deeper sub-base, steel reinforcement and control joints cut at the right spacings. We pour at 32 MPa minimum. If you are weighing up finishes for the front of the house, our concrete driveways page covers the alternatives, and the 2026 driveway cost guide has current pricing.
Concrete driveways
Around a pool, slip resistance stops being a nice-to-have. The textured surface gives grip when wet, and the stone stays cooler underfoot than a dark plain slab. Coping and edge detailing matter as much as the pour itself, which is where our seamless pool edging work comes in. Comparing it against limestone? This comparison is worth a read.
Seamless pool edging
Entertaining areas are where the stone choice does the most work, because you see the surface up close and it sits against your paving, decking and landscaping. Smaller stone and a lighter exposure tend to read as more refined here than the heavier mixes that suit a driveway. See our concrete alfresco page for finished examples.
Concrete alfresco
Narrow pours have their own considerations. Joint placement becomes more visible on a path than it does on a wide driveway, and courtyards often need the finish to tie into an existing surface. We bring samples on site so the blend can be matched to what is already there. Recent paths and courtyards are in the project gallery.
See recent projectsAs an estimate, exposed aggregate concrete in Perth generally runs between $100 and $150 per square metre supplied and installed. Every site is different, so treat the figures below as a starting point rather than a quote.
These figures are indicative only and are not a quote. For a full breakdown, including worked examples and what a typical driveway comes to, read our exposed aggregate cost guide. For a firm price on your site, request a free on-site quote above.
Five decisions shape how the finished surface looks. Get these right and the concrete works with the house rather than against it. We bring samples on site so you can see them in your own light before committing.
The stone is what you actually see. Natural sandstone gives warm, earthy tones that suit brick and rendered homes. Granite blends read cooler and more contemporary. Quartz adds sparkle and lifts a darker base, and riverstone gives a softer, rounded, more organic look. Our colour range shows the blends we run most often.
Smaller stone, roughly 7mm to 10mm, gives a tighter and more even surface that photographs well up close, which suits alfresco areas and paths. Larger stone, 14mm to 20mm, reads bolder from a distance and stands up well on driveways. Size also affects underfoot comfort.
The cement paste around the stone can be left natural grey, or oxide can be added to tint it charcoal, black, buff or terracotta. A dark base makes pale stone pop and hides tyre marks. A light base keeps the surface cooler underfoot, which matters around pools.
How much paste is washed back. A light exposure just breaks the surface and shows the tops of the stones, giving a subtle, more uniform finish. A deep exposure reveals more of each stone for a heavily textured, high-grip surface. Deeper exposure means more grip and more visual texture, but it also shows more variation across the pour.
A penetrating sealer soaks in and leaves the surface looking natural, which is what we recommend for most Perth homes. A topical sealer sits on top and can be specified matt through to high gloss, deepening the stone colour but needing more frequent attention. Both need redoing every three to five years. Full detail is in our sealer guide.
If you are extending an existing area, an exact match is rarely possible because concrete ages and the original batch cannot be reproduced. What we can do is get close, then use a deliberate joint or a change of level so the transition reads as a design choice rather than a mismatch.
Exposed aggregate is not always the right answer. Here is how it stacks up against the three finishes people most often weigh it against, so you can rule options in or out before you get a quote.
| Exposed aggregate | Honed concrete | Liquid limestone | Plain concrete | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Look | Textured, natural stone on show | Smooth, satin, stone visible but flat | Pale, matt, uniform stone-like finish | Flat grey, utilitarian |
| Slip resistance | High, even when wet | Moderate, can be slick when wet | Good, stays grippy | Depends entirely on the broom finish |
| Heat underfoot | Moderate, depends on base colour | Moderate to warm | Coolest of the four | Warm, especially darker slabs |
| Best suited to | Driveways, pool surrounds, paths | Alfresco, indoor-outdoor flow | Pool surrounds, hot areas | Sheds, side access, budget work |
| Indicative cost | $100 to $150 / m² | Typically higher | Comparable to exposed | Lowest of the four |
| Maintenance | Reseal every 3 to 5 years | Reseal, shows marks more readily | Reseal, can need patching | Minimal, but stains show |
Want the detail? Compare honed concrete and liquid limestone directly, or read our side-by-side on exposed vs honed vs polished. Costs shown are indicative only.
A few recent CoastCrete exposed aggregate pours, including driveways, pool surrounds and paths, finished and sealed across the Perth metro.
Four clear steps. Same crew, start to finish.
We walk the site, discuss your goals, and provide a detailed quote with no obligation. Most homeowners get a clear answer quickly.
Site preparation, excavation, formwork. We remove old surfaces, prep the sub-base and lay reinforcement so the new pour sits on solid ground.
Continuous pour with steel reinforcement and control joints. High-quality Hanson concrete finished to your chosen style by the same crew end-to-end.
Protective sealing extends life and makes maintenance simple. We clear the site and walk you through how to keep the surface looking its best.
Tap each phase to expand. Full transparency — exactly what's covered in your quote.
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Free on-site consultation across Perth Metro, Mandurah and Gingin. We'll respond as soon as possible.
