Concrete is one of the most versatile and popular building materials worldwide for a reason. Not only is it strong and durable, but it’s also affordable, making it a top choice for residential and commercial projects.
Made by mixing cement, water, and aggregates like sand or gravel, concrete hardens into a long-lasting, solid surface that can withstand both indoor foot traffic and outdoor environments. With proper installation and maintenance, concrete can retain its strength and appearance for decades.
On top of that, concrete is highly customizable. Whether you want a sleek, modern surface for an indoor space or a slip-resistant texture for outdoor use, concrete can be finished in a variety of ways to achieve the look and performance you need.
The finish you choose not only impacts the concrete’s appearance but also its durability, traction, and maintenance requirements. Here is a look at some of the most common types of concrete finishes and what makes each one unique so that you can choose the best finish for your project.
9 Types of Concrete Finishes
1. Smooth Finish
A smooth, or troweled, finish is the most basic and most popular concrete finish. It’s often used in roof slabs, garages, indoor spaces, walls, driveways, patios, utility areas, walkways, and commercial areas due to its low cost, durability, relative ease of installation, and level, smooth appearance.
After leveling and floating the concrete, there are two methods for creating a smooth finish:
- Manual troweling: After mixing and laying the concrete, workers will drag a metal or wood screed across the wet surface to create a more even level. Then, they’ll use a steel or magnesium hand trowel to further smooth and compact the surface to create a denser, more uniform concrete slab.
- Power troweling: If you have a large patio, garage, or warehouse, a power trowel can get the job done much faster. Power trowels have large rotating blades that will spin and glide over the concrete’s surface, smoothing the texture and reducing imperfections.
Once the concrete hardens, it forms a smooth, hard surface that is easy to clean and maintain, minimizing the buildup of dirt and dust. While smooth concrete works well for indoor areas, its even surface can become slippery when wet, so it’s best to avoid using this finish in spill-prone or high-moisture outdoor locations.
View this post on Instagram
2. Broom Finish
Concrete with a broom finish is created by dragging a broom or brush across freshly laid concrete. Brooms with larger bristles will result in deeper, wider ridges, while those with smaller bristles can produce finer, more closely spaced grooves. For a slightly more decorative touch, swirl concrete broom finishes build on the basic broom pattern by creating uniform swirled imprints, arc patterns, or other geometric designs.
Either way, this finish produces a textured surface that increases traction and slip resistance. As a result, broom-finished concrete is a popular choice for ramps, driveways, patios, sidewalks, swimming pool decks, and other outdoor applications.
However, broom finishes are a little more difficult to maintain than smooth finishes. Water, dirt, and other debris can collect between the ridges left behind by the broom, making regular cleaning important to keep the surface looking its best and to maintain safe traction.
View this post on Instagram
3. Stamped Concrete Finish
If you love the look of stone, brick, or tile but prefer the affordability and durability that concrete offers, stamped concrete might be the perfect choice. Created by pressing patterned plastic, wood, or metal panels into freshly poured concrete, stamped concrete finishes can resemble bricks, tile, stone, slate, and more.
Since stamped concrete can look like natural materials, it’s an excellent choice for outdoor applications. Whether you’re building a patio, walkway, or pool deck, stamped concrete offers the perfect balance between durability, affordability, and visual appeal. Plus, since there aren’t any joints or grout lines, maintenance will be a breeze compared to using individual stones, bricks, or tiles.
View this post on Instagram
4. Stenciled Finish
Stamping can become expensive, but stenciled finishes offer a less pricey alternative without sacrificing that decorative element. While stamping involves pressing patterns into wet concrete, stenciled finishes use paper stencils to create patterns.
Stencil-finished concrete can mimic cobblestones, bricks, tiles, natural stone, geometric shapes, and more, though the patterns won’t have the same depth that comes with stamping. The resulting concrete isn’t as durable as some other finishing options and can be prone to cracking, but it’s still widely used in patios, walkways, landscaping, and indoor spaces.
View this post on Instagram
5. Exposed Aggregate Finish
For a dynamic, textured appearance, an exposed aggregate finish is a great option. By removing the thin top layer of concrete during the finishing process to reveal the gravel, pebbles, shells, recycled glass, or stones embedded within the concrete, you can create a decorative, natural-looking surface. Granite, quartz, limestone, and basalt are popular aggregate choices.
Not only is exposed aggregate concrete visually striking with its speckled appearance, but it’s also durable, weather-resistant, and provides excellent traction. With proper sealing and occasional maintenance, exposed aggregate concrete can retain its beauty and strength for years. So, it’s hardly surprising that many people opt for this finish in their pool decks, patios, driveways, and walkways.
View this post on Instagram
6. Stained Finish
If you’d like to add a splash of color to your space without significantly driving up costs, concrete with a stained finish can help. By using acid-based or water-based finishes during concrete installation, you can add a colorful stain to your concrete.
Stained finishes come in a variety of colors, ranging from rich earth tones like terracotta or walnut to more vibrant shades such as green, emerald, and turquoise. You can further customize your concrete with different patterns and effects like marbling, mottling, veining, or layered color washes.
Additionally, since the stains penetrate the concrete instead of resting on the surface the way something like paint might, the colors will be resistant to fading, peeling, and chipping. Stained concrete can retain its color for decades.
Beyond being colorful, stained concrete is quite durable and has low maintenance requirements, making it an incredibly practical option for everything from patios and pool decks to driveways and even indoor spaces.
View this post on Instagram
7. Polished Finish
Craving a modern, sleek, and glossy look? A polished finish may be the way to go.
Created through grinding with diamond abrasives followed by polishing with finer grits, polished finishes can give cured concrete a shiny, mirror-like look that resembles marble. Polished concrete is dense and resistant to abrasions, meaning it can withstand heavy use, impacts, stains, and spills.
Polished finishes are popular in office buildings, showrooms, and retail spaces, but they can also bring that touch of sophistication and elegance to your home’s rooms. Just don’t use a polished finish on outdoor concrete, as the high gloss can become slippery when wet and won’t withstand harsh weather conditions as well as other finishes.
As with the smooth finish, the polished finish is quite easy to clean and maintain. Some dusting and mopping will keep everything looking bright and glossy for years to come.
View this post on Instagram
Image source
8. Salt Finish
Best suited for patios, walkways, pool decks, large fountains, and other areas near water sources, salt-finished concrete is a low-cost yet decorative finishing option.
Applying coarse rock salt between ⅛” and ⅜” in diameter to wet concrete and then washing it away with water after the surface has partially set creates small, shallow indentations across the concrete. These tiny pits not only add a subtle texture to the concrete’s surface but also increase traction, providing skid resistance without being too rough on bare feet.
Salt finishes are easy to create and affordable, but the small pits left behind by the rock salt can collect water and lead to cracking without proper sealing and maintenance. That’s why it’s essential to apply a high-quality sealer once the concrete has cured to protect the surface from freeze-thaw damage and moisture penetration.
9. Epoxy Resin Finish
Ideal for indoor spaces, epoxy resin finishes can provide a high-end look without losing the durability and strength that concrete is known for. What’s more, it’s available in a wide range of colors and patterns, meaning you can create a customized, polished look that truly matches your style and needs.
By applying a liquid epoxy coating over a hardened concrete surface, you can form a smoother, glossier floor and protect your concrete. After all, epoxy resin is not only resistant to stains and chemicals, but it’s also resistant to abrasion. As a result, it’s often used in garages, basements, and other high-traffic areas. Just note that epoxy resin finishes can be expensive.
Bring Your Concrete Project to Life with Summit Concrete
Whether you’re renovating your home, upgrading a patio, or designing a space from scratch, concrete is an incredibly versatile material. Its wide variety of available finishes makes it easily customizable to fit any space, while its durability and cost-effectiveness ensure that your investment will last for years to come.
If you’re ready for style, strength, and long-lasting performance, contact us today to get your next concrete project started!