Types of concrete finishes with pictures 2026

Here's a handful of our most requested concrete finishes – some decorative, some purely functional. If you don't see any finishes to suit your home, give us a call – our experienced Torquay concreters have a strong knowledge and can show you various samples and styles.

Burnished finish

A stylish finish that involves towelling the concrete until it looks lightly burned. We love this finish for architectural pieces like counter tops, floating steps, outdoor BBQs, retaining walls and feature walls.

Exposed aggregate

Exposed aggregate concrete is a decorative concrete finish. It’s the result of removing the top layer of cement off to expose the rocks, pebbles and shells that lay in the concrete beneath.

Honed finish

Honed concrete is a grind and seal finish. It exposes stones within the concrete yet keeps a beautiful smooth finish that is naturally grippy, so it's good around wet areas and pool surrounds.

Trowel finish

This finish can be done by hand with a trowel or with a towelling machine which is typically used on the larger-scale jobs like house slabs. A trowel is a tool that creates a smooth finish when you spread the concrete back and forth. The finish should be slightly textured but smooth and even.

Polished concrete finish

Polished concrete floors are installed and made super smooth by grinding a concrete slab multiple times with diamond grinding tools. The finished product is visibly textured without being physically textured, looking fairly glossy once sealed.

Stipple finish

Very basic and cost-effective.