As a building material, concrete is sturdy and versatile, and is used all over the world for a variety of construction purposes. Able to be molded into virtually any shape or size, cement can also be given many different finishes, 8 of which are listed below:
- Trowel
This particular concrete finish is the most popular, and is commonly used in the majority of applications. Whether with a manual or mechanical trowel (larger applications will always use a mechanical trowel), once the concrete is laid and leveled, it’s smoothed to give the surface an even finer finish.
2. Broom
Wet concrete is given a rougher texture with this technique, in which a broom is dragged across the trowelled concrete to create a series of small ridges to aid with traction and provide an anti-slip surface.
3. Stamped concrete
Once concrete has been levelled and is still wet, patterns are pressed into the surface to create a finished look similar to flagstones, bricks or tiles, and depending on the skill of the masonry contractor, to resemble wood, too.
4. Salt
Using rollers, coarse rock salt crystals are inserted into the fresh concrete, before being washed off with streams of water once the concrete has fully set. Decorative, subtly rough and skid resistant, this finish is typically used for wet areas, such as swimming pools.
5. Exposed aggregate
The term exposed aggregate is used to refer to concrete in which rough pieces of aggregate are left exposed on the concrete’s surface, and this particular finish is often used for large scale building and civil engineering projects.
6. Swirl
When the surface of concrete is smeared in a uniform manner with overlapping circles, a swirl finish is created. With a unique and pleasing appearance, this technique is typically used for outdoor purposes as it gives a safer surface for walking on, especially during wet conditions.
7. Polished
Grinding and polishing the surface of concrete with special machinery and the help of a penetrant chemical, achieves a highly polished concrete finish.
8. Colored
Achieved through adding pigments to the concrete mix or by post-cure staining, a colored concrete finish can add a pleasing visual element to concrete that can be made to blend in with the surroundings.
With so many different finishes to choose from, concrete is a wonderfully versatile material for a variety of construction projects, and to discuss them in more detail and find out which one would best suit your needs, reach out to a local masonry contractor.