Exposed Aggregate in Rockhampton
Washed-back concrete showing the stone. Hides red dust and tyre marks and stays grippy when wet.
Ring 0489 908 651 Get it quoted
The job goes from this line to a single QBCC-licensed concreter, who prices and pours it.
- Hides dust, dirt and tyre marks
- Grippy in the wet
- Sealed to hold its colour in the sun
How it is done
An exposed aggregate slab carries decorative stone through the mix. Once the slab is screeded and floated, the crew sprays a retarder over it so the top skin of cement stays soft while everything below goes hard. Next morning, usually, that soft skin is hosed and brushed away and the stone appears.
The timing is the hard part, and Rockhampton heat makes it harder. On a hot day everything sets faster, and leaving the wash too late means the paste sets hard over the stone. Ask the concreter how they manage an aggregate pour in summer; an early start is usually part of the answer.
Why it suits Rocky
Red dust and dirt get onto everything here, and a plain grey slab shows every bit of it. Exposed aggregate hides dust, tyre marks and leaf stains far better. It also breaks up glare: a smooth pale slab in full sun is hard on the eyes, while aggregate reads as a softer, textured surface.
It grips when wet too, which makes it a common choice for entries, paths and the area around an outdoor shower or pool.
Choosing the stone
Supplier sample boards show the range of stone colours and sizes. Darker stones hide dirt; lighter ones stay cooler in the sun. Look at a finished slab outdoors in daylight if you can, because the cement around the stone changes the overall colour more than people expect.
Sealing
Most aggregate slabs are sealed. Expect the sealer to need redoing from time to time, and ask which one is quoted.
Getting it quoted
Ring 0489 908 651 with the size, the stone you are after and a photo, and a licensed Rocky concreter rings you back. Most aggregate jobs here are driveways and paths and patios.
Rockhampton and Gracemere
- Frenchville Established homes on the slopes towards Mount Archer, where runoff and old driveways are the usual jobs.
- Gracemere A fast-growing town west of Rockhampton, with new estates, big sheds and rural blocks on its edges.
- Norman Gardens A big northern suburb mixing newer estates with older homes, where upgrades and add-ons are the usual work.
- Parkhurst Rockhampton's northern edge, with newer homes and working sheds side by side.
- The Range Established homes on higher ground west of the centre, where old concrete and steep entries are the work.
Fair questions
Why do concreters start so early?
Heat and wind dry the surface of fresh concrete faster than the slab underneath, which leads to cracking and a weak surface. Starting at first light means the placing and finishing happen before the worst of the Rockhampton heat.
Lay out the job
The job, a rough size and the suburb. Add a photo if you can.
- Phones answered
- Weekdays from 6:30am
- Covering
- Rockhampton and Gracemere
- Cost to you
- Nothing. The concreter quotes
- One licensed local concreter gets the job, and nobody else
- Rough size, the site and a photo is usually enough for a first figure
- Get the slab thickness, steel and finish written on the quote before you agree