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On the Central Coast, exposed aggregate is usually the better choice for wet, sloped and beachside driveways because its textured surface gives grip and copes with salt, while plain grey concrete is the cheaper option that does the job fine on a flat, sheltered block. Both sit on the same base, so the real decision is about grip, salt and looks, not strength.
Plain concrete is exactly what it sounds like. The slab is poured, screeded and trowelled or broomed to a plain grey surface. It is the finish most people picture, it is the cheapest to lay, and there is nothing wrong with it on the right block. A broomed plain surface even has a bit of texture for grip, which is why so many paths and sheltered driveways are done this way.
Exposed aggregate starts as the same slab, but before it fully hardens the top layer of cement paste is washed back to reveal the stone in the mix underneath. You choose the stone, so the look ranges from soft river pebble to a sharper crushed granite. That washed-back surface is what gives exposed aggregate its two big advantages on the Coast: it grips underfoot and it hides marks. The trade-off is more work on the day and a higher rate, because the wash-back and the stone selection are a skilled step on top of the pour.
This is where the choice really matters here, and it is the local hook. A lot of Central Coast blocks are not flat. Driveways at Terrigal, Avoca, Wamberal, Kincumber and Hardys Bay run up or down a slope, and the Coast gets its share of wet weather and sea mist. A smooth, hard-trowelled plain slab on a steep drive is slippery when it is wet, and that is a genuine safety issue when you are reversing a car or walking down to the bins in the rain.
Exposed aggregate's non-slip grip is why it has become the default for wet coastal driveways, pool surrounds and sloped beachside blocks. Around Coast pools it is everywhere, because it copes with wet feet without turning into a skating rink. Salt tolerance is the other coastal angle: homes near the water at Ettalong, Terrigal and Hardys Bay sit in salt-laden air, and while the surface finish is not the main defence against salt, exposed aggregate's texture hides the staining that would show on smooth grey, and it pairs naturally with the coastal mix and sealing those blocks want anyway. On a flat, sheltered block back from the water, none of that pressure applies and plain grey is a perfectly sensible, cheaper answer.
As an indicative guide, plain grey runs about $80 to $120 per square metre supplied and laid, and exposed aggregate sits higher at roughly $120 to $170. Those are market ranges to help you read a quote, not a price from us, and the full breakdown is in our Central Coast driveway cost guide. The base and the steel under both finishes are identical, so the extra you pay for exposed aggregate is the finish alone, spent once on a surface you keep for decades. If your existing slab is sound and you only dislike the look, resurfacing can give you a decorative finish without a full replacement, so it is worth pricing too. The simple rule: if the driveway is steep, near the water or gets wet often, lean exposed aggregate; if it is flat, sheltered and budget is tight, plain grey is fine.
Not sure which finish suits your block? Tell us the suburb, the slope and how much sun and salt it gets, and a local concreter will talk you through it on site. You can also send the details via our contact page for a call back.
For most beachside blocks, yes. Exposed aggregate gives grip when the surface is wet, which matters on sloped driveways around Terrigal, Avoca and Wamberal, and its textured face hides the marks that show on a smooth grey slab. It still needs a coastal mix and proper cover over the steel to cope with salt, but the finish itself handles a marine setting well.
Not at all. Plain grey concrete is the cheapest finish and it does the job on a flat, sheltered block where slip is not an issue and looks are not the priority. Where it struggles is on steep or beachside driveways that get wet often, because a smooth trowelled surface can be slippery. There, a textured finish like exposed aggregate is the safer call.
The finish copes well with a marine setting and its texture hides salt staining, but salt resistance comes mostly from the build, not the look. Near the water at Ettalong or Hardys Bay you want a coastal mix, enough concrete cover over the reinforcement and sealing where it makes sense. Get that right and either finish lasts; get it wrong and neither does.
As an indicative guide, plain grey runs about $80 to $120 per square metre supplied and laid and exposed aggregate sits higher at roughly $120 to $170. Those are market ranges, not a quote. The base under both is identical, so the extra is the finish itself, and it is spent once on a surface you keep for decades.
More reading: all Central Coast concreting guides, or the driveway cost guide.
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