Concrete Patio Finishing

The most common method of concrete patio finishing is brooming. Brooming is the standard and least espensive type of finish. But due to the versatility of concrete, there are many finishes for patios including smooth trowell, swirling, stamping, and exposed aggregate.

Smooth trowell, although easy on the feet, is not recommended because it can be slippery and dangerous, especially when wet.
Swirling is just a notch above regular brooming. It can be done with a hand float or with a hand held broom.
Stamping is the most expensive finish because it requires highly skilled labor, more time, and extra attention to detail. There are many options with patterns and colors. With stamping, concrete can resemble materials such as slate, stone, brick, tiles, etc.
Exposed aggregate is achieved by washing the cement off the surface to expose the rock or gravel in the concrete mix. It can also be done by spreading decorative rock and pebbles across the surface, floating it in, and then washing the cement away.

Concrete patio finishing should only be done by someone with experience. There is only a small window of time to finish concrete and inexperience can cause a costly mess.

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