Every driveway we pour gets the same base, the same steel and the same falls. The finish is the decision you make at the site measure, and it comes down to three options: plain concrete with a broom finish, coloured concrete with pigment through the full depth of the slab, or exposed aggregate with the stone revealed and sealed. Each has a place. Here is how they compare on the things that actually matter on a driveway.
Plain concrete, broom finished
Plain grey concrete finished with a broom drag is the economical option and the honest one. The broom leaves fine lines across the surface for grip, which matters on a slope and in a summer downpour, and the surface needs no sealing to do its job. It shows tyre marks and oil more readily than the other two, and it reads as utilitarian, which is exactly right for side runs, service areas and sheds. On the street side it is still the right choice for plenty of older suburbs, with one big exception below. Detail is on the plain concrete page.
Coloured concrete
Coloured concrete carries oxide pigment mixed through the whole batch, so the colour runs the full depth of the slab and cannot wear off. That is the difference between coloured concrete and a painted or coated driveway, which is a film on the surface that will lift. Charcoals, greys and warm stone tones suit the coast’s rendered and cladding exteriors, and the finish can be broomed for grip or trowelled smoother for a cleaner architectural look under cover. Dark colours hold more heat underfoot and show dust more; lighter tones stay cooler and hide it. Coloured concrete sits in the middle of the price range and is usually sealed after cure to hold the colour.
Exposed aggregate
Exposed aggregate is concrete finished so the decorative stone within it shows at the surface, washed back after placing and sealed once cured. It is the most specified street facing finish on the Sunshine Coast, and for reasons beyond looks: the stone texture keeps grip when wet, the mottled surface hides tyre marks, oil and small stains better than any flat finish, and the blends run from pale creams and buffs that suit coastal render to charcoals that suit darker cladding. It sits at the top of the range and it needs resealing every few years to keep the colour deep. The exposed aggregate page covers stone selection and sealing.
The covenant question
In the newer estates the choice is narrower than it looks. Aura and Harmony both steer street facing driveways away from undecorated grey, so in Baringa, Nirimba, Bells Creek and Palmview the real choice is between coloured concrete and exposed aggregate, with plain reserved for behind the building line. The rules differ between releases, so check the design guidelines for yours; our guide to the Aura and Harmony driveway rules sets out what they ask for.
Grip, slopes and heat
On a flat block any of the three works. On a slope, grip wins: a broom finish or exposed aggregate holds under tyres and feet in the wet where a smooth trowelled surface does not, which is why hillside streets in Buderim, Nambour and Coolum lean toward those two. Heat is the other coast consideration. Dark coloured concrete and dark aggregate blends get hot in full sun; lighter stone and lighter tones stay more comfortable for bare feet on the way to the car.
Maintenance over the years
Plain concrete asks the least: keep it clean, and seal it if you want to resist stains. Coloured concrete wants a seal to protect the colour and a reseal when it dulls. Exposed aggregate is sealed after cure and resealed every few years depending on traffic and sun, which on the coast works surfaces hard. None of that is onerous, but it is worth knowing before choosing the top of the range.
Mixing finishes
Finishes can be combined on one driveway: exposed aggregate across the frontage with a plain broomed service strip down the side, or a plain field with exposed aggregate borders to manage the budget. Because every finish sits on the same slab, mixing them does not change the preparation, only the finishing.
Where each one lands on price
Plain concrete sits at the bottom of the range, coloured in the middle and exposed aggregate at the top, all supplied and laid per square metre, with the current ranges published on the rates guide. The finish is chosen at the site measure from sample boards held against the house in daylight, because stone and pigment read differently in the sun than on a screen, and the written quote names the finish so there is no drift between what was agreed and what is poured.
What it costs
- Concrete driveways: $100 to $150 per m², supplied and laid
- Exposed aggregate: $135 to $150 per m², supplied and laid
- Plain concrete: $100 to $110 per m², supplied and laid
Every range is published on the rates guide. Prices may vary with site conditions and variations; the written quote after a site measure is fixed.
Location pages this guide applies to: Buderim, Nambour, Coolum, Sippy Downs, Palmwoods, Kawana.