mineral / Cementitious / Cast Concrete
Exposed aggregate concrete, light or heavy blast finish (100mm, 125mm, 150mm, 200mm slab)
Decorative concrete finish created by washing/brushing off surface mortar to expose aggregate; provides texture and slip resistance.
Atlas code
MIN-CEM-CC-005
At-a-glance signals
Decorative concrete finish created by washing/brushing off surface mortar to expose aggregate; provides texture and slip resistance.
Overview
Executive summary
Exposed aggregate concrete is a decorative finish where the surface mortar is washed/brushed after initial set to reveal embedded aggregate. The result is a textured, slip-resistant surface commonly used for pavements and architectural slabs.
Best when…
- High durability and longevity
- Excellent slip resistance due to texture
- Low maintenance requirements compared to other paving options
- Aesthetically versatile with a wide choice of aggregate colours and types
- Good thermal mass properties
- High strength and load-bearing capacity
Top advantages
- 01 High durability and longevity
- 02 Excellent slip resistance due to texture
- 03 Low maintenance requirements compared to other paving options
- 04 Aesthetically versatile with a wide choice of aggregate colours and types
- 05 Good thermal mass properties
Top limitations
- 01 Higher initial installation cost compared to standard brushed concrete
- 02 Requires skilled labour for proper installation and consistent finish
- 03 Can be difficult to patch repair seamlessly
- 04 Surface can be rough underfoot for bare feet, especially with heavy blast finishes
- 05 Requires periodic sealing to maintain appearance and prevent staining
Technical
Physical ·9
- Density
- 2500 kg/m3 Typical density for normal-weight concrete classes.
- Specific gravity
- 2.3-2.4
- Porosity
- 10-15% %
- Water absorption
- 3-6% %
- Hardness
- 5-7 Mohs
- UV resistance
- Excellent // Concrete highly resistant to UV degradation
- Chemical resistance
- Good // Resistant to most neutral chemicals and alkalis; vulnerable to strong acids
- pH tolerance
- 5-11
- Surface roughness
- Light blast: 0.5-1mm profile, Heavy blast: 2-4mm profile µm
Mechanical ·7
- Tensile strength
- 2.2-4.1 MPa Tensile strength for normal-weight concrete classes.
- Compressive strength
- 20-50 MPa Typical compressive strength classes for structural concrete.
- Flexural strength
- 3.5-5.5 MPa MPa
- Shear strength
- 4-6 MPa MPa
- Poisson's ratio
- 0.15-0.20
- Impact resistance
- Good // Surface toughness enhanced by exposed hard aggregate
- Creep resistance
- 500-1000 microstrain // Long-term deformation under sustained load
Sustainability & Health
Embodied carbon & energy ·7
- Embodied carbon
- 250-400 kg CO₂e/m³ // Holcim ViroDecs EPD data reference for general purpose concrete
- Carbon footprint
- 300-450 kg CO₂e/m³ // EPD data for Australian concrete mixes (cement production is main contributor)
- Embodied energy
- 1.5-2.5 GJ/m³ MJ/kg // Typical concrete values, including extraction, processing, transport
- Water footprint
- 180-220 L/m³ L/kg // Production water usage (mixing water)
- Recycled content
- 0-30% % // Recycled aggregate (coarse or fine) can replace virgin materials up to 30% without significant performance loss in many applications
- Renewable content
- 0% % // Mineral-based material with non-renewable components (cement, aggregates)
- Circular score
- 6/10 // Good recyclability, but high energy input and resource depletion in primary production
Compliance & Fire
Fire performance ·6
- Combustibility class
- Non-combustible // Concrete is inherently non-combustible
- Fire resistance level
- 90-240 minutes // FRL depends on slab thickness and concrete cover to reinforcement (e.g., 100mm slab ~90min, 150mm slab ~180min per AS 3600)
- Ignition temp
- Not applicable °C // Does not ignite
- Flame spread index
- 0
- Smoke dev. index
- 0
- Heat release rate
- 0 kW/m² // Does not contribute fuel to a fire
Cost & Lifecycle
Capex & lead time ·6
- Material cost (range)
- $100-180/m² // Supplied and installed cost for exposed aggregate finish; varies significantly with aggregate choice and complexity
- Material cost (per unit)
- $350-450/m³ // Supply only cost for ready-mix concrete with decorative aggregate specifications
- Lead time
- 1-3 days // Typical lead time for ordering ready-mix delivery in metropolitan areas
- Lifecycle cost
- $200-300/m² // Estimated 50-year life cycle cost including installation and maintenance
- Annual maintenance
- $2-5/m² // Pro-rated annual cost for cleaning and resealing every 3-5 years ($6-15/m² per cycle)
- Market availability
- Readily available // Standard service from most ready-mix concrete suppliers and concreting contractors
Service life & durability ·3
- Expected lifespan
- 50-100 years // Structural lifespan; aesthetic lifespan depends on maintenance
- Maintenance interval
- 3-5 years // Recommended interval for cleaning and resealing to maintain appearance and protection
- Warranty period
- 7-10 years // Typical structural warranty provided by builders/contractors in Australia
Layer D
Where it's used
Driveways
Patios
Pool surrounds
Walkways and footpaths
Public plazas
Architectural wall panels
Landscape features