From alfresco and patios to pool surrounds and driveways, here are the outdoor concrete finishes worth knowing, which ones hold up outside, and where each one suits.
Outdoors, a finish has to earn its place against sun, rain and pool splash, not just look the part. Some concrete finishes are built for it and some are not. Below is a plain-English run through the outdoor options, which ones we recommend and why, and where each one suits, with a link to the OzGrind service that does it.
If you already know you want a soft, matte outdoor floor, our honed concrete service is the place to go. If you are still weighing it up, read on.
Four finishes come up when you are choosing an outdoor concrete floor for a patio, alfresco, pool surround or driveway. They are not equal outside. Sun, rain, pool chemicals and bare feet all test a finish in ways an indoor floor never sees, so the finish that looks best in the showroom is not always the one that lasts on your back patio. Here is what each one is, where it suits, and our honest take on how it copes outdoors.
Our go-to for outdoor areas. The slab is ground back and sealed to a soft, matte, low-sheen finish with grip underfoot, and it takes sun, rain and pool splash in its stride. Because the finish is worked into the slab rather than coated on top, there is no film to peel or yellow, and the level of grip can be dialled up for wet areas. It is the finish behind most of the alfrescos, patios and pool surrounds you will have admired.
See our Honed Concrete service
Grind and seal gets its look from a topical sealer sitting on top of the concrete. Indoors it is excellent value and gives a lovely finish, but outdoors that sealer works against you: it can turn slippery when wet, sun and weather wear it back faster, and it needs recoating over time. It can be made to work in a covered or low-traffic outdoor spot with the right non-slip additive, but for an open patio or poolside we steer you to honed instead.
Compare Grind & Seal
Epoxy is a coating built for garages, workshops and industrial floors under cover. In direct sun most epoxies yellow and chalk within a season or two, and moisture moving up through an outdoor slab can lift the coating off the concrete. There are UV-stable polyaspartic topcoats for some outdoor uses, but for exposed patios and pool areas it is the wrong tool. Keep epoxy for the garage and let honed handle the alfresco.
See Epoxy Flooring
An overlay resurfaces an existing slab with a thin cement-based layer, which is handy when the concrete underneath is sound but tired. Some overlay and microcement products are rated for exterior use and hold up well; many are made for indoors only and will craze or lift outside. If you are set on an overlay outdoors, the product choice is everything, and we will tell you honestly whether the one you are considering will cope with Queensland sun and rain.
See Concrete OverlayHow the four outdoor options stack up on the things that matter when out in the weather.
Queensland slabs draw ground moisture up through the concrete. Outdoors a topical coating traps it: it yellows, salty efflorescence blooms across the surface, and in bad cases the moisture bursts through and lifts the coating off the slab. It is why we steer outdoor areas to honed concrete, which lets the slab breathe. Here is what it looks like.
| Honed | Grind & Seal | Epoxy | Overlay | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Outdoor suitability | Excellent | Fair | Not recommended | Product-dependent |
| How it holds up to moisture | Excellent, the slab can breathe | Poor, trapped moisture can ruin it | Poor, trapped moisture can ruin it | Product-dependent |
| Relative cost | $ | $ | $$ | $$$ |
| Seamless (no joins) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Longevity | 15+ years | Medium, needs reseal | Short outdoors | Product-dependent |
| Scratch & wear | High | Medium | Medium, chalks in sun | Medium |
| Slip resistance (wet) | Good, grip can be added | OK, grip can be added | OK, grip can be added | Varies |
| Weather & UV durability | Excellent | Fair, UV sealer upgrade available | Yellows, UV upgrade available | Product-dependent, UV upgrade available |
| Easy to clean | Yes | Yes | Yes, cleans more often | Yes, cleans more often |
| Resists staining | Good | Very good | Very good | Good |
| Changes appearance / covers slab | Refines the slab | Refines the slab | Covers fully, opaque | Covers fully, new surface |
| Ongoing upkeep | Mop down, reseal about every decade | Recoat periodically | Recoat, UV issues | Varies |
A guide only. The right finish depends on your slab, the amount of shade and traffic, and how the area is used. We will recommend the honest best fit when we quote.
Two outdoor jobs we are asked about often, each with a page of its own.
Tired, cracked or dated driveway? We grind it back and resurface it for a fresh, hard-wearing finish that lifts the whole street frontage.
Explore Driveway Resurfacing
Cool, grippy and easy on bare feet, honed concrete is a favourite around pools. We finish surrounds that shrug off splash, sunscreen and summer sun.
Explore Pool SurroundsTell us about your outdoor space and we will come back within 48 hours with honest advice on the finish that will last, and a no-obligation quote.
No obligation. We usually reply within 48 hours.
For most outdoor areas we recommend honed concrete. It is ground back and sealed to a soft, matte finish with grip underfoot, and it is built to handle sun, rain and pool splash.
It depends on the finish, the size of the area and the state of the slab. Honed concrete usually sits at the value end, while overlays cost more. The quickest way to get a real number is our cost calculator or a free on-site quote.
Honed concrete is our go-to for pool surrounds. We hone it to a matte, grippy finish that stays cooler underfoot, shrugs off splash and sunscreen, and will not yellow in the sun the way a coating can.
No. Honed concrete keeps a natural matte grip, and for pool and wet areas we can add extra slip resistance in the seal. It is far safer underfoot than a glossy topical coating.
Yes. We grind back and resurface tired, cracked or dated driveways for a fresh, hard-wearing finish. See driveway resurfacing for how it works.
You can, but it is not our first pick. The topical sealer can turn slippery when wet and wears faster in the weather, so it needs recoating. For exposed outdoor areas honed is the more durable choice.
We do not recommend standard epoxy for exposed outdoor areas. In direct sun most epoxies yellow and chalk, and moisture under the slab can lift the coating. Epoxy is best kept for garages and covered spaces.
It depends entirely on the product. Some overlays are rated for exterior use and hold up; many are indoor-only and will not last outdoors. We will tell you honestly whether the overlay you are considering will cope outside.
Honed concrete in a lighter aggregate stays noticeably cooler than dark pavers or coatings, which is why it suits pool areas and alfresco. Lighter stone and a matte finish reflect more heat.
Honed concrete is low-maintenance outdoors. A regular sweep and the occasional wash with warm water and a pH-neutral cleaner is all it needs, and we reseal every few years to keep it protected against the weather.
