Exposed Aggregate Concrete in Austin, TX
Heritage Concrete Austin places exposed aggregate concrete in Austin, Texas, for driveways, patios, walks and pool decks, a finish made by washing the cement paste off the top so the stone shows. In typical Austin-area prices for 2026, the finish on a patio runs $7 to $18 per square foot, against $6 to $12 for a broom finish.
The estimate is free, by phone or by form. We'll talk about stone size and color, whether the stone is seeded on top or mixed through, and how rough a surface suits the spot it's going.
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How an exposed aggregate finish is made
Choose the stone
Stones run anywhere from 3/8 inch up past 2 inches in diameter, and their size largely sets how deep the exposure goes. Ordinary crushed stone costs far less than specialty stones: national figures from 2023 put crushed stone at $10 to $50 a ton and white pebbles at $650 to $1,300.
Seed it or mix it in
Stone blended into the mix shows more subtly; stone seeded onto the fresh pour can be exposed more heavily. Seeding means scattering it evenly by hand or shovel, then pressing it in with a darby or bull float until cement paste just covers it.
Apply a surface retarder
A surface retarder slows the setting of the mortar at the surface by chemical action. It goes on after the last finishing pass, once the bleed water has dissipated.
Wash off the paste
Washing usually happens 12 to 24 hours after the retarder goes on, though one maker wants its product off within 5 to 12 hours, so the timing follows the product. How deep the stone shows depends mostly on how porous the surface was when the retarder went on.
Seal and clean
After that, the finish asks for little beyond sealing and the occasional cleaning.
Austin heat and the schedule. Concrete cures best at air temperatures from 50°F to 80°F, while Camp Mabry counts 122.8 days at 90°F or above in a normal year (1991–2020 normals). NRMCA says plastic shrinkage cracking grows more likely with wind faster than 5 mph, low humidity, or heat in the air or the mix. Heritage Concrete Austin goes over stone choices and timing with you at the estimate.
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(512) 588-2862Exposed aggregate driveways, patios and pool decks
Driveways
The surface is rugged and nonskid and stands up to heavy traffic and weather extremes. The national size prices in the cost section assume a slab 4 to 5 inches thick; for thickness, base and the City's approach rules, see concrete driveways.
Patios
Big stones can be rough underfoot, so a smooth surface may suit the spots where chairs slide around. More on sizing and slope for concrete patios.
Pool decks
Around pools, the pebbly surface earns its place by being highly slip resistant. Other finishes for concrete pool decks are compared on that page.
Pattern instead of stone
Where the look of brick, slate or wood plank matters more than texture, stamped concrete imprints the pattern into the fresh slab instead.
Heritage Concrete Austin also pours exposed aggregate concrete in Point Venture, where the Village requires permits for patios, flatwork and driveway replacement and inspects flatwork once the forms and reinforcement are in, checking for wire mesh and expansion joints every 15 feet.
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Exposed aggregate cost in Austin
Austin price tables for 2026 put this finish at $7 to $15 per square foot on a slab and $7 to $18 on a walkway. Nationally, the finish adds roughly $2 to $3 a square foot over plain concrete; materials account for $2 to $6 and labor $5 to $12 of each square foot (2023 figures), and that extra labor is why it costs more than a basic finish.
They are averages from published sources, not quotes from Heritage Concrete Austin, and the estimate for your job is free.
- 10 x 10 ft
- $700–$1,800
- 12 x 12 ft
- $1,000–$2,600
- 20 x 20 ft
- $2,800–$7,200
- 24 x 24 ft
- $4,000–$10,400
Figures from 2023, national, for slabs 4 to 5 in. thick, before excavation and site prep. Not a quote.
Call or request a free estimate any time, 24/7.
(512) 588-2862Questions about exposed aggregate
What are the downsides of exposed aggregate concrete?
Two come up most. It costs more than a plain finish because of the extra labor, about $2 to $3 more per square foot in national figures (2023). Bigger stones also make a rougher surface, so where chairs get dragged around a smoother finish may be the better pick.
Is exposed aggregate concrete outdated?
Not by local standards. The City of Bee Cave's design rules for new single-family homes list exposed aggregate among the upgraded driveway surfaces a builder can choose, next to salt finish, pavers and concrete with stain mixed in. New homes there must pick at least 5 such features at 2,000 square feet or less, 7 up to 5,000 square feet and 9 above that.
Can you pressure wash exposed aggregate concrete?
Yes, within limits. National guidance says to keep the washer at 3000 PSI or below, since more force can knock stones loose. Beyond washing, the surface needs little more than sealing.
How long does the finish last?
National guidance expects 20 to 50 years from a patio with this finish, as long as it is maintained and resealed every 2 to 3 years.
Does a stone finish change the permit rules in Austin?
No. Austin doesn't require a building permit for a driveway, walk or other flatwork kept off the public right-of-way, but the approach at the street needs a Driveway/Sidewalk permit, and a new drive or patio counts toward the lot's impervious cover, capped at 45% in SF-2 and SF-3 zoning.
Get a free exposed aggregate estimate
Send the form or call with what needs surfacing and roughly how big it is. Heritage Concrete Austin prices stone-finish drives, patios, walks and pool decks at no cost, 24/7.