It is a surprise to me how often I see the wrong finish on concrete jobs. Your uncle Joe might be a great handyman, but it is important that he understands what kind of finish that you are going to be stuck with until the end of time (or at least until you bust it out and re-pour it!).

Regular Concrete Finishes

Smooth/Slick Finish: Typically used on garage and indoor surfaces, or areas where there is no moisture. When it is wet, it can get slippery (like when a floor is freshly mopped and you see a “slippery when wet” caution sign.)

Light Broom Finish: This is for when you want some traction, but don’t need a whole lot, and the concrete is subject to moisture. This is common on flat outdoor surfaces like sidewalks, basketball/sports courts, driveways, patios, and carports.

Medium Broom Finish: This is the usual “go to” finish for contractors because it gives you a medium amount on traction. This can be used on most concrete surfaces if a light broom finish is not requested.

Heavy Broom Finish: This finish is usually reserved for steep driveways, walkways, and boat ramps. Boat ramps actually have an extremely rough finish, sometimes even referred to as a raked finish.

Crazy Broom Finish: You may have seen this in parking garages. it creates traction when foot traffic is going in all different directions. This is more common for some reason in touristic areas. I am not sure why, but if you ever find out, please let me know!

Stamped Concrete

This is a Baja Concrete specialty! It is astonishing how much can be done with some water, sand, rocks, and cement! Many people are turning to decorative concrete in lieu of organic materials (such as pavers, flagstones, and hardwood) for numerous reasons. One of the main reasons is maintenance. Each time a concrete patio is re-sealed (once in the first couple of years, then about every 4-6 years after that, on average) it looks brand new again! Pavers not only fade, but unlike concrete they settle and create uneven trip hazards, and are subject to undergrowth like weeds, and moss. This is a huge reason why stamped concrete has really gained traction with commercial applications since business owners want to avoid lawsuits, and high maintenance costs. Please see OUR GALLERY for some examples of stamped concrete, and contact us if you have any questions.