An exposed aggregate patio gives a Canadian backyard the texture and grip of stone with the durability and easy upkeep of concrete. Oshawa Concrete pours and washes back the surface to reveal the aggregate in the mix, giving a decorative look that is grippy under wet feet, hides wear over years, and wants less resealing than stamped concrete. Every patio starts with a free written estimate.
An exposed aggregate patio is one of the best decorative choices for a Canadian backyard. The washed-back surface exposes the stone in the mix, giving natural texture, real grip when wet, and a decorative look without the upkeep cycle of stamped concrete.
Underneath it is still a poured concrete patio built on a compacted base with an air-entrained mix, finished flat and sloped to drain away from the house. The decorative side is the surface treatment; the durability is unchanged.
Compared to a plain patio, exposed aggregate gives more visual interest and grip. Compared to stamped, it wants less frequent resealing. It is a sweet spot for backyards that get used hard.
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How it works
How We Pour an Exposed Aggregate Patio in Oshawa
Choose patio aggregate
We pick the aggregate size, colour and exposure depth with you, smaller pea gravel for fine texture, larger stones for bold look, and confirm how the colour will read in daylight.
Build patio base and forms
The area is excavated and a granular base is laid and compacted, forms are set to the finished slope so the patio drains, and forms accommodate the wider patio edge details.
Pour and wash patio surface
Air-entrained concrete is placed, screeded flat, and given time to set just enough that the surface paste will wash back cleanly to expose the stone.
Seal exposed patio
Once cured, the patio is sealed to lock in the stone, keep water and weather out, and bring up the natural colour of the aggregate.
Versus the alternatives
Exposed Patio vs Stamped, Plain, Repair
Decorative without high upkeep, exposed aggregate sits between plain and stamped in cost and look. The texture hides wear over years, the natural stone shows up nicely sealed, and the upkeep is the easiest of the decorative options.
If the patio is sound but tired, patio repair and resurfacing can refresh it. And exposed aggregate ties cleanly into the rest of a yard, walkways, pool decks, outdoor living.
Texture, grip, sealing and how exposed aggregate compares for Oshawa patios.
No, the opposite. The stone texture gives traction wet, which is why it is popular for patios that get pool splash, rain or morning dew. Much grippier than a smooth or even broom-finish patio.
Typically every three to four years in Oshawa, slightly less often than stamped patios but more often than plain concrete. The seal protects the spaces between the stones from water getting in.
Not when the patio is poured and sealed properly. The aggregate is embedded in the concrete matrix, not laid on top, so the stones are mechanically locked in. Sealing protects the matrix from freeze-thaw working stones loose.
Yes. The base concrete can be integrally coloured under the exposed surface, and the aggregate choice shifts the tone too. We bring sample boards so you can see combinations in daylight before the pour.
Exposed aggregate usually costs less than stamped concrete because the stamp tooling and labour are not part of the job. The trade-off is a different decorative style, texture from stone rather than pattern from a stamp.
Homeowner reviews
What Oshawa Homeowners Say About Their Exposed Aggregate Patios
Tell us the backyard and the look you want, smaller stones for fine texture, larger for bold, and we will bring aggregate samples to a free site visit with a written quote.
