EXPOSED AGGREGATE DRIVEWAY - TURNER
Location: Turner, ACT
Surface: Exposed Aggregate
Service: Driveway Replacement
Scope: Excavation & removal of existing concrete driveway · sub-base preparation · exposed aggregate driveway installation · vehicle crossing
A Turner home that had already been beautifully landscaped, let down by the one thing everyone sees first — the driveway. The owners had invested heavily in the front of their property and the old concrete slab was the last piece holding it back. We removed it entirely and replaced it with 100sqm of exposed aggregate, including a new vehicle crossing, so the frontage finally matched the rest of the home.
The brief
The owners came to us focused on one thing: street appeal. They'd already spent considerable time and money on landscaping the front of the property — established plantings, clean garden edges, a well-kept lawn — and the ageing concrete driveway was the obvious weak point. Every other element had been considered. The driveway hadn't been touched.
They saw a new exposed aggregate driveway as the finishing touch, and they wanted it handled properly: the old slab gone, the base prep done right, and a new vehicle crossing to tie it cleanly to the street.
Why exposed aggregate suited this Turner home
Exposed aggregate is one of the most popular driveway finishes in Canberra, and for good reason. The surface layer of cement is washed back to reveal the natural stone within the mix, giving a textured, speckled finish with real depth to it.
For a home like this one it works on three levels:
It looks the part. The warm tones and natural stone read as a considered design choice rather than a flat slab of grey concrete — which matters enormously when the landscaping around it has already been done to a high standard.
It's practical. The exposed stone gives a naturally non-slip surface, which counts on Canberra's frosty winter mornings.
It ages well. Exposed aggregate hides everyday marks and wear far better than plain concrete, so it holds its appearance across years of daily use.
Turner is an established Inner North suburb where homes sit close to the street and driveways are highly visible from the footpath. The finish you choose is on display to everyone walking past.
The challenge: replacing an existing driveway on an established block
Replacing a driveway is a different job to pouring a new one. The old slab has to come out completely, and what's underneath is often the reason the original driveway failed in the first place.
On this site the work ran in three stages:
Excavation. The existing concrete driveway was broken out and removed in full, along with the old base material beneath it. Cutting corners here — pouring over the top, or leaving compromised ground in place — is one of the most common causes of cracking and movement in replacement driveways.
Sub-base preparation. With the old driveway gone, the sub-base was prepared and compacted to the correct depth and falls. This is the part nobody sees once the job is finished, and it's the part that determines whether the driveway is still sitting true in ten years. Getting the levels and drainage right at this stage also meant the new driveway would meet the existing landscaping and the verge cleanly.
Working around finished landscaping. With established gardens and lawn either side of the driveway, excavation and access had to be managed carefully to protect work the owners had already paid for.
What we did
Excavated and removed the existing 100sqm concrete driveway and old base material.
Prepared and compacted the sub-base to the correct depth, levels and falls.
Installed a new 100sqm exposed aggregate driveway, washed back and finished for an even, consistent stone exposure across the full area.
Installed the vehicle crossing, connecting the driveway to the street.
One team across excavation, base preparation, concreting and the crossing — the owners weren't left coordinating separate trades or chasing paperwork between them.
The result
A 100 square metre exposed aggregate driveway that finished the job the landscaping started. The natural stone finish sits comfortably against the home's rendered façade and timber entry, the lines run clean from the street to the garage, and the frontage now reads as a complete, considered design rather than a good garden with an old slab through the middle of it.
For a home in Canberra's Inner North where the street frontage is the first and most visible thing about the property, it was the change that pulled everything else together.
Thinking about replacing your driveway in Turner or Canberra's Inner North?
Whether you're in Turner, Braddon, O'Connor, Lyneham, Ainslie, Dickson or anywhere across Canberra, we can talk you through your options and what your block actually needs.
FAQ
How much does an exposed aggregate driveway cost in Canberra?
It depends on the size of the driveway, the condition of what's already there, site access, and whether a vehicle crossing is required. A replacement like this one — where an existing driveway has to be excavated and removed before anything new goes down — involves more work than a new pour on bare ground. A free driveway assessment gives you an accurate figure for your specific property rather than a rough per-square-metre guess.
Do I need approval for a vehicle crossing in the ACT?
Vehicle crossings in the ACT sit on public land and are subject to Transport Canberra and City Services requirements. We handle the crossing as part of the job so it's built to the required standard and connects properly to the street.
How long does an exposed aggregate driveway take?
A driveway of this size typically runs across several days on site — excavation and removal, sub-base preparation, then the pour and wash-back — followed by a curing period before vehicles can use it. We'll give you clear timeframes at assessment.