Exposed aggregate · Southern Suburbs
Exposed Aggregate Driveways in Plumstead and the Southern Suburbs
Exposed aggregate is concrete with its top skin washed off so the stone in the mix shows, giving a textured, grippy surface with no sand joints. We lay it poured or as pavers across Plumstead and the Southern Suburbs of Cape Town. A 2026 Cape Town cost guide puts driveway-grade exposed aggregate at around R850 to R1,400 per m² installed.
- Free site visit
- Written, itemised quote
- Based in Plumstead
2026 price guide
R850 – R1,400 /m²
Exposed aggregate or stamped concrete, driveway-grade, installed
R34,000 – R56,000
A 40 m² driveway at that range
Source: fixr.capetown, Cape Town cost guide (2026). Market range, not our price list.
Want Something Other Than Pavers or Tar?
Pavers have sand joints to keep topped up. Tar can look plain in front of a newer house. Exposed aggregate sits in between: one continuous surface, a stone finish you choose, and a texture that grips in winter rain.
Two kinds
Poured or Pavers? The Two Kinds of Exposed Aggregate
Poured exposed aggregate
Concrete goes into formwork over a compacted base. The surface paste is washed off before it hardens, and the stone shows through. You get one continuous slab, cut into panels so it cracks along the cuts.
Exposed aggregate pavers and slabs
Factory-made units with a stone face, sold as pavers or larger slabs, and laid like ordinary paving on a sand bed. Single units can be lifted and relaid, but there are sand joints like any paver.
Which we lay
Both. Poured for a seamless driveway, pavers where you want joints that can be lifted. We’ll suggest one at the site visit and bring samples of each.
Finishes
Stone and Colour Choices
Most Cape Town exposed aggregate uses crushed local stone, and the stone sets the colour more than the cement does. We work from our supplier’s range of local stone mixes and bring samples to the site visit.
Pricing
Exposed Aggregate Prices per m² (2026)
Market range, not our price list. Source: fixr.capetown, Paving & Driveway Costs in Cape Town 2026 (15 Sep 2026, checked 2 Nov 2026).
Worked example
For a 40 m² driveway:
R34,000 – R56,000
At the published range.
It costs more than pavers because the whole slab is formed, poured and finished on site in one go.
What moves the price
- Breaking out an old surface
- How deep the base has to go
- Slab thickness
- The stone you choose
- Borders and joint layout
- Sealing
Compare
Exposed Aggregate, Pavers or Tar?
Exposed aggregate: fixr.capetown 2026 Cape Town guide. Pavers: Fonster 2026 pricing guide (Western Cape, installed with base and edging). Tar: tarsurfaceprice.co.za Cape Town guide.
Our take: if you want the stone look and are happy to pay for it, exposed aggregate. For the lowest cost per m², tar. In between, with the easiest repairs, pavers.
The big question
Will It Crack? Base, Joints and Falls
Any concrete slab can crack. The job is making sure it cracks where we choose, in a straight line you hardly notice.
A firm base
Soft or loose ground under a slab is what lets it settle and split. The base depth is set after we have seen the ground, and it is written on your quote.
Cut joints
The slab is saw-cut into panels, so movement happens along the cuts instead of across the middle.
Room at the edges
Where the slab meets a wall, kerb or garage floor, it needs a gap so it isn’t pinned in place.
Falls
The surface is laid so water runs off instead of sitting.
If a section is damaged later, it’s cut out and replaced. A repaired section always looks newer than the slab around it, which is why the base and joints matter so much the first time.
How it works
How an Exposed Aggregate Driveway Is Laid
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Site Visit and Quote
We measure, check the ground and the falls, and show you stone samples.
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Base and Formwork
The old surface comes out, the base is compacted, and the edges are set.
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Pour and Expose
The concrete is poured and levelled, then the surface paste is washed off to reveal the stone.
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Joints, Curing and Sealing
Joints are cut, the slab cures, and it’s sealed. You can walk on it after 2 days and drive on it after 7.
Aftercare
Looking After Exposed Aggregate
Reseal every 2 to 3 years to keep the stone colour and stop oil soaking in. For cleaning, water and a stiff broom are enough. Avoid acid cleaners, which eat into the cement around the stone.
Suburbs We Lay Exposed Aggregate In
Based in Plumstead: see paving in Plumstead. We also work across the Southern Suburbs:
- Southfield
- Diep River
- Wynberg
- Bergvliet
- Meadowridge
- Tokai
- Kenilworth
- Constantia
- Heathfield
Questions
Exposed Aggregate FAQs
A 2026 Cape Town cost guide puts driveway-grade exposed aggregate at around R850 to R1,400 per m² installed.
Poured gives one continuous stone surface with only cut joints. Pavers are easier to repair, because single units can be lifted. We lay both.
It can, like any concrete. A firm base, cut joints and gaps where the slab meets walls keep any cracks to the joint lines.
The exposed stone gives a textured, grippy surface, which is why it’s popular around pools. A heavy sealer can make it smoother, so the sealer choice matters.
You can walk on a poured slab after 2 days and drive on it after 7.
Usually the old slab is broken out, so the new one sits on a proper base.
Yes, through the stone. The stone mix sets the colour more than the cement does, and we bring samples to the site visit.
Free quote
Get a Written Exposed Aggregate Quote
WhatsApp a photo of the area, your suburb and a rough size. Prefer to talk? Call 082 344 4854.
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WhatsApp082 344 4854
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Call082 344 4854
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Based inPlumstead, Cape Town, 7800
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HoursMon–Fri 7:00–17:00, Sat 8:00–13:00
No call-out fee. No obligation.