Coloured concrete driveways in Pakenham.
Integral oxide colour mixed through the full slab depth at the batch plant - not surface dye that wears off. Charcoal and sandstone tones are the Cardinia growth-corridor default; terracotta works with brick-veneer Officer / Pakenham East builds.
Integral colour vs surface dye.
- Integral (in-mix) colour - what we do. Iron-oxide pigment added at the batch plant. Colour goes the whole depth. Boral ColorMix, BCSands range.
- Dry-shake colour hardener - pigment broadcast onto wet surface, top 3-5mm only. Vulnerable to surface scaling.
- Acid stain or surface seal - chemical treatment. Wears off in 5-10 years. Not for driveways.
Popular Cardinia growth-corridor colours.
- Charcoal / Cinder: the 2024-2026 default for modern dark-Colorbond builds (Monument, Basalt). Cardinia Lakes, Officer, Pakenham East.
- Sandstone / Honey: warm earth tones for brick-veneer homes. Beaconsfield established, Lakeside.
- Terracotta / Brick Red: period-friendly, suits red-brick Beaconsfield homes.
- Slate Grey: mid-tone neutral, resale-friendly. Investment properties.
Same Class M engineering as exposed aggregate.
The colour is in the mix; the engineering is identical. SL92 mesh on bar chairs, 100mm Class 3 base, 32MPa concrete, control joints every 3m. The coloured slab is no more or less reactive than a plain slab - just good-looking.
Finishing options.
- Broom finish - standard, slip-resistant, classic.
- Stamped pattern - stone or paver look in colour-matched concrete. Adds $25-$40/m².
- Steel trowel - smooth, polished. Slippery when wet/frosty - we don’t recommend for outdoor driveways.
Pricing.
Standard coloured concrete, broom finish, 55-75m² in Pakenham: $95-$130/m² fully installed. Colour adds $10-$25/m² over plain (light tones cost more - less pigment waste). Class H reactive-clay sites +8-12%. Stamped patterns +$25-$40/m².
Where we work.
Free coloured concrete quote.
Colour swatch books on-site. Fixed quote in 48 hours.