Flatwork · Broom finish
Brushed concrete that stays put and stays smooth
Brushed concrete for pool decks, patios, walkways and driveways: stable, smooth underfoot and fewer weeds in the joints than pavers.
What a broom finish is, and where it earns its place
A broom finish is concrete that has been brushed while it is still workable, so the surface dries with fine, even texture instead of a trowelled shine. It is the finish people mean when they say brushed concrete, and it suits the places where feet and tires meet the slab: patios, pool decks, walkways and driveways.
Around a pool it matters most. A broom-finish deck is smooth underfoot and stable, and it minimizes weed growth at the edges and joints. The light grey deck around the blue pool in the photo above is exactly that job.
Light grey broom-finish concrete deck around a blue rectangular pool
Why pour a slab instead of setting pavers
Plenty of Syracuse homeowners ask whether pavers or poured concrete is the better call for a patio or pool deck. Our answer comes down to four things, laid out below: durability, stability, a smooth surface, and weed growth in the joints.
A poured slab is one piece of reinforced concrete. It is not hundreds of small units sitting on a bedding layer, which means there are far fewer joints for weeds to take hold in, and nothing underneath to shift one unit at a time as the ground freezes and thaws.
Built like everything else we pour
A broom finish is a surface, not a shortcut. Underneath it, the slab gets the same treatment as our stamped work: excavation and site work included, reinforcement with solid rebar, and a minimum of 4000 PSI. All of our concrete is constructed with old-world practices.
Concrete sealing is its own service here, and the care schedule for new concrete is simple: reseal after the first winter, then about every three years depending on sun and traffic. Read the winter rules on our concrete care page before the first snowfall.
Distinctive Stone & Concrete: broom-finish pool decks, patios, walkways and driveways across Syracuse and Central New York since 2002. Google 4.6 from 110 reviews.
Slab, joint by joint
- Durability
- One reinforced slab, rebar throughout and 4000 PSI minimum, rather than a surface of separate units.
- Stability
- A continuous slab does not settle or shift unit by unit the way a laid surface can.
- Smooth surface
- Brushed, even and comfortable underfoot, with a clean finished look.
- Weeds in joints
- Far fewer joints means minimal weed growth, which is a real part of why homeowners choose a slab.
Want pattern and colour instead of a plain brush? That is stamped concrete. For a driveway, the same finish is covered on our concrete driveways page, and sealing keeps a deck looking right year after year.
Estimates are free and done on site anywhere in Syracuse and Central New York, and financing is available. Call (315) 676-0005, or use the contact page to describe the deck or patio you have in mind.