Perth Concrete Specialists
Plain Grey Concrete Driveways
The honest workhorse. Properly poured, it lasts decades.
Plain Grey in Perth
A well-prepared plain grey driveway is the most cost-effective concrete surface you can put in front of a Perth home, and with the right base and thickness it will outlast almost every alternative.
Plain grey concrete is the driveway most Perth homeowners picture first, and for good reason. It is the most affordable finish we lay, it handles daily car and 4WD traffic without complaint, and when the sub-base and thickness are right it stays flat and crack-controlled for decades.
The catch is that plain grey is only as good as what sits underneath it. A driveway poured straight onto poorly compacted sand or reactive clay will craze and crack no matter how neat the finish looks on day one.
100-150mm
Slab thickness poured to the load
20-25 MPa
Standard residential concrete strength
7 days
Before light vehicle traffic
28 days
To full design strength
What's Included
What comes as standard
Residential and commercial plain grey slabs
Correct 100mm to 150mm thickness for the load
Steel reinforcement and control joints as standard
Graded for proper drainage away from the house
Perth Soils and Why They Matter
Perth sits on a mix of sandy coastal soils in the western suburbs and more reactive clay soils as you move inland and east. Both create driveway challenges, but different ones.
Sandy soils drain freely, which is good, but they can shift under load if they are not properly compacted or if a water source washes material away over time. Clay soils hold moisture and swell when wet, then shrink back as they dry, creating seasonal movement in any slab sitting on them.
| Soil Type | Perth Areas | Key Preparation Steps |
|---|---|---|
| Sandy (Spearwood and Bassendean sands) | Western suburbs, coastal belt, northern coastal corridor | Deep compaction, road-base layer, adequate drainage |
| Reactive clay (heavier sub-soils) | Eastern suburbs, hills foothills, some southern areas | Controlled fill compaction, heavier reinforcement, careful joint spacing |
| Mixed fill (subdivisions, reclaimed land) | Newer estates across the metro area | Site-specific investigation, compaction testing, may need geotextile |
Our Plain Grey Pour Process
Every driveway follows the same disciplined sequence so nothing gets skipped under time pressure.
- Strip and excavate to the correct depth for the finished level
- Compact the sub-grade and add a compacted road-base layer where needed
- Set formwork to the fall so water runs away from the house
- Lay steel mesh or bar reinforcement on bar chairs at the correct height
- Pour, screed and finish the concrete surface
- Cut control joints before shrinkage starts
- Cure properly - cover or keep moist so the slab reaches full design strength
- Strip formwork and clean up the site
Surface Finish Options in Plain Grey
Plain grey does not have to mean one look. The surface finish affects both appearance and grip.
| Finish | Appearance | Best Use |
|---|---|---|
| Broom finish | Fine textured lines across the surface | Standard driveways - good grip, easy to clean |
| Brushed finish | Slightly coarser, open texture | Sloped driveways where maximum grip matters |
| Smooth trowel | Flat, dense surface | Garage floors, sheds, indoor pours |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about plain grey in Perth.
Plain grey is the most affordable concrete finish, but the price depends on the area, the amount of excavation and preparation required, and access to the site. The best way to get an accurate figure is a free on-site quote where we can measure and check the ground conditions.
Concrete is usually safe to walk on after 24 to 48 hours, but you should keep vehicles off it for at least 7 days. It continues gaining strength for 28 days, so avoid parking heavy vehicles, trailers or caravans in the first few weeks.
All concrete shrinks as it cures and moves slightly with temperature changes, which is why we cut control joints to guide any movement into straight, planned lines rather than random cracks. With the correct thickness, reinforcement and joint spacing on a properly prepared base, a plain grey driveway stays crack-controlled for decades.
Yes. A sound plain grey slab can often be resurfaced with an overlay, exposed aggregate topping or coloured finish down the track, which makes it a flexible starting point if budget is a consideration now.
Sealing is optional on plain grey but recommended. A penetrating or film-forming sealer reduces water absorption, makes the surface easier to clean and can slow the natural greying from UV and traffic. It is a low-cost step that extends the life of the surface.
For a standard residential driveway the preparation and pour typically take one to two days, depending on the size, access and complexity. Add the curing period and you are usually looking at 7 to 10 days before vehicles can use the surface.
In most cases, yes. Pouring over an old, cracked or uneven slab is not something we recommend because the existing defects transfer through. We demolish and remove the old concrete as part of the preparation, which gives us a clean base to work from.
For a standard family car or two-car driveway we pour at 100mm minimum. Where the driveway regularly takes 4WDs, tradesperson vehicles, caravans or trailers we go to 125mm or 150mm. We specify the thickness at the quote after assessing the ground conditions and the vehicles it will take.
Request Your Free Quote
Request a quote for plain grey
Send us a few details and we will come out, measure up and give you a clear, itemised quote with no obligation.
Call us
(08) 6275 6554Open
Monday to Friday, 8am to 5pm
