A gray broom, or brush, finish is the most basic concrete finish.  After the concrete is poured, a broom with light or coarse bristles is brushed across the surface of the concrete, leaving small grooves in the concrete.  These grooves provides a non-slip surface.

This type of finish is similar to a gray brush finish.  Immediately after the concrete is poured, a gray float or trowel is used to make patterns in the concrete, such as swirls or arcs.  The finished texture can be coarse, medium, or smooth depending on the tool used.

Stamped concrete (textured or imprinted concrete), is a type of concrete finish designed to resemble wood, brick, tile, and natural stone such as slate or flagstone.  Color is typically added to the concrete so that the stamped pattern resembles the real material.

An exposed aggregate finish is obtained by spraying a chemical surface retarder onto the surface immediately after the concrete is placed and finished.  This delays the setting of the concrete so that the top layer of cement paste can be removed up to a day or so later.  This process uncovers the decorative aggregate, usually colored natural stones such as limestone, granite, quartz, or basalt.

This finish is similar to exposed aggregate. A chemical surface retardant is poured onto the concrete surface after it has been placed and finished, and the thin film of the surface is then removed, exposing the fine sand of the concrete. The final finish is more granular and smoother than the typical exposed aggregate finish, sometimes described as having a lightly gritty sandpaper texture.