Exposure of the aggregate can be achieved through a number of means, each with different advantages and each resulting in different appearances. The three main processes used today are water washing, grit or sandblasting and honing and polishing.

Water-Washed Finishes

Water washing is a traditional finish which has lost some popularity. When combined with good architecture, however it can be very effective. Being a face-up finish the backs of the panels are off-form and hence it is very economical.

Retarders give a similar effect but are seldom used in Australia.

Sand Blasted Finishes

Grit or waterblasting (generically called sandblasting) can be used to expose the aggregate on any off-form surface, hence is suitable for any units from plain to heavily-detailed.

Unlike the other methods of aggregate exposure, grit/waterblasting can produce very light exposures ranging from a light blast which is only sufficient to remove the cement skin from the off-form surface to a deep cut which removes some of the cement and sand to reveal the aggregate colour. These result in a dense, even-textured surface and is a medium-cost way of producing an excellent architectural finish.

Honed and Polished Finishes

Polished finishes are generally accepted as the top of the range architectural finish. With their wide acceptance and the advent of modern polishing equipment, cost of this finish has come down while freedom of design expression has increased.

Honing is the term referring to a level of grinding which produces a smooth but matt finish. Further grinding produces a "polished" or glossy finish. Using these two techniques together can produce delightful resultssee Multiple Finishes).

Polished surfaces weather well because of their water-shedding characteristics.