I’ve worked with just about every kind of concrete finish you can name — gloss, matte, burnished, exposed aggregate, and grind-and-seal. One finish, however, has consistently stood out in recent years across the Central Coast: what I call the Pavilion Finish.
Clients love it because it hits a sweet spot. It’s refined without being flashy, smooth without feeling sterile, and — most importantly — practical for real homes with real people. You don’t need to be building a resort to want your floors to look this good.
The Pavilion Finish grew out of requests for polished concrete that didn’t have the mirror-gloss vibe. People wanted something more natural and grounded. I experimented with grit levels, sealers, and timing until I landed on a surface with a soft sheen, low reflectivity, and just the right amount of aggregate showing through. It feels premium without shouting for attention.
Because it’s subtly textured and less reflective than high-gloss options, the Pavilion Finish hides minor marks better and gives off a relaxed, coastal‑modern feel that suits the lifestyle here — sandy feet, indoor‑outdoor living, and salty air. I’ve installed Pavilion Finish floors in kitchens, hallways, bedrooms, and around pools. It adapts to different lighting throughout the day and doesn’t compete with other design elements; whether you pair it with timber, steel, or stone, it just works.
There’s a technical side to getting this right. The timing has to be tighter, the machinery setup slightly different from full polish or grind-and-seal, and the sealing system must be dialled in so the result isn’t patchy or overly matte. You can’t shortcut this finish — either it looks effortlessly designed or it looks like someone tried to copy it and missed the mark. That finesse is what separates it from more common concrete finishes.
Builders who’ve worked with me on Pavilion projects now specify it in their own homes — a true endorsement in my book. This finish has become a signature not because I market it aggressively, but because people walk into these homes and say, “Whatever that is, I want it.”
If you’re building or renovating on the Central Coast and want a timeless yet modern floor that holds up and feels like home, don’t just follow trends. Choose a finish that performs and looks the part. Learn more about the differences between polished concrete finishes and maintenance considerations on resources like Wikipedia’s polished concrete overview (polished concrete) and the Concrete Network’s guide to polished floors (polished concrete guide). For examples of the Pavilion Finish I use, see the project page Pavilion Finish floors.
