Once the concrete has been laid you will want to finish the job properly. Many different surface finishes can be applied to fresh concrete. For example, the surface may be left as tamped, the quality of this finish will obviously depend on how well you have tamped the mix down. Alternatively, a wooden float may be used to give a textured surface, which can be patterned in straight or circular designs depending on how you move the float. Other options are to use a steel or plastic float to give the concrete a smooth finish, or soft or hard brushes to produce non-skid finishes.

Finally, as soon as the concrete has hardened enough not to be marked, it should be covered with a polythene sheet, pegged or weighted down at the edges. This will prevent it drying out too fast. The polythene can be removed after two or three days. Fresh concrete should not be allowed to freeze, so don't lay it when frost is likely unless you are prepared to insulate it (several inches of straw between two layers of polythene may be used for this purpose).