The Short Answer: From $30 Per Square Metre
Most residential concrete sealing in Brisbane costs from $30 per square metre plus GST, and that rate includes surface preparation and two coats of sealer. It holds whether you choose a clear penetrative sealer, a wet look sealer or a coloured topical finish - what changes between them is the minimum job price, which sits between $1,800 and $2,300 plus GST. On a typical 100m² driveway in good condition, sealing works out at around $3,000 plus GST.
Those aren't marketing numbers. They're the same rates our online estimate calculator uses to price every enquiry, and the same ones published on our concrete sealing pages - the final figure is always confirmed after an on-site inspection, because two driveways with the same area can need very different amounts of preparation.
This guide walks through the rate for each finish, the job minimums, what pushes a quote up, and a worked example on a typical Brisbane driveway - then gives the honest version of when sealing is worth the money and when it isn't the right fix at all.
What the $30 Rate Includes
Preparation and application are both in the rate. The surface is pressure cleaned and left to dry completely, then the sealer goes on with professional low-pressure spray equipment so the coat is even across every square metre. For most residential jobs that means two coats, for full penetration and maximum protection.
What the base rate doesn't cover is a slab in rough shape. If the concrete needs more than standard preparation, that shows up as a condition loading on the estimate rather than a surprise on the day - the loadings are covered in the worked example below.
Brisbane Sealing Rates by Finish
All three residential sealing finishes carry the same $30 per square metre rate, so the choice between them is about the look you want and the resealing cycle you're signing up for, not the upfront price. A clear penetrative sealer soaks into the concrete instead of forming a surface film, keeps the natural look and typically lasts 5-10 years. A wet look sealer adds a low sheen that resists stains and UV. A coloured topical sealer lays a solid colour over the slab and typically runs a 2-5 year resealing cycle.
Where the finishes do separate is the minimum job price. Setup and mobilisation cost the same whether we're sealing 40 square metres or 140, so very small areas don't scale down proportionally - a courtyard or single-car pad is priced at the minimum for its finish rather than by the metre.
A Worked Example: A 100m² Brisbane Driveway
Take a typical 100m² driveway. In good condition - minor wear, hairline cracks, tidy from a distance - the estimate is simple: 100m² at $30 gives $3,000 plus GST, including preparation and two coats. In fair condition, with visible wear, moderate cracking and some staining, a 15% loading applies and the same driveway estimates at $3,450 plus GST. In poor condition, with significant damage or major cracking, the loading is 30% and the figure is $3,900 plus GST.
At the other end of the scale, a standard 45m² driveway in good condition works out at $1,350 by the metre rate - under every minimum - so it would be priced at the $1,800-plus-GST clear penetrative minimum instead. These are the exact figures our free estimate calculator produces, and the final price is confirmed after an on-site inspection.
What Moves the Price
Surface condition is the biggest variable, and it's why the loadings exist. Staining, moderate cracking and built-up grime all mean more preparation time before the first coat can go on, and a slab with significant damage needs more again - that's the 15% and 30% steps you saw in the worked example, not an open-ended "subject to site" clause.
The other factor Brisbane homeowners run into is a previous coating. If your driveway has been sealed or coated before, the new product has to suit what's already on the slab, so we assess the existing coating first and recommend a compatible reseal - often possible, as long as the existing sealer is sound. Finish choice, by contrast, moves the minimum rather than the rate: the metre price stays at $30 whichever of the three finishes you pick.
What a Sealed Driveway Looks Like
Sealing protects the surface your concrete already has rather than replacing it with a new one. A clear penetrative sealer works beneath the surface, forming a chemical barrier against moisture, salts and contaminants without changing the character of the slab - which is exactly what most people want on aggregate and quality finishes.
Below is a real CoatPro clear sealing job in Cleveland - drag the handle to compare the driveway before and after cleaning and sealing. More examples are on our clear penetrative sealing page.
Is Sealing Worth the Money?
For a structurally sound slab, yes - and the arithmetic isn't close. Our complete guide to concrete sealing in Queensland puts professional sealing at $2,500-8,500 depending on the system chosen, against $15,000-40,000 to replace a typical concrete driveway - and sealing can extend the concrete's life by 20-30 years. Brisbane concrete earns that protection the hard way: unsealed surfaces can exceed 60°C in summer, UV index readings regularly pass 12, and humidity levels regularly exceed 80%.
Spread over the sealer's life, the case gets stronger again. A clear penetrative sealer lasting 5-10 years means a $3,000 driveway job costs a few hundred dollars a year of protection - and because there's no film to strip or sand back, resealing is a clean-and-recoat job when the time comes, not a start-from-scratch one.
When Sealing Isn't the Right Fix
Sealing protects the surface your slab already has - it won't hide one that's failing. If the concrete is badly cracked, spalled or stained past the point a clean can recover, spraycrete resurfacing at $50-100 per square metre including sealing gives the slab a genuinely new face, and full replacement, from around $150 per square metre, is only on the table for slabs with real structural problems.
The hierarchy is worth keeping in mind when you compare quotes: seal a sound slab from $30 per square metre, resurface a cosmetically worn one at $50-100, and replace only when the structure itself has failed. If you're weighing the middle option, our guide to driveway resurfacing vs replacement in Brisbane walks through that call in detail.
Getting a Fixed Price for Your Driveway
CoatPro is a QBCC-licensed contractor (licence 15620475), a member of Master Builders Queensland, and we carry over $20 million in public liability insurance. We seal concrete across Brisbane and the Gold Coast, and across South-East Queensland we've now coated more than 120,000 square metres of concrete - so we've generally seen what a surface like yours needs before we get to it.
Want a number for your own slab? Run your measurements through the free estimate calculator for an instant figure, or call Christian on 07 4428 2811 and we'll book a free on-site assessment.
FAQs
Common questions about what concrete sealing costs in Brisbane.
Most residential concrete sealing jobs in Brisbane cost from $30 per square metre plus GST, including preparation and two coats of sealer. That rate applies across clear penetrative, wet look and coloured topical finishes; smaller areas are priced by job minimums of $1,800 to $2,300 plus GST depending on the finish, and a slab in fair or poor condition carries a loading of 15% or 30% for the extra preparation.
Every job carries the same setup and mobilisation regardless of its size, so very small areas don't scale down proportionally. The minimums are $1,800 plus GST for clear penetrative sealing, $2,000 for wet look and $2,300 for coloured topical - which means a small courtyard or single-car pad is priced at the minimum rather than by the metre.
A clear penetrative sealer typically lasts 5 to 10 years - driveways and high-traffic areas tend to sit closer to the 5-year mark, while covered patios and pool surrounds can push beyond 7. Coloured topical sealers typically run a 2 to 5 year resealing cycle.
For clear penetrative sealing, keep foot traffic off the surface for around 4 hours and vehicles off for 24 hours. Cure times vary by product - across sealer types foot traffic is typically fine after 4 to 8 hours, while some topical systems need 3 to 7 days before vehicle traffic - so we confirm the timing for your product on the day.
Get Your Free Quote Today
Transform your concrete surfaces with our expert sealing and finishing services. Contact us now to discuss your project and receive a personalised quote. We service all areas throughout South-East Queensland.
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