Hydromedia Permeable Concrete Brisbane

What is Hydromedia permeable concrete?

Riverside promenade and skyline | Conker

Hydromedia is an open-void concrete pavement specifically designed to allow water to move through it.

Unlike conventional concrete, where the dense surface directs rainfall towards falls, drains and stormwater infrastructure, Hydromedia contains an interconnected network of voids.

Rain hits the pavement.

Water passes through the concrete.

From there, it enters a purpose-designed permeable sub-base where it can be managed according to the conditions and requirements of the individual site.

That might mean allowing water to infiltrate naturally into suitable ground, temporarily storing water within the pavement system, incorporating supplementary drainage or directing it towards another part of the site’s stormwater strategy.

The important distinction is this:

Permeable concrete doesn’t make water disappear. It gives us another way to manage where that water goes.

And in the right environment, that’s a very useful tool.

Why use permeable concrete?

Every roof, driveway, pathway, car park and conventional concrete surface changes the way rainwater behaves.

Water that may once have soaked into the landscape becomes surface runoff that needs to be collected and managed elsewhere.

Hydromedia provides another option.

By allowing rainfall to pass through the pavement, permeable concrete can help:

reduce surface water and ponding
reduce the volume and speed of surface runoff
support water-sensitive landscape and stormwater design
allow water to infiltrate closer to where it falls where site conditions permit
reduce reliance on surface falls purely for drainage
create usable hard surfaces in areas where permeability is desirable
support more considered integration between hardscape, landscaping and water

It isn’t the answer for every project.

But where water management is already influencing the design, it can fundamentally change what is possible with the hardscape.

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We are proud to be Master Concreters, Master Builders, and members of HIA. In addition, we are Dulux Avista accredited and Geostone approved installers. These accreditations speak to our commitment to excellence and our dedication to following best practices in the industry. We are always committed to being the best concrete resurfacer in Brisbane and the Gold Coast, ensuring every project upholds the highest standards of quality and durability.

Master Concreters, founded in 2006, serves as a national organisation that promotes best practices, and high-quality workmanship within the industry. Its main goal is to raise standards within the industry. Accreditation is a demonstration of adherence to these values.

Dulux Avista Accredited Applicators are a trusted network of professional applicators who have been invited to join the accredited program. All members must meet the required admission criteria including demonstrating a high level of professionalism, quality workmanship, customer service and reliability.

The Housing Industry Association is an association of more than 40,000 members working in the housing industry. It is the peak national industry association for the residential construction and home building, renovation and development industry in Australia.

Master Builders is the home of building and the peak industry association representing building and construction since 1882. They support members to operate professional businesses that deliver superior quality to their customers.

We are proud to be one of only 4 accredited Geostone Installers within Brisbane. The Geostone approved installer network is a moniker of excellence within the industry and testament to delivering exceptional outcomes for clients. Alongside Geostones standard design range we are able to work with you to develop custom mix design should your project require the bespoke touch.

Where can Hydromedia be used?

Hydromedia has potential across a wide range of permeable pavement applications.

Parklands & Public Spaces

Pedestrian pathways, landscaped areas, plazas, recreation zones and community spaces where drainage, accessibility and integration with the surrounding landscape are important.

Pathways & Cycleways

A permanent, usable surface that allows water to pass through rather than relying entirely on conventional surface drainage.

Landscape Projects

Hardscape around gardens, trees and landscaped areas where allowing water to remain part of the natural landscape system may be desirable.

Recreational & Community Facilities

Selected pedestrian areas, gathering spaces, pathways and other hardstand areas where surface water management is an important consideration.

Selected Car Parks & Light-Traffic Areas

Hydromedia can be considered for appropriately designed light-vehicle applications where the expected traffic loading is compatible with the pavement system.

Larger Residential & Acreage Projects

For selected properties where stormwater, overland flow, large areas of hardscape or water-sensitive landscape design create a genuine reason to consider a permeable surface.

An interesting alternative to decomposed granite

This is one application we’re particularly interested in exploring.

Decomposed granite and similar landscape surfaces are commonly used throughout parks, pathways and recreational environments because they create a softer relationship between the built surface and surrounding landscape.

But they aren’t perfect for every situation.

Where greater surface stability and a more permanent pavement are desirable while permeability remains important, Hydromedia presents an interesting alternative.

It provides a fundamentally different proposition:

the permanence and usability of a concrete pavement, while retaining the ability for water to pass through the surface.

Whether Hydromedia or decomposed granite provides the better outcome will depend on the project, including intended use, appearance, traffic, drainage, maintenance requirements and budget.

Our job isn’t to force one material into every situation.

It’s to work out which one makes sense.

What happens to the water?

This is probably the most important question on this page.

Water passing through permeable concrete still needs somewhere to go.

That’s why we don’t look at Hydromedia as simply a concrete product.

We look at the whole pavement system.

Depending on the project, consideration may need to be given to:

existing ground and soil conditions
infiltration capacity
excavation depth
permeable sub-base design
expected rainfall and catchment
surrounding structures
existing stormwater infrastructure
overland flow
pavement loading
landscaping
supplementary drainage
where water ultimately needs to discharge

On a suitable site, water may infiltrate into the ground beneath the pavement.

On another project, the permeable base may provide temporary storage before water dissipates.

Elsewhere, additional drainage beneath the pavement may be incorporated to give residual water a controlled path out of the system.

There isn’t one detail that suits every project.

The surface, sub-base and water strategy need to work together.

How much water can permeable concrete handle?

Hydromedia is designed specifically for very high permeability.

Depending on the mix and pavement design, published Australian technical information indicates permeability can range from approximately 150 to 1,000 litres per minute per square metre, with rates of 500 L/min/m² or greater achievable with appropriate design.

They’re impressive numbers.

But they shouldn’t be considered in isolation.

A pavement capable of accepting water rapidly is only useful if the layers beneath it can appropriately receive, store, infiltrate or discharge that water.

That’s why site conditions and pavement design matter just as much as the permeability of the concrete itself.

Permeable concrete and Water Sensitive Urban Design

One of the most interesting applications for permeable pavement is within the broader principles of Water Sensitive Urban Design — commonly referred to as WSUD.

Rather than treating rainfall purely as something to collect and remove as quickly as possible, water-sensitive design considers how water interacts with the entire site.

Landscape.

Soils.

Vegetation.

Hard surfaces.

Stormwater infrastructure.

And the natural movement of water.

Permeable concrete can form one component of that strategy by allowing selected hardscape areas to receive water rather than automatically creating additional impermeable surface.

It doesn't replace appropriate civil, hydraulic or landscape design.

It gives those disciplines another tool to work with.

Is Hydromedia suitable for every concrete project?

No.

And we think that's important to say.

Hydromedia has characteristics that make it extremely interesting for the right application, but those same characteristics mean it shouldn't simply replace conventional concrete everywhere.

Traffic loading needs to be considered.

So does ground condition, sediment, surrounding landscaping, maintenance, drainage, engineering requirements and intended use.

For example, Australian technical information identifies Hydromedia car park applications for light traffic with maximum vehicle loads of 3.5 tonnes.

That immediately makes some applications appropriate and others unsuitable.

Likewise, the open structure that allows water through the pavement needs to remain open. Environments where significant sediment, soil or debris is continually deposited across the surface may require additional consideration and maintenance.

We would rather recommend conventional concrete where conventional concrete provides the better outcome than install permeable concrete simply because it's different.

What does Hydromedia look like?

Hydromedia doesn’t have the dense, closed finish of conventional concrete.

Its open aggregate structure is what creates the interconnected voids that allow water to pass through.

That gives the pavement a distinctly textured, natural appearance which can work particularly well within landscape-led environments.

Colour and aggregate selections may also provide opportunities to integrate the pavement into the surrounding architecture and landscape, subject to product availability and project requirements.

For us, this is another reason the product becomes interesting.

Water management doesn’t necessarily need to look like drainage infrastructure.

It can form part of the landscape.

Does permeable concrete require maintenance?

Yes.

Like any drainage system, ongoing performance needs to be considered.

Because Hydromedia relies on its interconnected void structure, excessive sediment, dirt and organic material can progressively restrict permeability if allowed to accumulate.

The surrounding landscape therefore matters.

So does cleaning and maintenance.

The appropriate maintenance program will depend on the environment and how the pavement is being used, but keeping the surface free from excessive sediment and debris is important to maintaining its drainage performance.

This is something that should be considered during design — not discovered years after installation.

Our approach to Hydromedia

We’re not trying to put permeable concrete everywhere.

We’re interested in the projects where it genuinely makes sense.

A park pathway that needs to remain accessible through wet weather.

A landscaped development trying to reduce impermeable surface.

A recreation area where surface water is creating problems.

A large property where the way water moves through the site needs to influence the hardscape.

A designer looking for something more permanent than a loose landscape surface without automatically creating another impermeable pavement.

Those are interesting problems.

And they’re where we believe Hydromedia has the greatest potential.

Our approach starts with the same question we ask across every Conker project:

What are we actually trying to achieve?

From there, we can consider the hardscape, intended use, water movement, landscape, construction requirements and budget before determining whether Hydromedia is the right solution.

Sometimes it will be.

Sometimes it won’t.

The objective isn’t to install more permeable concrete.

It’s to create a better-performing space.

Hydromedia Permeable Concrete in Brisbane & South East Queensland

Conker is an accredited Hydromedia applicator, working across Brisbane, the Gold Coast and surrounding South East Queensland regions.

We’re particularly interested in speaking with:

landscape architects and landscape designers
architects
civil and hydraulic consultants
builders and developers
councils and public-space project teams
schools and community organisations
commercial property owners
homeowners undertaking larger landscape or acreage projects

Hydromedia is still a developing part of our offering, and we’re actively looking for projects where its permeability can solve a genuine water-management, landscape or hardscape challenge.

If you’re currently designing a project and wondering whether permeable concrete could form part of the solution, we’d be happy to look at it with you.

Discuss Your Project →

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Our clients recently completed a major home renovation in the upscale neighborhood of Rowes Bay in Brisbane. After the renovation, they contacted us to enhance the plain grey concrete surfaces on their property. We performed a full concrete resurfacing of the double driveway, internal garage, and pathways using Dulux Avista French Grey with charcoal and white flecks. The project was completed with two coats of Dulux Avista Extended Wear clear sealer.

As with this project, some clients choose to continue resurfacing into their internal garage instead of traditional epoxy flake flooring, which is prone to hot tire pick up in Queensland. Resurfacing the garage floor provides a continuous, seamless look without the need for additional building finishes

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