Concrete is a manufactured substance with properties very similar to stone. Its ingredients include gravel, cement, lime, and water.

As a facade material it comes in two forms: poured-in-place, and precast. A poured-in-place concrete facade usually means that the structural concrete (reinforced with steel) is left exposed on the building's surface, either raw or painted. It commonly forms a frame + infill or shear wall facade. A precast concrete facade is typically made of panels hung or mounted over the structural frame.

Concrete normally has a very light grayish- or yellowish-brown color, but pigments can be added for variety. It often has a very smooth texture, but it is easily molded for a rusticated or patterned surface. Small or large pebbles can be incorporated into the mixture to produce rough textures.