Concrete Colour Powder
Concrete surfaces are usually dull and gray. However, they should not remain this way.
Color and other decorations can be added to concrete to enhance its aesthetic appeal, using concrete dyes and stains.
The method will ultimately depend on whether the concrete surface is outdoors or indoors and the expected effect.
For example, if you want to achieve intense color, you should use concrete dyes.
On the other hand, if the concrete surface is outdoors, you should use a concrete stain.
Concrete stain is more resistant to normal wear and fading, thus making it preferable for outdoor surfaces.
Concrete Dyes
Dyes are a coloring matter or material that imparts a particular hue to a surface.
They are a great way to enhance and color existing concrete slabs.
They also give you many options when you want to dye your dull concrete.
Furthermore, they dry very quickly.
Dyes are mainly available as a super-fine powder, which can be dispersed in water or a solvent, depending on the manufacturer.
UV rays affect most true dyes, which makes them unsuitable for outdoor concrete surfaces.
Recently, manufacturers have moved to pigments available in vibrant colors.
These pigments are also resistant to UV rays.
Concrete Stains
Unlike dyes, concrete stains are usually classified into three main categories: penetrating, film-forming, and acid.
All three stains are available in different colors, shades, textures, and tints.
However, each form uses other technology to achieve a distinctive decorative look.
Film-forming stains are among the oldest. They work like paint, simply coating the surface and adding color.
However, after exposure to the elements and human traffic, they fade, flake, or peel.
Penetrating stains are a better alternative to film-forming stains.
They penetrate the deeper layers of the concrete, giving it decorative color.
These dyes can be mixed with water or solvents such as acetone or alcohol.
The carrier penetrates the concrete, allowing the dye to spread within the pores and affect the color change.
Concrete stains are made up of water, salts, and hydrochloric acid.
A chemical reaction occurs with the calcium hydroxide in concrete, leading to color change.
The Results
As highlighted before, concrete dyes are available in solvent or water-based formulas.
They produce a wide range of different effects, from opaque to translucent.
Water-based paints usually create a variegated or marbled color, close to the impact of a stain.
On the other hand, solvent-based colorants lead to a more uniform or opaque coloration.
Stains tend to etch the concrete’s surface rather than penetrate it. The result is a mottled or variegated finish.
Once applied to concrete, pigments and dyes take on a variety of colors.
When you purchase a stain from the store, it may appear dark green.
After reacting with the concrete, it takes on the characteristics of veins.
The final color cannot be determined until the chemical reaction occurs.
Application Tools and Time
Applying concrete stains and dyes requires specialized protective equipment like goggles, rubber gloves, and respirators.
Both types of coloring agents are applied using a sprayer. If working on small areas, you can use a spray bottle, sponges, or brushes.
However, if you apply acid-based chemical stains, you can only use a sprayer since they are highly resistant to hydrochloric acid.
These sprayers are made of plastic. They don’t have metal parts.
Furthermore, containers used to mix or hold the stain should be made entirely of plastic.
Both color stains and dyes are easy to apply.
However, chemical stains need a minimum of 5 hours to dry to give colors sufficient time to react with concrete.
After around 5 hours, the stain residue should be neutralized with a water solution combined with baking soda or ammonia.
Concrete dyes dry within a couple of minutes. In addition, they don’t require any form of rinsing.
Options and Versatility
Concrete dyes are not UV stable. Therefore, you will notice that most manufacturers recommend them for indoor use only.
On the other hand, concrete stains have remarkable UV stability.
They are also resistant to fading and wear, making them perfect for indoor and outdoor concrete surfaces.
However, they are limited when it comes to color.
They are usually available in earth tones like reddish-brown, greens, blues, or terracotta.
Dyes are available in different colors. This means they have more versatility.