Colored concrete may be a good way to decorate your home. It can be an ideal material for steps, finished driveways, indoor concrete, and any other areas in your property. This material is chosen because it is very beautiful and stylish for any of your applications. Concrete can be colored with many coloring methods. Different coloring methods will offer different looks, benefits, and disadvantages for all users. Therefore, you need to learn different types of concrete coloring methods for finding the best-colored concrete for your needs.
Some Concrete Coloring Options
a. Integral Coloring
This is one of the most common concrete coloring methods that you can use for coloring your concrete. In this process, the colorant will be added to the concrete during the mixing procedure. This colorant will produce uniform color throughout the concrete, so you can have beautiful color on this material. The colorant can be powder or liquid. The choice may depend on your needs and how you are going to color your concrete. Integral coloring is usually more expensive than any other concrete coloring options because you are going to color the entire depth of your concrete slab.
b. Acid stain
This is another good way of coloring concrete. Acid stains are commonly made from a combination of water, metallic salts, and acid. The acid will react with the minerals inside the concrete. It will create a unique and mottled color effect on your concrete. This concrete coloring method can produce durable and long-lasting colored concrete. However, acid stains are usually made from hazardous materials. There are some safety precautions on how you can perform this coloring method. At the end of the process, the concrete must be rinsed and neutralized for removing any excess acid from the concrete.
c. Acetone dyes
Some concrete manufacturers are going to use acetone dyes for coloring their concrete. Most acetone dyes are made from fast-drying dyes, so you can color any of your concrete quickly. However, there is a disadvantage to this coloring option. These dyes are not UV-stable. It means that they can be affected by sunlight. The sunlight from the windows can fade the colors of the concrete made from acetone dyes. In most cases, this method requires you to use a topical protective treatment for locking in the color on your concrete.
d. Water-based dyes
When you want to color your concrete, you can consider using water-based dyes. These dyes or stains have a lot of benefits for the users. These water-based colorants are usually safe and easy to apply. They are odorless, so they can be applied to any concrete safely. It is a good idea for you to use some procedures for using these water-based dyes, for example, polishing, densifying, and hardening the concrete. Water-based stains can be combined with protective coatings that can be used to lock the color in. These dyes are also prone to UV light. Direct sunlight will fade the color of these water-based dyes on your concrete.
e. Color hardener
This is another common colorant that can be used to create beautiful designs and colors on your concrete. Color hardener can be used to strengthen and also increase the color intensity on your concrete surface. This concrete coloring method is more resistant to wear and damage. Colored concrete which is resulted from this process will be less vulnerable to deicing chemicals and moisture, especially when it is compared to the traditional concrete. This method will also reduce the vulnerability against UV light. However, the application procedure may cause some messy results when it is not done properly.
There are many other coloring methods that you can use for coloring your concrete. Colored concrete can be one of the most popular materials for any construction project. This material is chosen because it can improve the overall look of your property at a very affordable price. It is also important for you to decide if you are going to use the concrete for indoor or outdoor purposes. When the concrete contacts the direct sunlight, you are going to consider using the concrete from color hardener due to its durability and longevity.
For the best concrete contractor in North Carolina, call Apex Concrete & Hauling today!