Concrete Dying
Dyes enhance the natural beauty of concrete by providing endless colour options.
What are Concrete Dyes?
Concrete dyes enhance the natural beauty of concrete by adding a wide selection of colours to an existing slab or overlay. They are intended to enhance rather than disguise the surface. They will not hide cracks, blemishes, or other flaws. Nor will they mask an underlying color.The concrete becomes a canvas for color and design. Essentially, concrete dyes are translucent, penetrating color solutions. Unlike acid-based stains, they do not react chemically with concrete. Instead, they contain very fine coloring agents that penetrate into the concrete surface.
Dying is a versatile solution as it can be combined with other concrete solutions, enhancing these results. It can be combined with Concrete Staining, Concrete Polishing and Concrete Overlays.
Benefits
Concrete dying provides the following benefits:
- Unlimited colors (including vibrant hues)
- Ability to create custom designs including detailed images e.g. logos
Where to Use:
- Any interior surface
- Existing concrete
- New concrete/overlay
- High traffic areas
- Commercial or residential
Colour and Design Options
Dyes or stains — what's the difference?
Basically, a concrete dye is a coloring agent, usually supplied in concentrated form, that is diluted in water or solvent (alcohol or acetone) to the desired shade. The dye may be mixed with other colors on site. It is usually applied to concrete with a pump sprayer, but may be applied with an airless sprayer, airbrush, sponge or brush, depending on the desired effect and the size of the area to be colored. The solvent or water carrier penetrates the concrete, taking the color with it. The final effect is transparent, so the concrete is visible through the color.
Chemical or acid-based reactive stains color concrete by a very different mechanism. The acid catalyzes a chemical reaction with the lime in the concrete, creating a variegated, mottled effect. Pigments in the stain impart color. Colors of reactive stains are similar to colors that occur naturally in stone, so the palette is somewhat limited.