Concrete Integral Color & Cement Pigments

When it comes to creating permanent, fade-resistant colored concrete, professionals rely on Concrete Integral Color. Unlike surface stains or dyes that can wear off over time, this professional-grade concrete color powder is mixed directly into the batch, ensuring consistent color throughout the entire slab. Whether you are pouring a new stamped concrete patio, a driveway, or a decorative overlay, adding this high-quality cement color guarantees a rich, natural look that will withstand harsh weather and UV rays without fading.

Why Choose Integral Concrete Color?

Standard liquid dyes often fail to deliver the opacity and durability required for outdoor hardscaping. Our dry concrete color powder is formulated with pure, finely milled synthetic iron oxide cement pigments containing no fillers:

• Drop-In Dissolvable Bags: The color is conveniently packaged in a 10-pound disintegrating bag that disperses safely and rapidly directly into the cement mixer. No messy measuring or visual bag splitting required!
• Architectural Grade: These concrete coloring additives are lime-proof, sun-fast, completely inert, and meet or exceed the strict criteria of ASTM C979.
• True "Color Through" Technology: Because the color additive for concrete is integral, any future surface scratches or minor chips will not reveal uncolored gray concrete underneath.
• Complete Flexibility: Our concrete colors contain no additional admixtures, allowing the concrete designer to use standard air-entraining or water-reducing agents. Note: Calcium Chloride is never recommended.

Concrete Color Mix Ratio & Coverage

Achieving the perfect concrete color mix is a straightforward process. Because of the inherent tinting strength of our synthetic iron oxides, standard pigment loadings should not exceed 4% to 5% by weight. Use the following guide for a standard Ready-Mix truck:

Pro Tip: Always remember that your base matters. Using standard gray Portland cement will produce earthy concrete colors, while using white cement will yield brighter, more vibrant pastel tones. Ensure cement and aggregates come from the same source for the entire job to maintain consistency.

How to Mix Color Into Concrete

1. Batching: Add the dissolvable bags of color for concrete mix directly into the mixer along with the aggregate, cement, and water. If using a central mix plant, add 1/2 of the batch, toss in the color bags, mix for 3 minutes, then add the remaining concrete.
2. Mixing: The transit mixer should operate at charging or mixing speed (50 to 100 revolutions) for 5 to 10 minutes to ensure the cement pigments are fully dispersed.
3. Slump Control: Keep slumps consistent. A 3"–4" slump is highly recommended (5" maximum). Never achieve higher slumps by adding extra water on-site, as this will wash out the final color. Use plasticizing admixtures instead.

Placing and Finishing Colored Concrete

Once the color mix concrete is poured over a well-drained, compacted sub-grade, finishing must be done carefully:

• Do not over-trowel, as this will cause dark spots known as "trowel burning."
• Wait for the bleed water to leave the surface before beginning your finish to avoid scaling, dusting, or efflorescence.
• Never sprinkle fogging water on the surface while finishing.
• For best results, use a broom, rotary, or pair it with GlobMarble's Rigid polyurethane stamps for a textured finish.