The traditional gray color of concrete slabs causes many to consider more colorful, eye-catching alternatives. Those that do miss the opportunity to get the strength and durability of concrete, with attractive colors created by integral color or color hardeners. These additives create allow for more design options within a concrete project. But, is one more suitable for specific projects than the other? Here’s a closer look at both options for coloring concrete: integral color, and color hardener.
Integral Color
One of the most popular methods for coloring concrete is through admixtures, which infuse with concrete to create lasting color. This process is known as integral coloring and is a similar process to adding dyes to food, or clothing. The entire batch of concrete is colored when the powdered or liquid additive is mixed into the wet concrete. The result is a simpler installation process since there’s no airborne dust that could color other materials, and the concrete can be poured in larger areas as normal. Another advantage is that integral coloring creates a colored concrete slab that is more resistant to fading than other methods. Because the entirety of the slab is dyed, small chips and scars on the surface will be less noticeable. Patching these areas can be difficult, however, since it the patch will need to be a close match to the color of the slab. Butterfield Color offers patch materials that match their integral color offerings. That won’t be much help if you’ve created a unique color for your concrete, however.
Color Hardener
Unlike integral color that dyes the entire slab, color hardener is a dry mixture that’s spread by hand onto concrete that’s just been poured, which means that only the top of the slab is colored. While that means that any damage to the surface will reveal the original color of the slab underneath, it also often allows for a more vibrant, intense color to be created. There are also many more color options than what you typically get from integral color. In addition to coloring the concrete, color hardener also lives up to its name by strengthening the surface and making it more dense. This means that it can hold up to abuse and weathering better, and hopefully resist cracking and chipping. The primary downside to color hardener is that, due to its powdery form, it can be messy and difficult to control, especially in windy conditions. The hardener mixture can get onto other materials, or clothing, and dye them as well.
At Maxwell Supply in Tulsa, we have a variety of products available to help you create the concrete look you want. Look through our online inventory of Butterfield Color products and other concrete supplies, or stop by and see us for help.