Concrete Dye

The water-based dyes tend to produce soft pastels.

Saturated blues, yellows, reds, greens, oranges, and purples are made with solvent-based concrete dyes.

A PDF dye color chart can be retrieved from Firecrete.com.

Please note that water-based dyes tend to produce more of a variegated or marbling effect, while solvent based dyes are more uniform in color.

Dyes come in concentrated form, which allows some flexibility in the end result.

Used full strength, they can achieve greater depth of color.

Diluted, they can produce pale shades or washes of color.

Concrete dyes can be mixed to produce custom colors as well.

Because concrete dyes are easy to use, come in a huge range of colors, are flexible in terms of saturation, and can be custom mixed, they are generating plenty of buzz in the custom home interior market.

Added bonuses include the lack of residue and minimal cleanup necessary after the process.

The main drawback to dyeing concrete is that since dyes penetrate concrete quickly, there's not much room for error during the application process.

Another drawback with dyeing concrete is that they are not stable in UV light and most manufacturers recommend use indoors only.

Application of dyes to concrete can be done in many different ways. It all depends on the results you want and how big a job it is. Some concrete dye experts use high volume, low pressure (HVLP) sprayers.

For some jobs they may use rollers or brushes.

Before applying dye in any way, you need to test the concrete surface for how well it's going to accept the dye before you apply it.

Penetration levels and the intensity of color will vary based on the following factors:

• Application method
• Age of the concrete
• Porosity of the concrete
• Cleanliness of the concrete

Dense and non-porous concrete surfaces might not accept your dye at all, so pretesting is extremely important to make sure you don't waste all that time and effort.

How to Dye Concrete

If the color saturation is good after sitting overnight, then the concrete will accept the dye and you can proceed.

However, if the color saturation has faded overnight, you will have to strip any sealers on the concrete and then sand it down so that the dye can penetrate.

If that is the case, try the overnight dye test again after removing sealers and sanding. The surface must be clean and dry before applying the concrete dye.

Some concrete dye artists who produce custom floors use dye as an underlayment, and then add stain on top for a more translucent effect.

When choosing and purchasing your dye, you can find swatches at concrete showrooms and online.

Be aware, however, that online color swatches can be affected by factors like the type of monitor you are viewing them on and various monitor settings.

Applicators, safety supplies and concrete cleaner are available at most hardware and home improvement centers.

To prep the surface, sweep off any debris, hose the concrete down if possible, apply the cleaner, then use a buffer to clean the surface of the concrete.

Mix your dye in a five gallon bucket.

Put the dye concentrate in first, then add water, alcohol, or acetone according to manufacturer's instructions to dilute the dye to the color you want.

Using your paintbrush, pump sprayer, sponge, or airbrush, apply the dye to the concrete floor.

For a smooth, one-color application, sprayers work best.

For mixing colors or applying artistic effects, airbrushes, sponges, and paintbrushes are the tools you'll most likely use.

When you have finished, allow the concrete to dry for at least 24 hours.

After it is completely dry, apply sealant according to the package directions.

Allow your concrete floor to dry for the recommended time before walking on it or putting furniture on it.

If you need more of a functional application, you can also keep it simple by using concrete paint.

By using dyes, you can create genuine concrete eye candy around the home.

Concrete Dye Related Reading

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