When the year 1900 rolled around many city sidewalks were still made with wood planks, and expensive driveways were either cobblestone or gravel. Concrete use in land transportation was mainly by railroads who were content to use grey as their theme color. Although white cement powder has long been available for architectural concrete it was not until builders began demanding pastels that coloring grey concrete came into widespread use. Soon colored concrete found its way into the residential market, where those who could afford it paved their driveways and walks with something different.
Today the use of colors from slate black to deep reds, California beige to Spanish brick, and almost any shade in between, are available at a reasonable cost. Concrete can be colored by either adding a coloring agent to the surface layer, the "shake" method, or by adding color throughout the entire batch of concrete. This is referred to as "integral' color. Both methods have their advantages and disadvantages.
Generally, deeper colors can be produced by the shake method, in which the coloring agent is sprinkled onto the wet surface and smoothed in during finishing. This is not a job for the amateur and requires considerable experience to obtain a proper bond between the surface and underlying layer to retain the concrete's freeze/thaw durability. The downside of the shake method is that over time the use of de-icing chemicals, cracking or even heavy traffic wear can cause the surface to break down or wear away, exposing the grey concrete underneath.
Adding a coloring agent during the batching of the concrete mix is done at the ready-mix plant.
Integral color, while tending to be less vibrant, is available in all the shades of the shake method. Surfaces made with integral color concrete will continue to show their true colors forever, regardless of wear or damage, as the color is throughout the entire body of the pour.
Either method will add excitement to an age old building product and add enduring life and excitement to your new or existing home.
BC READY-MIXED CONCRETE ASSOCIATION
26162 – 30A Avenue, Aldergrove, BC, V4W 2W5
Ph: 604-626-4141 Fx: 604-626-4143 Em: info@bcrmca.bc.ca
