They are both blacks and they are not the same product. Different pigment, different dose ladder, different density, different viscosity — and one carries a use limitation the other does not. They are not substitutes for each other, and no figure published for one applies to the other.
Side by side
| 102 Carbon Black | 206 Charcoal | |
|---|---|---|
| Pigment identity | Carbon black, Color Index PBk 7 (77266) | Not published |
| Dose ladder | Lower — 0.5, 1, 1.5, 2 lb per sack | Standard — 1, 3, 5, 7 lb per sack |
| Maximum | 2 lb of paste per 94 lb sack | 7 lb of paste per 94 lb sack |
| Density, g/mL | 1.18 – 1.30 | 1.80 – 2.20 |
| Viscosity, cps | 30,000 | 500 – 10,000 |
| Exterior / air-entrained | Not recommended — call before ordering | No such limitation stated |
| Pack sizes | 2 lb and 44 lb | 2 lb and 44 lb; check 44 lb availability |
- Pigment identity — 102: Carbon black, Color Index PBk 7 (77266) · 206: Not published
- Dose ladder — 102: Lower — 0.5, 1, 1.5, 2 lb per sack · 206: Standard — 1, 3, 5, 7 lb per sack
- Maximum — 102: 2 lb of paste per 94 lb sack · 206: 7 lb of paste per 94 lb sack
- Density, g/mL — 102: 1.18 – 1.30 · 206: 1.80 – 2.20
- Viscosity, cps — 102: 30,000 · 206: 500 – 10,000
- Exterior / air-entrained — 102: Not recommended — call before ordering · 206: No such limitation stated
- Pack sizes — 102: 2 lb and 44 lb · 206: 2 lb and 44 lb; check 44 lb availability
The limitation that decides it
102 is recommended for interior and protected applications, and for concrete that is not air-entrained. Carbon black is not recommended for air-entrained concrete, and exterior flatwork in freeze-thaw regions is normally specified with entrained air. For an exterior project, or any mix specifying entrained air, call 405-275-6657 before ordering.
That limitation belongs to 102 alone. It is not a statement about 206, and it must not be generalised to it — equally, 206’s position cannot be borrowed for 102. The reason 102 carries its own paragraph is entrained air, and nothing beyond that is stated.
The ladders are not interchangeable
102 runs the lower ladder — 0.5, 1, 1.5 or 2 lb of paste per 94 lb sack — because it reaches full color at roughly a third of the dose the standard ladder is built for. 206 runs the standard ladder at 1, 3, 5 or 7 lb.
One is declared, one is not
102 is a carbon black with a published Color Index designation — PBk 7, 77266. 206 carries no published pigment designation at all, and that absence is deliberate rather than an oversight. It is a black; nothing further about its identity is stated.
That matters in two directions. Where a specification excludes carbon black, 102 is ruled out and 206 is not ruled out on that ground. And where a project requires a declared pigment identity, 102 has one and 206 does not — ask before specifying. See pigment chemistry explained.
One practical note on the 44 lb pail
Both blacks are made in a 2 lb pack and a 44 lb pail. Availability of the 44 lb pail of 206 Charcoal varies — it goes out of stock, and unlike most of the line it does not stay orderable while it is out. That is a stock position, not a discontinuation. If a job needs 206 at production volume, check the product page or call 405-275-6657 before you plan around it.
Common questions
What is the difference between Carbon Black 102 and Charcoal 206?
They are different products that happen to both be black. 102 is a carbon black with the Color Index designation PBk 7; 206 carries no published designation. They run different dose ladders, differ in density and viscosity by a wide margin, and 102 carries a use limitation that 206 does not. They are not substitutes.
Which black should I use outdoors?
Not 102 without talking to us first. 102 is recommended for interior and protected applications and for concrete that is not air-entrained, and exterior flatwork in freeze-thaw regions is normally specified with entrained air. Call 405-275-6657 before ordering for an exterior project.
Does the exterior limitation apply to 206 as well?
No. That limitation belongs to 102 alone and must not be generalised to 206 or to the rest of the line. The reason 102 carries it is entrained air, and nothing beyond that is stated.
Do they use the same dose?
No, and this is the expensive mistake. 102 runs the lower ladder at 0.5, 1, 1.5 or 2 lb of paste per 94 lb sack. 206 runs the standard ladder at 1, 3, 5 or 7 lb. Dosing 102 at the standard ladder's top step would be three and a half times its recommended maximum.
My specification excludes carbon black. Which one can I use?
Not 102 — it is a carbon black. 206 is not excluded on that ground, but note that no pigment designation is published for 206, so if the specification also requires a declared pigment identity you should ask before specifying it.
Can I buy 206 in the large pack?
It is made in a 44 lb pail, but availability of that pack varies and it does not stay orderable while it is out of stock. That is a stock position rather than a discontinuation. Check the product page or call 405-275-6657 before planning a production run around it.
What’s Next
- Chemistry by code → Concrete Pigment Chemistry Explained
- Quantities → How Much Liquid Concrete Pigment
- Mixing it → How to Use Liquid Concrete Pigment
- Approve the color → How to Make and Approve a Test Panel
- Shop → ColorBlast Pro™ Pigment Paste · 405-275-6657
Direct Colors. Shawnee, OK. Manufacturing the full decorative concrete system since 1997.
