The first thing to know is that nobody is certified to ASTM C979 — not Direct Colors, not anyone. C979 is a specification, and there is no third-party certification scheme behind it. What exists is a declaration of conformance made by the manufacturer against the standard’s criteria. Knowing that difference is most of what a specifier needs here.
What ASTM C979 is
ASTM C979, Pigments for Integrally Colored Concrete, sets criteria a pigment has to meet. Conformance is a declaration made against those criteria on documentation the manufacturer holds — not a certificate issued by an outside body, because no body issues one.
The criteria it covers:
- Alkali resistance
- Resistance to light
- Water-soluble content
- Calcium chloride solubility
- Effect on setting time
- Effect on 28-day compressive strength
- Uniformity against a reference standard
Every one of those is a property of the pigment. None of them is a property of your slab.
What Direct Colors declares
Direct Colors declares that its concrete pigments in the color codes listed in the current data sheet comply with ASTM C979. That declaration is made against the criteria of the standard, on documentation held on file. It is not a third-party certificate, it covers the listed codes and no others, and it speaks to the pigment rather than to finished concrete.
Which codes are covered
29 of the 34 powder colors. As published in the current data sheet and in the live color index:
- 1xx series — 21 codes. 101, 102, 103, 104, 105, 106, 107, 108, 109, 110, 111, 112, 113, 114, 115, 116, 117, 119, 120, 121, 122
- 2xx series — 8 codes. 206, 215, 216, 217, 224, 226, 231, 294
Confirm against the signed statement for your own codes before submittal. Scope runs by code and can change; a blog page is not a submittal document.
What it does not cover
- Codes 118, 202, 203, 204 and 205. These are covered by separate data sheets, and no statement in the main sheet reaches them — the conformance statement included. Their chemistries differ; see pigment chemistry explained.
- The liquid paste line. ColorBlast Pro™ carries no standards-conformance statement of any kind, and the powder statement does not extend to it. Where a specification requires pigment conforming to a named standard, raise it with Direct Colors before submittal.
Getting the document for your submittal
The signed Statement of Conformance is a separate document, DC-COC-PIG-01, issued on request. The data sheet itself is not signed, so a data sheet is not a substitute for it in a submittal package.
Write to cs@directcolors.com with the color codes and the project name, or call 405-275-6657. Ask for the statement naming your codes rather than a general one — the scope is by code, so a statement that does not name your code has not said anything about it.
What is actually warranted
Direct Colors warrants that, at the time of delivery, pigment sold in the listed color codes conforms to two of the standard’s criteria — alkali resistance and resistance to light. That is a warranty about the pigment, not about finished concrete. Where a claim is established the remedy is replacement of the nonconforming pigment or a refund of the purchase price paid for it, and liability is limited to that amount.
Every sale is governed by the Direct Colors Terms of Service and Refund Policy, which carry the complete warranty, remedy, claim-period and liability terms.
What conformance does not tell you
This is where submittals go wrong. A conforming pigment does not guarantee a color outcome, because the pigment is one input among several and the rest are controlled on site: cement color, brand and source; water content and water-cement ratio; aggregate and sand; supplementary cementitious materials; curing; finishing; and sealers, which generally darken the apparent color.
Writing the specification
- Name the code. Scope runs by code, not by product family or color name.
- Ask for DC-COC-PIG-01 naming those codes, rather than for “the data sheet”.
- Say “conforming to”, not “certified to”. The second cannot be supplied by anyone.
- Separate the color acceptance into a mock-up clause, approved from a cured panel in the project’s own materials.
- Ask for the safety data sheet by code as well — one exists per code, and a sheet for one color does not describe another.
Common questions
Is Direct Colors pigment certified to ASTM C979?
No pigment is, from any supplier. ASTM C979 is a specification, not a certification scheme, and no body certifies conformance to it. What exists is a declaration of conformance made by the manufacturer against the criteria of the standard. Any supplier describing its pigment as certified to ASTM C979 is describing something that does not exist.
How do I get the conformance statement for a submittal?
Ask for it by document and by code. The signed Statement of Conformance is issued separately as DC-COC-PIG-01 and is available to specifiers on request. Write to cs@directcolors.com with the color codes and the project name. The data sheet itself is not signed, so it is not a substitute.
What does ASTM C979 actually test?
Alkali resistance, resistance to light, water-soluble content, calcium chloride solubility, effect on setting time, effect on 28-day compressive strength, and uniformity against a reference standard. It speaks to the pigment, not to the concrete the pigment ends up in.
Does the conformance statement cover every color?
No. It covers the codes listed in the current data sheet and no others. Codes 118, 202, 203, 204 and 205 are covered by separate data sheets and no statement in the main sheet reaches them, including the conformance statement. The liquid paste line carries no standards-conformance statement at all.
Does conformance guarantee the color of my slab?
No, and this is the most common misreading. The statement speaks to the pigment rather than to finished concrete, whose appearance depends on cement, water, aggregate, curing, finishing and sealer — none of which the pigment manufacturer controls. Approve the color from a cured panel made with the project's own materials.
What exactly is warranted?
Direct Colors warrants that at the time of delivery, pigment in the listed color codes conforms to the alkali resistance criterion and the resistance to light criterion of ASTM C979. That is a warranty about the pigment, not about finished concrete, and where a claim is established the remedy is replacement of the nonconforming pigment or a refund of its purchase price.
What’s Next
- Chemistry by code → Concrete Pigment Chemistry Explained
- Approve the color → How to Make and Approve a Concrete Pigment Test Panel
- Dosing → Per Cement Sack or Bag · For a Truck Pour
- What moves the finished color → Concrete Pigment Troubleshooting
- Questions → cs@directcolors.com · 405-275-6657
Direct Colors. Shawnee, OK. Manufacturing the full decorative concrete system since 1997.
