Direct Colors DIY Home Improvement · Episode 19
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Pigment goes into anything cement-based — slabs, countertops, grout, mortar, stucco, cast décor. Shawna Turner on what customers actually buy it for, why UV stability and chemical inertness decide whether a pigment can go outdoors at all, and why blue is the shade almost nobody can source locally in a sensible quantity.
4 min 44 sec · Download MP3 (6.5 MB)
For this job you need: Concrete Powder Pigment · ColorBlast Pro™
Not sure which is right for your slab? Send us the details — the free project consultation is a person, not a form letter.
The written guide on this topic, with photographs: Concrete Pigment Art and Craft Ideas.
Editor’s note. This episode was recorded some years ago. The transcript below has been corrected where the facts have changed; nothing about the technique has been altered.
- ⚠ Two pigment codes given on air no longer exist. The episode names “15.4 Premium Blue” as the most popular countertop color and “230 Black” second. Neither is in the current numbering. Today the blues are 201, 202 and 203 and the black is 102 — see the full color chart.
- The claim of three varieties of blue still holds — 201, 202 and 203 — and blue is still genuinely hard to buy locally in DIY quantities.
- Direct Colors no longer sells a concrete overlay, so that reference has been dropped. “Liquid Colored Antique” is now Antiquing™ and “Tinted Concrete Sealers” are EasyTint™.
- The blog posts listed at the end have been reorganized; the equivalent material is under What’s Next. The referenced Episode 19 is Calculating Pigment for Grout, Stucco, Mortar and Plaster.
- Two pigment codes named on air have been removed from the transcript, not just flagged. “15.4 Premium Blue” and “230 Black” are no longer catalog colors, so the passage now reads “a premium blue, followed by black”. No current color code has been substituted into anyone’s speech, and the quantities and arithmetic are untouched.
- Housekeeping, applied to every episode in this archive. The spoken sign-off has been rewritten to point here rather than at the old directcolors.com/listen address. The RSS-feed line, the social-media list and any pointers to retired photo-gallery, blog or video pages have been dropped, along with pointers to pages that have since been retired or superseded by the links under What’s Next — in some episodes that removes a whole sentence or a short exchange. Every speaker says “design consultation”; the service is now called the free project consultation, and we have used the current name throughout rather than send you to a page that no longer exists. Run-on speaker turns, duplicated intro lines and obvious transcription slips have been repaired without changing meaning. Nothing bearing on technique, safety or product choice has been altered; those changes are itemized above.
Still accurate: pigment integrally colors anything cement-based; the color survives chipping because it runs through the material; a 30-day cure before sealing; and the two properties that matter when choosing a pigment — UV stability, so it will not fade outdoors, and chemical inertness, so it can safely go into any cement-based mix.
What to use for this today
The pigment line is very much current — only the old color codes and the overlay have gone.
- Color a slab, countertop or cast piece
- Concrete Powder Pigment — added to the mix before pouring.
- Blue or black specifically
- Blues are 201, 202 and 203; black is 102. Check the color chart for the shade under each.
- Work out how much you need
- Coverage Calculators, or the shade picker.
- Grout, stucco, mortar or plaster
- Same pigment — dose against the cement, per episode 19.
- Liquid instead of powder
- ColorBlast Pro™ Pigment Paste.
- Seal it afterwards
- EasySeal™ outdoors, AcquaSeal™ indoors.
Not sure which shade or how much? Send the details through the free project consultation.
Full transcript
Lisa Bickel: Concrete pigments can be used for a lot more than just slabs. Our customers buy Direct Colors pigments for everything from decorative planters to warehouse slabs and just about everything in between. With more on the many uses for DIY concrete pigment is Shawna Turner, General Manager with Direct Colors. Welcome, Shawna.
Shawna Turner: Thank you very much.
LB: So let’s have it. What’s the most popular use for concrete pigment?
ST: Without a doubt, it’s concrete slabs of every kind. If you’re just looking for a solid, rich color in your concrete, nothing is better than concrete pigment. It’s a stress-free color option, and really the only thing the home or business owner has to do is seal the concrete after 30 days curing time. Integrally colored concrete is very popular for outdoor concrete, especially stamped concrete, but it’s increasingly popular for interior floors as well, because it’s cost effective, easy and low maintenance.
LB: Please explain the difference between concrete pigment and integral color. Is it the same thing?
ST: Yes, it is, but I can see where the terms might be confusing. Concrete pigment is a powdered pigment added to concrete prior to pouring, to integrally color the concrete throughout. Because the concrete is integrally colored, the color is still visible even if the surface is damaged or chipped. The color really is permanent, though it can fade somewhat over time if not properly sealed.
LB: What are some other popular options for concrete pigment?
ST: I think concrete countertops are probably our second most popular project. Customers choose concrete pigment for countertops for the same reason as floors — easy to use, consistent color and a good selection of color options. Pigment can be used in a poured concrete countertop or in an overlay. Our most popular concrete countertop colors are by far a premium blue, followed by black. People really love their blue and black countertops.
LB: Can you use pigment for grout, mortar or other finishing materials?
ST: Sure. We get a lot of calls for custom grout colors in particular, but concrete pigment can be used with any cement-based material. Stucco is also very popular. We offer a wider color selection than can be found at most big-box stores and we sell direct to the public. It’s difficult for DIYers looking for smaller pigment quantities to find affordable products locally or online. We have three varieties of blue concrete pigment, which is a challenging color to find generally.
LB: Is there anything special about Direct Colors pigments that sets them apart from other products on the market?
ST: Why of course! Seriously though, it is important to choose pigments according to their use. Our pigments are UV stable and chemically inert, so they can be used outdoors as well as with many different cement-based materials. Pigments that are not UV resistant will fade and deteriorate with exposure to sunlight. Because our pigments are non-reactive, they can be safely added to integrally color most any cement-based material.
ST: Keep in mind that all outdoor projects should be sealed with a quality concrete sealer, and most indoor projects too. Sealing protects the surface from undesirable staining, makes clean up easier and darkens the concrete color overall. We use the same pigments in Antiquing™ and our tinted concrete sealers, so each product can be used outdoors and, if well maintained over time, the color will not fade with exposure to sunlight.
LB: Thank you, Shawna, for the information about what projects concrete pigment can be used for. I’m Lisa Bickel, and thank you for joining us!
What’s Next
- Craft and art ideas → Concrete Pigment Art and Craft Ideas
- The full range → Concrete Pigment Color Chart · Coverage Calculators
- Coloring a slab → Integral Color · Pouring Colored Slabs
- Grout, stucco and mortar → the custom-batch episode
- Shop → Concrete Powder Pigment · ColorBlast Pro™
