Cement pigment is a dry powder that is used to add color to cement-based products, such as concrete, stucco, mortar, grout, plaster, countertop mix, and concrete overlay. It is not pre-measured for specific color outcomes, giving designers and artisans the ability to create endless color possibilities for their projects. If you want a more predictable color outcome, Direct Colors offers over 100 formulated cement pigment varieties designed to easily mix with most white or gray-based ready-mix cement.
Raw cement pigment works best in Portland cement-based products and it is recommended to keep the pigment ratio below 10% (by weight, not volume). Full color saturation generally occurs between 3 to 7%, depending on the pigment. It is recommended to test the cement pigment with the Concrete Pigment Trial Kit, as raw pigments may look different before being added to gray or white concrete. You can add cement pigment to any cement-based medium and even create custom colors of your own.
There are 27 base cement pigment colors, each of which can produce several color options depending on the amount of pigment powder used in the mix. Portland cement, which is the most common type of cement, is a basic ingredient in concrete, mortar, stucco, and grout. It is usually gray or white and is sold in 94 lb. bags. Cement pigment color charts can vary depending on the base color of the cement. For example, using the same amount of pigment powder and color with gray Portland cement will produce a different set of colors than using the same pigment powder and color with white Portland cement.
For example, cement pigment color 102 can produce a range of different tones depending on the ratio of pigment powder to cementitious material used. The specific color tones that can be achieved will vary depending on the specific cementitious material and base color used.
When mixing with White Portland Cement:
WHT-102-1 Soft Gray color is obtained by mixing 1 lb of pigment powder per 94 lbs sack of white cement
WHT-102-5 Titanium color is obtained by mixing 5 lbs of pigment powder per 94 lbs sack of white cement
WHT-102-7 River Rock color is obtained by mixing 7 lbs of pigment powder per 94 lbs sack of white cement
When mixing with Gray Portland Cement:
GRY-102-0 Taupe Gray color is obtained by mixing 0.5 lbs of pigment powder per 94 lbs sack of white cement
GRY-102-5 Smokestack color is obtained by mixing 5 lbs of pigment powder per 94 lbs sack of white cement
GRY-102-7 Galaxy Black color is obtained by mixing 7 lbs of pigment powder per 94 lbs sack of white cement
Please note that pigment dosage is calculated by cementious material weight.
If you are not sure on what the color outcome would be based on the cast to be used, it is recommended to test colors using the
Pigment Trial Kit.