Direct Colors DIY Home Improvement · Episode 38
Listen to this episode
Concrete used to be a building material that came in one color. Now there are artists exhibiting gallery work in it, and a steady stream of people coloring store-bought planters, statues and stepping stones. Shawna Turner on what customers are making — and the one precaution that matters most with shop-bought statuary, because not all of it is cast in concrete good enough to react.
6 min 41 sec · Download MP3 (9.2 MB)
For this job you need: Concrete Powder Pigment · DecoGel™ · EverStain™
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: DIY Concrete Craft Projects.
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.
- ⚠ The pigment code has changed. The episode names “230 Black Concrete Pigment”. That code is no longer used — the current black is 102. See the color chart.
- Named artists and a customer review appear in this episode. Rebekah Dreisbach, Donna Stewart and William Hall are independent artists, named as they were on air, and the review is quoted word for word from the original recording. We have not verified current business details. Note that her review says “the dye” while the product she used was a pigment — we have left her words exactly as she wrote them rather than correct a quotation.
- Direct Colors no longer sells a concrete overlay, so references to it read generically. DecoGel™ and EverStain™ are both current.
- The two episodes referenced are Coloring and Sealing Concrete Fountains and Birdbaths (statuary) and Color Concrete Pavers.
- ⚠ If you are coloring a water feature, note that our episode 3 warns the blue and green acid stains are copper-based and will patina in standing water. Worth reading before you choose a color for a birdbath or fountain.
- 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photo-gallery, blog or video pages have been dropped, along with pointers to pages that have since been retired or superseded by the links under What’s Next — in some episodes that removes a whole sentence or a short exchange.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, and the most practical thing in the episode: store-bought statuary varies enormously in concrete quality, so always test on the base before staining the piece. Acid stain remains the longest-lasting color option for cast décor, DecoGel™ is the right choice for crevices and verticals, and integrally colored concrete is how you cast your own stepping stones and pavers in a color you actually chose.
What to use for a craft or décor project today
Everything the artists in this episode used is current, apart from the overlay and the old pigment code.
- Cast your own planters, stepping stones or pavers
- Concrete Powder Pigment in the mix — solid color right through, so a chip does not show gray.
- A marbled effect in a cast piece
- Pigment, worked unevenly — that is exactly how the 2018 contest-winning vases were made.
- Color a store-bought statue or planter
- EverStain™ for longevity, or DecoGel™ for crevices, detail and anything vertical — it will not run.
- Test before committing
- A Trial System or a 4 oz size, tried on the base of the piece.
- Seal it
- ProSeal Li™ for anything that holds water, EasySeal™ for garden décor generally.
Describe the piece through the free project consultation and a technician will tell you whether it will take a reactive stain at all.
Full transcript
Tyler Thompson: You’re listening to Direct Colors podcast Episode 38: Concrete Crafts, Art and Décor with Direct Colors Stains, Pigments and Sealers. If this is your first time listening, then thanks for joining us. Concrete crafts, art and décor are becoming more and more popular with our customers, especially decorative concrete professionals who make their living from the beautiful work they create. Here to talk about some of the unique concrete craft projects she’s encountered is Direct Colors General Manager, Shawna Turner. Welcome back to the show, Shawna.
Shawna Turner: Thank you, Tyler.
TT: So, is it true that the winner of this year’s End of Summer Facebook Photo Contest was a concrete artist?
ST: That’s correct. Rebekah Dreisbach won the 2018 contest with her concrete vases. She used our black concrete pigment to create a really stunning marbled effect. In fact, she had this to say in a review about her project earlier this summer: “I stumbled upon Direct Colors randomly and I am so happy that I did. I started marking DIY Pinterest style concrete planters and decided to try and start a business making them. The quality of my work grew like crazy overnight with concrete pigment. I went to my first craft show this spring and got a wholesale order from one of the most sought after boutique shops while there. I do not think that would have happened without the dye. It allows me to create marbling and intense contract in my products that stands out from anything I’ve seen on the market. The customer service here is incredible. I had a lot of questions about the products that I was interested in and they spent a good amount of time on the phone making sure I got exactly what I needed.” We were so proud to be a part of this.
TT: Are you seeing a trend where concrete crafts and art is becoming more mainstream?
ST: I think so. In the past, concrete was only seen as a building material that came in one color. Now, with high quality overlays, pigments and stains, we have fine artists using our materials to make wall art worthy of a gallery exhibition. We had two concrete artists enter our contest this year, Donna Stewart Art and William Hall Art, with outstanding submissions. I’m both awed and wowed at what they can do, and honestly, even after all the years and projects I’ve seen, I still can’t believe it. Donna works with our acid stains and William with our concrete pigments. Each has displayed their work in gallery shows.
TT: You’ve mentioned professionals using Direct Colors’ products for their work — what about amateurs making something for their homes or gardens?
ST: No question concrete crafts are much more popular with the public, and we’re seeing a wider variety of DIY concrete crafting ideas online. There really are some fascinating projects out there and we enjoy working with our customers to get the results they’re looking for. A few months ago a customer sent a consultation to our technicians about a décor project she wasn’t sure how to color. She had purchased pre-fabricated concrete otter statues. After discussing the project with her, we recommended both our acid stain and DecoGel™ to achieve the effect she described. She was so pleased with the outcome that she later submitted her project for this year’s photo contest.
ST: Probably the most common project customers use our products for is store-bought statuary. Acid stain and DecoGel™ are great options for coloring concrete statuary, especially water fountains and birdbaths, because acid stain is the longest lasting color option available. We have another episode on acid staining and sealing statuary I’d recommend to listeners interested in concrete crafts or décor.
ST: Unfortunately, not all store-bought statuary is created alike. Some are made with higher quality concrete than others, so we always encourage our customers to do a test area on the statue base, to make sure the material will react properly with the acid stain. Having said that, more and more people are casting their own stepping stones, pavers and other décor using integrally colored concrete. What that means is adding powdered concrete pigment to the concrete before pouring, for a solid color throughout. Pigment is super easy to use, and if you’re trying to create a patio design with pavers, for example, it gives you the freedom to choose your own colors and create exactly what you want. We did an episode on concrete pavers if listeners would like to hear about that sort of project.
TT: That’s great. Any closing thoughts about concrete crafts or art projects?
ST: I’d just say that if you’re an artist, whether professional or not, and you’re thinking of working in a concrete medium, give it a try. I think you’ll be surprised at how relatively easy it is to work with, and how many creative color options there are available on the market today. Our decorative concrete experts are always available to answer questions about our products and are happy to help.
TT: Thanks, Shawna. We hope our listeners will give concrete crafts a try. Sounds like a lot of fun! If you have questions, call one of our expert technicians at 877-255-2656 and we’ll help you select the best products and technique for your needs. If you prefer email, send in a free online project consultation and we’ll get back to you within 24–48 hours.
What’s Next
- Craft projects in writing → DIY Concrete Craft Projects · Pigment Art and Craft Ideas
- Statuary and water features → How to Stain a Concrete Fountain · read this on blues and greens first
- Casting your own → Concrete Stepping Stones · DIY Halloween Tombstone
- Bigger craft pieces → Concrete and Wood Dining Table · Concrete Fire Table
- Shop → Concrete Powder Pigment · DecoGel™ · EverStain™
