Choosing a concrete pigment comes down to three decisions: what form, what color, and how much. Here's everything you need to know.
Powder vs. liquid — which form should I use?
Both powder and liquid pigment produce integral color — the pigment is distributed throughout the entire concrete mix, not applied to the surface. The finished result is the same: permanent color that won't chip, peel, or wear off. The difference is in handling, color selection, and jobsite practicality.
Choose powder pigment if you:
Need a specific color beyond the basic five — powder is available in 10+ colors including specialty shades
Want bulk pricing at 10 lb and 25 lb bag sizes for large pours
Prefer repulpable bags you can drop whole into the mixer — no measuring, no waste
Need to control your pigment-to-cement ratio precisely by weight for batch-to-batch consistency
Choose liquid pigment if you:
Want faster dosing — measure by volume instead of weighing on a jobsite scale
Need a dust-free jobsite — no airborne pigment, especially useful in wind or enclosed spaces
Want instant dispersion — liquid integrates into a wet mix faster and more evenly than powder
Are working with one of the five available colors: black, white, red, green, or yellow
Powder pigment
Liquid pigment
Colors available
Full range (10+ colors)
5 colors
How you dose
By weight (scale)
By volume (pour)
Dust
Yes, during transfer
None
Dispersion speed
Needs mechanical mixing
Near-instant
Bulk sizes
Up to 25 lb bags
One size per color
Repulpable bags
Yes — drop whole bag in
N/A
Best for
Large pours, precise color control, specialty colors
Fast dosing, clean jobsite, basic colors
How to pick a color
If you already know the pigment color you want — say, 5 lbs of black or 25 lbs of red — head straight to the product page, select your color and size, and add to cart.
If you're not sure what shade you want, or you want to see what a specific pigment looks like at different loading rates in cured concrete, use our Concrete Pigment Calculator. It lets you browse finished shades from light tints to deep saturated tones, then calculates the exact quantity you need.
Cement base color matters. Gray portland cement will mute and darken your pigment. White portland cement produces brighter, truer tones. If you want a light pastel, buff, or vibrant shade, use white cement.
Wet color ≠ cured color. Freshly mixed pigmented concrete always looks darker and more saturated than the cured result. Always pour a small test sample and let it cure fully before committing to a large batch.
Indoor vs. outdoor — UV stability varies by color. Iron oxide pigments (black, white, red, brown, buff, yellow) are UV-stable and will not fade in direct sunlight. Chromium oxide green and synthetic blue pigments are alkali-resistant and perform well in concrete, but their UV characteristics differ from iron oxide. For outdoor projects in full sun, stick with iron oxide colors or check the individual product spec sheet.
How much pigment do I need?
The shade of your finished concrete depends on the pigment loading rate — the ratio of pigment weight to cement weight. Here's the general range:
1 – 2%
Light tint, subtle color
3 – 5%
Medium shade, clearly colored
5 – 7%
Deep, saturated color
10%+
Diminishing returns — may affect strength
For example: 500 lbs of cement × 3% loading rate = 15 lbs of pigment for a medium shade. Always measure pigment by weight, not volume — powder can pack or aerate depending on storage, and a scoop of settled pigment weighs more than a scoop of freshly opened pigment.
For a precise calculation based on your cement type, batch size, and desired shade, use our Concrete Pigment Calculator.
Not ready to commit? Order the ColorBlast™ 5-Color Pigment Set — five colors of your choice in 4 oz sample sizes. Test before you pour.
Stay In The Know
Special promotions, product training, product releases, news and more!
x
We use cookies on this website to provide personalized content and to improve your browsing experience.
By continuing to browse this website, you accept the use of cookies. Read more about cookies in our Privacy Policy.
