“I resurfaced my back patio, then added the faux flagstone overlay topping. I searched numerous websites to find the right acid stain for the faux flagstones. I chose Direct Colors because I liked the sample kits and the color selection. Orders were delivered promptly and the website was easy to navigate. I enjoyed the acid staining the most. It was so much fun creating unique yet realistic-looking flagstones. Also fun seeing friends fooled by my handiwork. Direct Colors acid stains gave me the look I envisioned. Great products and great service. I couldn’t ask for more.

My old patio caused me to cringe. My new patio makes me smile, especially because I did it myself.”

Renee’s Shopping List:

• English Red, Malayan Buff and Cola Concrete Acid Stains
• Malayan Buff Deco Gel Gelled Acid Stain
• Deco Gel Sample Kit

Many of our customers are building houses or pouring slabs and have questions about how to mix color into concrete correctly. While adding pigment to the concrete before pouring a slab is by far the easiest option, customers still need to ask a few important questions to get the color and appearance they’re hoping for. Before ordering your concrete pigment, call the ready-mix company responsible for pouring your concrete and ask the following questions:

1) What PSI or sack mix will the company be pouring?

The colors on Direct Colors Concrete Pigment Color Chart are created using a 5 sack mix or 3000 psi concrete. If the psi for your concrete is higher, the concrete pigment calculation will change. The amount of pigment needed will increase with the psi of the concrete.

2) What percentage of fly ash will be added to the concrete?

Excessive fly ash in the concrete can lighten the final color of a slab. 20% or less fly ash is acceptable with 10% being ideal.

3) How many yards of concrete will be poured?

The number of yards poured determines how many pounds of pigment will be needed to achieve a specific color.

TIP: To ensure complete mixing, ask the Ready-mix company to add the concrete pigment before leaving the plant. The pigment should be mixed with the concrete for a minimum of 15-20 minutes prior to pouring. For exact pigment for truck pour measurements, visit our project calculator and select the custom batch calculator. Remember to seal the concrete anytime from 15 to 30 days after the pour to protect the color.

Getting Started: Surface Prep and Overlay

The surface was prepped and cleaned using a swing buffer with a 150 grit sanding pad or by cleaning with a solution of water and Simple Green Degreaser. The condition of the floor will determine whether mechanical profiling will be required. A floor need simply be free of debris, level with no holes or broken areas to successfully overlay.

Link has selected DCI Smooth White Overlay for this project and used a pool trowel to apply, leaving half-moon marks on the surface for added texture. Concrete Overlay is specially-designed to produce the most robust reaction and acid stain colors. See our DCI Concrete Overlay brochure for more information and application techniques.

Applying the Acid Stain

Acid Stain can be applied in many ways to create different effects on the floor. Link cut the Malayan Buff acid stain 1 part water to 1 part stain to produce a more golden appearance. Keep in mind that the golden color can only be achieved on white concrete. The stain was applied with a pump-up all plastic sprayer. He followed with a heavily diluted 10-1 solution of Coffee Brown Acid Stain both sprayed and lightly poured on the surface to create the “wash” look of the stain. The darker accents were applied with the sprayer tip close to the surface to produce a “pooling effect.”

Finish with the concrete sealer of your choice. A high gloss sealer was used on this floor. Decorative concrete is both an art and science. Much of the style is up to the individual. Good luck with your own projects and call us with your questions, 877-255-2656.

Direct Colors has everything you need for small concrete projects like garden décor, statuary, cultured stone and more.

Create beautiful colors and artistic creations with Deco Gel gelled acid stain, concrete acid stain or concrete pigment.

Visit the customer photo gallery for inspiration and give our customer service technicians a call!

We can help you make almost any project idea a reality any time of the year! Concrete decor is also a wonderful unfinished gift for the “crafty” person in your life.

Get “Concrete Creative” with Direct Colors!

For best results in dry conditions, dampen the applicator with water from a spray bottle before beginning the application. If you have a new construction project that might be difficult to heat, consider sticking to a solvent-based sealer.

Our Facebook Contest Winner – Joanne B. from Florida, was kind enough to talk with us about her projects and why she prefers Direct Colors.

Based in the Tampa Bay area, Joanne offers her garden art through her business, Mystic Firefly Creations; Joanne says she is always seeking new products and methods to enhance her art and “take it to another level”.

Since setting up shop 8 years ago, Joanne said Direct Colors offers her a range of concrete products with user-friendly instructions and customer service at a good price, all delivered right to her door. “Direct Colors is great for do-it-yourself. They have all the tools you need for your project – pictures, info, videos as well as informed people to answer any questions you may have.”

“Product sample packs – a wonderful thing – are an affordable way to try all the colors and find what’s right for your project before purchasing in quantity.” Joanne said acid stains are her favorite colorant, often combining colors to create layered depth in her sculptures as well as a high gloss sealer to finish it off and “bring it all to life”.

“Direct Colors has everything I need to make my concrete art shine.”

To see more of Joanne’s work, check out Mystic Firefly Creations on Etsy and Facebook. She’s an inspiring reminder that the only limitation to our concrete products is your imagination!

If you have questions from choosing a color to how to do a concrete project, visit our online how-to guides, in store or call us at 405-275-6657(local) or 877-255-2656 (toll-free) and we’ll be happy to help.

Remember to save your project pictures for the
2012 End of Summer Photo Contest!

Here’s a few of our most popular colors:

“The temperature when I stained the floors was in the high 70s but humidity was 15% so even wetting the concrete I don’t think the solution stayed wet long enough for the acid to its full effect. The main color is Malayan Buff. The darker highlight is Cola I squirted on from a spray bottle. My intent was to make it looks like intermittent intrusions into the base. I also did not want it to be perpendicular to any of the walls so that is why it is at an angle.”

“Due to the low humidity, spreading the sealer with the pad is the best way. It took a day for prep and stain, a day for neutralizing and washing, and another day for more washing and first seal coat. The first seal coat used half the 5 gallon container as the concrete really soaked it in but the second coat probably did not use more than a half gallon. I found a shop vacuum extremely useful in gathering up the water when cleaning the floor. A floor squeegee ($5) came in handy for pushing the water on the floor.”

“It was our first time and we are happy with the results. We plan to do more staining next fall so that puts us in the class of satisfied DIY customers.”

Working primarily with DCI Smooth White Overlay, Rachel has created beautiful designs using acid stain, concrete dye and concrete pigment specific to each customer’s unique personality. The sky really is the limit with decorative concrete these days and in the hands of an artisan, concrete can look like wood, stone or any kind of traditional flooring and better.

DCI Concrete Overlay can be hand-troweled smooth with a magic trowel, stamped or textured. If you have a heavily stained, slightly damaged or generally unattractive concrete slab – indoors or out – you’d like to start over with, this is the product. You don’t have to be an expert to overlay a concrete floor, just a little bit handy. Give us a call for advice on your next project and we’ll provide all the technical assistance you’ll need to get the job done right yourself!