I am building a large fire pit \ chat pit off the porch and so far I dug out the pit and placed brick in a large circle [4’ in diameter stacked 3’ high] the bricks are offset for stability however, they have been stacked dry. I’d like to give some added stability to this structure by creating a cement lip around the top three bricks. The structure has already been back-filled and tamped up to the top three bricks. I’d like to match the cement with the brick so I would ideally like to dye the cement a terra cotta color. Anyone know how to do this?
Several years ago, i filled a couple spray bottles with outdoor stain and spritzed the concrete patio to give it a warmer, mottled color. It lasted 4 or 5 years. I didn’t use much, so don’t know how intense a color might be possible. An advantage would be that you could mix several shades of stain to whatever color you desired and keep a large batch to re-apply as needed.
Hmmm…stands to reason cement would use a pigment and not a dye. Great article St.Pauler - and I think because I am using this for a fireplace I will probably use what I can get at Home Depot or the local guys - so the Quikrete pigment looks good.
One comment about the pigment. The cement is going to look a lot darker when wet. My walkways are a pleasant light terra cotta, lighter than a flower pot. It looked like fudge brownie mix when it was first mixed, and I was kind of worried, but it turned out exactly the color I wanted.
Acid wash is another technique of colouring concrete. It achieves deeper effect than single application stains, and a more ‘marbled’, less homogeneous effect than adding pigment to the mix. The stain goes on in a greenish tinge but cures to a different colour, so finished samples are usually provided for reference.
Concrete finishers can also apply a top pigment when finishing - this is usually combined with stamping the concrete with a pattern. Can look very nice.
All of these benefit from a sealer that will darken and bring out the colour.