# Can I dye cement? If so, how? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 2, 2010, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-dye-cement-if-so-how/541664 "2010-06-02T16:47:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Phlosphr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Phlosphr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phlosphr)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2010, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-dye-cement-if-so-how/541664/1 "2010-06-02T16:47:47Z")
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? Thanks all, I can post pics later on. ---
**Author:** ![dolphinboy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dolphinboy/32/330_2.png) [@dolphinboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dolphinboy)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2010, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-dye-cement-if-so-how/541664/2 "2010-06-02T16:49:49Z")
You can always use cement colorants such as these… > **[Cement Color (Liquid) | QUIKRETE: Cement and Concrete Products](https://www.quikrete.com/productlines/cementcolor.asp)** > > The QUIKRETE® Companies are the largest manufacturers of packaged concrete in the United States and an innovative leader in the commercial building and home improvement industries. ---
**Author:** ![stpauler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@stpauler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stpauler)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2010, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-dye-cement-if-so-how/541664/3 "2010-06-02T16:51:09Z")
[Add a pigment.](http://www.concretenetwork.com/chris_sullivan/colored_concrete.htm) > [@](#): > > How Concrete Gets Colored > > Understanding how to avoid and fix problems starts with understanding how the product works, as well as major factors that affect the final outcome. First, we need to use the right terms. Color for concrete is not a dye, stain or paint. They are pigments, either mined from the ground, or most often manufactured in huge chemical plants around the world. They are available in powder, liquid and granular forms, with no one form better then the other. To understand how concrete gets colored, you need only know that iron oxide pigment particles are ten times smaller in size then a particle of cement. When color is added to any cement based mix, the smaller pigment particles cover the larger cement particle. This is why color is dosed based on cement content (sack mix) and nothing else. ---
**Author:** ![Meme\_Chose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/2acd7d/32.png) [@Meme\_Chose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meme_Chose)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2010, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-dye-cement-if-so-how/541664/4 "2010-06-02T16:59:27Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![Phlosphr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Phlosphr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phlosphr)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2010, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-dye-cement-if-so-how/541664/5 "2010-06-02T17:03:46Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2010, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-dye-cement-if-so-how/541664/6 "2010-06-02T17:09:43Z")
I used a cement stain on my floor in the utility room. Worked great. It’s a redish orange. I just sprayed it on with an old windex bottle. Any decent paint store can set up up. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2010, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-dye-cement-if-so-how/541664/7 "2010-06-02T17:15:28Z")
…the bomb? Sorry. ---
**Author:** ![Darryl\_Lict](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7cd45c/32.png) [@Darryl\_Lict](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darryl_Lict)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2010, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-dye-cement-if-so-how/541664/8 "2010-06-02T17:20:30Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![Yllaria](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yllaria/32/3452_2.png) [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2010, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-dye-cement-if-so-how/541664/9 "2010-06-02T17:22:58Z")
Google: art concrete. Then try: artist concrete. There are a lot of products available. If you want to go completely crazy, check out the guest gallery [here](http://www.makersgallery.com/concrete/guestgallery.html). ---
**Author:** ![Phlosphr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Phlosphr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phlosphr)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2010, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-dye-cement-if-so-how/541664/10 "2010-06-02T17:53:06Z")
> [@Yllaria](#): > > Google: art concrete. Then try: artist concrete. There are a lot of products available. > > If you want to go completely crazy, check out the guest gallery [here](http://www.makersgallery.com/concrete/guestgallery.html). Wow! The “wooden” bench is amazing! ---
**Author:** ![FluffyBob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecb155/32.png) [@FluffyBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FluffyBob)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2010, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-dye-cement-if-so-how/541664/11 "2010-06-02T20:05:25Z")
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.