How Concrete Dyes Work

Essentially, concrete dyes are translucent, penetrating color solutions. Unlike acid-based stains, they do not react chemically with concrete. Instead, they contain very fine coloring agents that penetrate into the concrete surface.

Both water- and solvent-based dyes are available, with each type having unique qualities. Water-based dyes, such as Colormaker's Someru, generally produce soft pastel tones. Bolder hues, including red, blue, yellow, green, purple, and orange, are possible with solvent-based products. AmeriPolish from American Decorative Concrete Supply Co, and Dye-N-Seal from Brickform are examples.


When applied full strength, dyes can produce dramatic
color accents, such as this border stripe.

Most dyes are packaged in concentrated form, allowing flexibility in the end color. They can be used full strength to attain greater depth of color or diluted with water or solvents to produce paler shades or simply a light wash of color. You can also intermix different colors of dye to produce your own custom hues.

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