Concrete Dye Limitations

Dyes, like chemical stains, are intended to enhance rather than disguise the surface. They will not hide cracks, blemishes, or other flaws. Nor will they mask an underlying color. "Dyes are transparent, so you really can't do any color correction with them," says Boyer.

You should also expect variations and inconsistent color with dyes, even when applying them to the same surface. But most people find these variations desirable because they result in a more natural, mottled appearance.

Harris says that when working with dyes, jobsite color blending is often necessary to obtain the hue you're after, since most dyes come in a limited range of standard colors. This may require an understanding of the basics of color theory. "Knowing that mixing blue and yellow produces green or that red and blue make purple allows greater flexibility with dyes," he says.

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