Concrete Basics

What is Concrete Made of

Pouring Concrete

Concrete Mix Designs

Aggregates in Ready-Mix Concrete

Building Concrete Slabs

Concrete Testing

Seasonal Pouring Tips

Repairing Concrete

Concrete Repair

Fixing Decorative Concrete

Applications

Staining Concrete

Stamped Concrete

Concrete Countertops

Concrete Patios

Concrete Floors

Commercial Concrete

Adding Color to a Liquid Release

Question:

Can I tint a clear liquid release agent to add color when stamping concrete? If so, how is it done?

Answer:

You will be hard pressed to find any official written guidelines on tinting a liquid release, but that doesn't mean it can't be done. Most manufacturers of liquid release don't publish any guidelines because the process is more art than science, and each job will present different conditions and color requirements. Achieving success requires practice, experience, and some experimentation.

The most common tinting method is to add a colored release powder to the liquid release and then shake the mixture well to disperse the color. (A ratio that has worked well for me is 2 to 4 ounces of dry color for every 64 ounces of liquid release.) Although many applicators have had success with this method, it takes practice to know just the right amount of tinted release to apply to prevent the stamping tools from sticking to the concrete. Apply too much release, and you get a puckered, spongy mess. Apply too little, and you get pulling and tearing of the surface. Some applicators have better success stamping the surface first using a clear liquid release and then applying a tinted liquid release immediately afterwards to highlight the texture of the surface. This method tends to work better with more porous surfaces, like stampable overlays.

You can learn more about tinting a liquid release in Bob Harris' Guide to Stamped Concrete.

Find Concrete Stamping Supplies