When you want your stamped patio, pool deck or driveway to look like stone, wood or other materials, you have to add natural-looking color. Just as there are many stamping patterns, there is also a wide array of stamped concrete colors available. Colors on your stamped concrete make the difference in bringing a realistic look to the feel of your stamped concrete.

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Here are some of the most popular colors:

Adobe Buff
Stone Gray
Cappuccino
Light Gray
Terra Cotta
Sun Buff
Smokey Beige
Cream Beige

Color chart provided by Brickform, a division of Solomon Colors, Inc.

HOW TO PICK STAMPED CONCRETE COLORS

Stamped concrete colors are often selected to blend with other architectural elements of the home or the natural surroundings (see Which Decorative Concrete Style Is Right for Your Home). For outdoor pavements, you’ll generally want to stick with subtle earth tone shades.

Some of the most popular choices are:

  • Gray stamped concrete - can replicate light stones or be as dark as charcoal
  • Brown stamped concrete - ranges from light tans to deep walnut
  • Red stamped concrete - think terra cotta or mahogany

To achieve subtle tonal variations or “antiquing” effects, you can apply one or more accent colors of hardener or use acid stains or tinted release agents. For projects where you want a bolder, more vivid color scheme, try layering dyes or water-based stains, which are available in a broader array of vibrant color tones, such as red and cobalt blue.

STAMPED CONCRETE COLOR COMBINATIONS

Creating a beautiful stamped concrete patio, driveway or pool deck is a lot like baking a cake. A specific combination of elements goes into producing the end result. Check out the formulas below to see how contractors combine color hardeners, release agents, stamping tools, sealers and additives to create unique colors, textures and finishes for their stamped concrete work.

LIGHT COLORS

Color Texture Finish
Brickform’s Pecos sand color hardener, accented with a walnut release agent (main field)
Walnut mixed with an oyster white color hardener (border)
Seamless texture called heavy stone Two coats of solvent-based acrylic sealer with nonslip additive, Vexcon AC-1315
Sandstone Color Hardener Weathered Sage Release Agent Italian Slate stamps 3-foot jointed diamond grid pattern Random Connecticut Bluestone bands Random Connecticut Bluestone bands
Brickform's shake-on color hardeners in gold sandstone and pico sand Medium gray release agent Brickform's ebony and amber acid stains Ashlar slate pattern from Brickform Solvent-based Kingdom Cure from Concrete Texturing and Tool Supply
Solvent-based Kingdom Cure from Concrete Texturing and Tool Supply Italian slate, Proline Concrete Tools Information not available

DARK COLORS

Color Texture Finish
Brickform’s Pecos sand color hardener, accented with a walnut release agent (main field)
Walnut mixed with an oyster white color hardener (border)
Old granite seamless cleft stone pattern, from Proline Tools Super Stamp Seal, from DecoCrete Supply
Integral color: Chromix Spring BeigeMedium and dark brown release agents, W. R. MEADOWS Sandstone slate seamless texture skin, Walttools Sealer: Sure-Seal 25, W. R. MEADOWS
Grit additive: Sure-Step, W. R. MEADOWS
Scofield's integral Terra Cotta color Brickform's darker Terra Cotta color hardener, and a charcoal release Seamless slate stamp pattern from Brickform Information not available
Increte’s Philly blue color hardener Custom mixed accent and highlight colors Old English Slate, Increte Systems Solvent-based acrylic

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HOW TO COLOR STAMPED CONCRETE

Integrally colored stamped pool deck with color hardener and tinted release agent.

Integral Color

To produce permanent color that penetrates the entire slab and won’t wear away or fade after time, you can add integral coloring pigments to the fresh concrete at the batch plant or the jobsite. Because the options for integral color are usually limited to earthtones and pastels, this method is often used in conjunction with surface-applied coloring treatments to enrich the color and provide variation.


Pool deck colored with dry-shake hardeners and acid stain highlights.

Dry-Shake Color Hardeners

Probably the most popular method for coloring stamped concrete is the use of dry-shake color hardeners. Unlike integral pigments, which color the entire concrete matrix, dry shakes are hand broadcast onto the surface of the freshly placed concrete and color only the top layer. Because the color is concentrated at the surface, it tends to be more intense than integral color. Color hardeners also improve the strength and density of the concrete surface and create a rich surface paste that helps to produce sharper imprints.


Brick-red stamped concrete achieved
with a solid-color acrylic stain.

Surface-Applied Color

Stamped concrete contractors often use integral or dry-shake color in conjunction with surface-applied coloring mediums. This layering of color is what gives stamped concrete such natural-looking color variations, such as you would see in real stone. The options include:

Find products for coloring stamped concrete.

For more information on coloring stamped concrete check out the latest trends in stamped concrete patterns and coloring processes.

DESIGN IDEAS FOR COLORING STAMPED CONCRETE

Unique Concrete, West Milford, N.J.

White-on-White

A titanium-white color scheme gives this stamped pool deck a distinctive look and “coolness factor,” making it comfortable to walk on even under the hot summer sun. White concrete can be created using white Portland cement or by adding titanium dioxide to the mix.


Salzano Custom Concrete, Centreville, Va.

Variegated Color Accents

Natural stone often features multiple colors. To achieve an authentic look with stamped concrete many contractors hand-color their work to create variegation or marbling. In this case, custom mixed colors were selectively applied to mimic the highlights present in natural slate. See more examples of slate stamped concrete.


J&H Decorative Concrete, Uniontown, Ohio

A Perfect Match

One of the most important things to consider when selecting colors for stamped concrete is how they will blend with your home’s existing color scheme. In this case, the color inspiration was taken from the home’s brick and trim. The main fields of pavement were colored with Brickform’s Pecos sand color hardener, accented with a walnut release agent. The border color was walnut mixed with an oyster white color hardener to lighten it slightly.

HOW TO FIX STAMPED CONCRETE COLOR

As durable as concrete is, there can be some problems that may come up. Below are a few questions and answers from expert Chris Sullivan.

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