Concrete Color

The six ways to color concrete, compared by durability, use case and cost, plus the real named palettes from each system.

Coloring methods compared
Method	What it is	Durability	Price band
Integral color	Pigment (liquid, powder or granular) batched into the mix so it colors the full mass.	High — survives chips and wear	Mid, scales with intensity
Dry-shake color hardener	Pigmented cement and aggregate powder broadcast onto fresh concrete and troweled in.	Highest surface durability, richer mottling than integral	Mid-high
Acid stain	Metallic salts in an acidic carrier react with free lime in the slab, so the color becomes chemically part of the concrete.	Very high — cannot peel; palette limited to earthtones	Mid
Water-based stain	Non-reactive pigment stain that deposits color in the pores without a chemical reaction, in a far wider palette including blues and greens.	Moderate to high — needs a sealer topcoat	Mid
Dye	Highly concentrated fine pigment in a solvent or water carrier that penetrates deep and dries vivid and consistent.	Moderate — UV-sensitive, sealer required	Low to mid
Tinted sealer	Pigment blended into the sealer topcoat, so the color rides in the film rather than in the concrete.	Lowest — wears with the sealer and needs reapplication	Low to mid
Release color	Powder or liquid applied to the slab and the stamp mats to keep them from sticking, and to leave an antique accent color in the texture lows.	Surface-level	Low

Screen colors are approximate. Obtain a physical sample from the manufacturer before specifying. Color names and swatch systems are manufacturer trademarks, shown here as editorial reference with a link to the official chart.

Color systems

Integral color

Davis Colors

The reference-standard integral palette in US decorative concrete. Its color names are the vocabulary most ready-mix plants and architects use when they talk about colored concrete.

Integral + dry color

Solomon Colors

One of the two integral-pigment houses a US ready-mix plant is likely to already stock, with published charts for both integral color and dry-shake color. The same color name does not produce identical results across the two systems.

Color hardener + integral

Sika Scofield

Lithochrome Color Hardener is the industry-standard dry-shake for stamped work, and Chromix is the integral admixture color. The L.M. Scofield line is now part of Sika.

Water-based stain

Brickform

ARTesian Stain is the water-based stain line, covering colors that reactive acid staining cannot reach. Brickform is a Solomon Colors company, so the color systems on both sides line up.

Integral + antiquing release

Butterfield Color

Integral pigments alongside the Perma-Cast antiquing release used to accent stamped texture. Buying the color, the release and the sealer from one system avoids the compatibility guessing that comes with mixing brands.

EverStain acid stain

Direct Colors

EverStain is the acid stain line. The catalog is sized for project quantities rather than pallet quantities, which suits small contractors and homeowners.

Acid + water-based stain

Kingdom Products

Two distinct stain lines: Vintage America is the reactive acid stain and Olde World Stain is the water-based one. Having both chemistries under one brand makes it easier to touch up an acid-stained floor without gambling on a second reaction.

Stains and metallic accents

Smith Paints

The Color Floor and Color Wall charts cover the decorative concrete stain range along with metallic accent colors that reactive staining cannot produce.