Advise on coloring concrete

EddieWalker · Sep 23, 2004

Howdy Ya'll,

I'm working on my entrance and have built some columns. I've wrapped them in fake rock and now I want to cap them.

I can buy concrete pyramid style caps for $150 each. I need four of them, so $600. This is more than I feel they are worth, so I'm gonna make my own.

I figure some 3/4 plywood and 2X6's should do the job. Then I'll line the form with a yet unknow material so the concrete will release easily. Then I will pour a high grade of sack concrete from Lowes into the form with some wire to hold it all together.

This all seems pretty straight forward and within my abilities.

I would prefer the cap have a darker color to it, even almost black. I don't want to paint it, and prefer a stain or even better, something I can add to the mix while mixing.

Any ideas?

Thanks,
Eddie

gsganzer · Sep 23, 2004

You can buy the coloring at Lowes or HD. How did the fake stone work for you? The wife and I are looking to use it in our room addition. How did you do your columns? We're planning to do our fireplace and porch columns with "Texas Limestone" fake veneer.

slowrev · Sep 23, 2004

Home depot used to have quikrete phamplets in their store to help you with your projects. I believe they covered coloring and form works.
I believe the site that might help you is www.quikrete.com.
Ben

Junkman · Sep 23, 2004

I colored the mortar black when I did the brick work in our home. The only problem is that you want to buy all the coloring that you are going to need for the project at one time. I didn't and there is a color variation in the mortar that I notice, but no one else does. Best to be careful with the measurements of color so each batch comes out the same color. I don't know why I knew where to find it after all these years, but I still have one box left in the garage. See picture.

DavidJ · Sep 23, 2004

I figure some 3/4 plywood and 2X6's should do the job. Then I'll line the form with a yet unknown material so the concrete will release easily. 

If you use plywood it'll leave the tale tail markings that you'll have to rub out or leave if you prefer. You can use plastic or masonite to line the forms or even to build them of and it'll leave a smooth surface and will release the concrete well. If you use just the plywood you can spray it with silicone as a release agent.

Be sure to vibrate the concrete either manually or mechanically well to prevent air pockets on the surface.

Soundguy · Sep 23, 2004

Ditto.

Another thing that can be done, is to release it while it is not fully cured, and use a stiff brush to add some striations.

Could also simply add a smear coat of stucco on it after released, and then smooth that or brush.. but my bet would be going for the masenite / smooth surface.

Another thought is to spray your forms with contact cement, and then shovel some fine sand into them.. then agitate, and dump the sand out. This should smooth the lines that plywood will give you.. and give you more of a sandstone texture...

Not sure exactly what you are looking for.

Soundguy

Cliff_Johns · Sep 23, 2004

( I can buy concrete pyramid style caps for $150 each. )

For that kind of money, you could get concrete gargoyles with square bases and have some really cool caps.

Cliff

EddieWalker · Sep 24, 2004

Gsganzer,
The fake stone is easy to work with, the peices all fit together easy once you learn the pattern and the results are awesome. A few tricks I've learned. Mix the morter on the soupy side. The rock sticks much better. Buy a diamond cutting blade, and it cuts through the stone like butter. Otherwise its a very simple material and project.

Ben,
Thanks for the link. I think the charcoal color is what I will use.

Junkman,
Thank you for the taking the time to photogragh the dement die. I'm gonna have to be real carful on this because I'm only going to build one form.

DavidJ and Soundguy,
Thanks for the insight on the plywood. I hadn't considered the grain coming through, but now I realize it will, and that isn't the look I want. I want a smooth finish and the masonite idea is perfect. I even have some scrap lying around that might just work.

Cliff Johns,
Every time I see that picture of that dog, I first see the groundhog from Caddy Shack, then I look again and I see the dog. It's the craziest illusion!

Thanks again for the great advice. I'm off to Lowes in the morning for supplies, then to Sams to get some sodas and water for Harves little get together on Saturday.

Eddie

Junkman · Sep 24, 2004

( ................. then to Sams to get some sodas and water for Harves little get together on Saturday.

Eddie

)

Make mine Pepsi..... thanks .... /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

dummy · Sep 24, 2004

If you happen to read this before going, you really want to use mortar mix, not concrete mix. The stone in the concrete mix will be apparent in your final product. You don't want to use a "release agent" on your form either, it'll probably end up staining your final product. I'll attach a pic. or 2 later when I get home of how mine turned out.

Almost forgot, leaving it sit in the forms for a couple of days to a week won't hurt it either. From my experience, 24 hours wasn't quite long enough.