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concrete colors

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  • Member since
    January 2009
  • From: clinton twp, michigan
concrete colors
Posted by camo junkie on Thursday, September 17, 2009 4:25 PM
hi guys. was hoping someone knew of some good enamel (although i'll take acrylic and find the best match enamel wise) concrete color paints. my favorite paints are humbrol, but they apparently no longer make a concrete color. i hve some old floquil paint "old concrete" but its too sandy in appearance. im looking for that whitish, grayish color. any help would be appreciated! Big Smile [:D]
"An idea is only as good as the person who thought of it...and only as brilliant as the person who makes it!!"
  • Member since
    May 2008
  • From: Wherever the hunt takes me
Posted by Boba Fett on Thursday, September 17, 2009 4:28 PM
Well, concrete REALLY doesn't have a specifi color. It's mainly a light gray or light sea gray and then some specked imperfections of other shades of gray.

  • Member since
    January 2003
  • From: Peoples Socialist Democratic Republic of Illinois
Posted by Triarius on Thursday, September 17, 2009 6:54 PM

I spent 26 years studying concrete with everything from the naked eye to a 1200X petrographic microscope. It's color is…

Depends on the era, the area where it was made, and the color of the sand that went into it.

Most concrete prior to the 1960's was very pale light gray or very pale light tan when placed, but weathered to a grayish buff to nearly brown, depending on the amount of iron in the raw material used to make the portland cement that is its binding component, and the kiln temperature at which the raw materials were clinkered.

Prior to 1960s, a good color to represent concrete can be made by mixing light tan with a light gray. Then apply very light, separate washes of each color in an irregular pattern. The older the concrete is, the darker and browner it should be unless exposed to tropical or desert sun, in which case it gets tan but stays light. Some concretes from this era are distinctly pink. Low grade concretes from this time period will be nearly white.

Occasionally concrete in the early 1900s was very dark gray.

After 1960, concretes generally became grayer, weathering to warm white. Modern concretes, especially those that are "high tech" are generally darker gray, and stay gray as they weather. However, concrete can be made to almost any color.

Concrete that has been exposed to fire below the concrete dehydration temperature often turn pink near the surface.

Concretes made with certain mineral admixtures begin as a medium deep gray green that rapidly weathers to pale medium tan. These concretes were popular in runways during the 1970s and 1980s.

So the answer to your question is: any light, pale shade of gray, tan, or a mixture of both. Only an expert could tell if your color was too far off to be real, and there are very few of us. If it looks like concrete to  you, it probably looks right to 99.9999999999% of the population. 

Ross Martinek A little strangeness, now and then, is a good thing… Wink

  • Member since
    January 2009
  • From: clinton twp, michigan
Posted by camo junkie on Thursday, September 17, 2009 7:35 PM
thanks for that very informative posting tri! i was hoping it would be gray or whitish and not the tan but i guess based on your comments that it could be all three. i will keep that in mind when i do my next sidewalk! thanks again....u too boba! Big Smile [:D]
"An idea is only as good as the person who thought of it...and only as brilliant as the person who makes it!!"
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