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CONCRETE » WORKING WITH CONCRETE AND CEMENT

How to Oxide Concrete

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff
Last Updated: January 28, 2022 References

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Working on a home project and want to spruce up that

boring old concrete? Oxides are a great way to add a
tint to your building material! If you’re interested in
staining concrete with oxides, rest assured that this
isn’t nearly as complex at it may initially seem. In this
article, we’ll show you how to mix your concrete with
the right oxide to achieve the color and look you’re
aiming for.

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Method 1 of 3:
1 Choosing the Right Oxide

Select your color. There are a multitude of

1 oxides available that you can add to concrete.
Choose from red, light brown, dark brown, yellow,
and black, among other colors.[1]

Black is typically used in home driveways and

gas stations because it hides oil stains and
grime.
Brown hues are common in industrial flooring
and some homes.
Colored concretes are common in concrete
masonry units, concrete pavers, and other forms
of decorative concrete.

Mix bright oxides with white cement. Gray

2 cement, when combined with a bright oxide, will
detract from the brilliance of the color. The concrete
that results will be dull in color. Therefore, if you
want to create pink, blue, green, yellow, or another
pastel or brightly colored concrete, use white cement
when mixing your concrete.[2]

For an even brighter color, mix your concrete

with a white aggregate.

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Combine gray cement with darker oxides.

3 Gray cement works best in concert with oxides
that are brown, black, or gray. Gray cement is also
best when trying to achieve dull red, burgundy, or
earth tones.[3]

Obtain a high-quality oxide. High-quality

4 oxides will bear a certification on the label
confirming that the product meets the standards of
the International Organization for Standardization.
Only use oxides that bear ISO certification on their
labels.[4]

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Method 2 of 3:
2 Introducing Oxide to the Concrete

Measure your ingredients. The amount of

1 each ingredient you decide to use will depend
on the needs of your project. For instance, you will
need more sand, cement, water, oxide, and
aggregate if you are creating concrete for a large
parking lot than if you are creating concrete to pave
a backyard patio.[5]

To measure your ingredients properly, consult

manufacturer instructions for your cement, oxide
pigment, and other concrete materials before
adding them to the mixer.
Generally, you can mix concrete that is one part
cement, two parts sand, and three parts gravel
(or some other aggregate). The total weight of
the water you add should be about half the
weight of the cement.

Measure the oxide in an appropriate

2 proportion. When adding oxide to concrete, it's
important not to add too much. Generally, you
should add oxide at a rate of 5% of the weight of the
concrete's cement content.[6]

For instance, if you have 100 pounds of cement,

you should add 5 pounds of oxide.
Adding oxide at a concentration of slightly more
than 5% of the weight of the cement content will
result in a darker hue.
Adding oxide at a lower concentration will result
in a lighter hue.
Adding too much oxide will negatively impact
the quality and durability of the concrete.
If you're trying to achieve a particular color, you
might need to do some experimenting in order
to discover the right oxide concentration.

Choose your mixer. There are three main

3 varieties of mixers. The type of mixer you
decide to use depends on the type of concrete
you're mixing as well as your concrete needs.[7]

Drum mixers are used to produce large volumes

of concrete. These can range from large drum
truck mixers (which can produce up to nine
cubic yards of concrete) to smaller non-tilting
mixers (which produce about one cubic yard of
concrete). One sort of drum mixer, the tilting
drum mixer, is the best option if you're using
large-sized aggregate or very thick concrete.
Pan mixers use blades fixed to an assembly that
stir the concrete as the vertical shaft rotates.
Like tilting drum mixers, pan mixers are best
used with zero-slump or relatively stiff concrete
mixes. Pan mixers are best when you need to
produce small or medium-sized batches that
range from 0.25 cubic yards to 2.5 cubic yards
of concrete.
Continuous mixers are typically reserved for
very large projects (dams, foundations, retaining
walls, and so on). They usually use a conveyor
belt to continuously feed the mixer concrete-
creating materials.

Mix dry ingredients first. Concrete requires

4 three dry ingredients: powdered oxide pigment,
sand, and gravel (or some other aggregate). These
ingredients should be mixed for at least 30
seconds.[8]

The method by which you mix the dry

ingredients depends on the total mass of dry
ingredients you're using. For large batches used
to create, say, a parking lot, you will need a
continuous mixer or a drum truck mixer.
If you're adding dry ingredients to an older, less
efficient mixer, your dry ingredients may need to
be mixed for up to 90 seconds.
The aggregate you decide to use also affects
the length of time you need to mix the dry
ingredients. Consult the instructions for your
aggregate before adding it to the mixer.

Add the wet ingredients next. After mixing the

5 oxide and other dry ingredients, add the cement
and water. Mix everything until is has an even
texture. Your concrete will then be ready for use.[9]

If your concrete is too aqueous and sloshes

about, you could add a water reducing agent
(also known as a super plasticizer) to the
mixture. The amount you need to add depends
on the volume of concrete you are producing.
Consult manufacturer directions for more
information.
If your concrete is too thick, add water slowly in
small amounts until it becomes more workable.
Adding more water will lighten the final color of
the concrete. Using less water will saturate the
color of the concrete.

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Method 3 of 3:
3 Using the Concrete

Create a form. The form is the wooden mold

1 into which your concrete will be poured, and will
give the concrete its final shape. The form you use
depends on the needs of your project.[10]

All forms are made by simply nailing wooden

boards together into the shape you wish the
concrete to assume.
If you're interested in creating a concrete
walkway, for instance, you will probably make
several small concrete squares of similar size.
Therefore, you will need to turn four equally-
sized two-by-fours on their edges so that the
narrow part of the board is on the ground. Nail
the boards together at their corners.
If you're pouring concrete for the foundation of a
home, you will use a single, much larger form.

Level the ground. If you're pouring concrete

2 into an area of the ground that you want it to
remain in, try to flatten the ground as much as
possible. Use a rake and back hoe to achieve a
relatively even surface on the area you will be
pouring concrete onto.[11]

Pour your concrete. The method by which you

3 pour your concrete depends on the mixer you
used to create it. If your concrete is in a dump truck
mixer, for instance, your job is easy, since you can
just back the truck up to the appointed spot and
press the dump button to pour the concrete from the
truck. If your concrete is in a drum mixer, you will
have to manually rotate the drum to pour the
concrete out.

Level the concrete out. Once the concrete has

4 been poured, you'll need to level and finish it.
First, run the screed across the surface of the
concrete, pulling it toward you. Discard excess that
comes off the back end of the form. Then, sweep the
darby across the surface of the concrete in
overlapping arcs. This will fill voids, push down
lumps, and flatten the surface.[12]

Two passes across the surface of the concrete

with the darby should be enough.
After leveling out the concrete, water will pool on
the surface. Wait for the water to reabsorb into
the concrete before proceeding.

Finish the concrete. Run an edger around the

5 edges of the concrete to loosen it from the form
and smooth the sharp edges. Next, if you want to
subdivide the slab (as you might if you're pouring
concrete for a sidewalk, for instance), use the
straightedge and groover to push cracks into the
concrete slab to a depth of at least 25% of its total
height.

Finally, smooth the concrete over one more time

with the floater. Lift the leading edge of the
floater and sweep over it in overlapping arcs,
just as you did with the darby.
After the concrete has dried and hardened
somewhat, repeat the smoothing-over process
with your steel trowel. Make two or three passes
with the trowel to get a smooth finish on your
concrete.

Protect the concrete from being disturbed.

6 Once the concrete has assumed the proper
form, leave it alone. Set up a sign alerting people not
to step on the wet concrete if such a possibility
exists.[13]

It's impossible to tell how long it will take for the

concrete to dry. The time it takes for concrete to
dry depends on local environmental conditions.
In hot, dry weather, concrete will dry faster. In
cool or shaded areas, it will dry more slowly.

Cure the concrete. Curing the concrete will

7 produce a stronger and more durable slab.
Cover the concrete with plastic and sprinkle it with
water several times each day for about one week.[14]

After the concrete is completely dry and cured,

remove the form.

Clean the concrete. If you've added pure iron

8 oxide to your concrete, it will not fade. However,
after being poured and set, the concrete will collect
dirt and debris that make the concrete appear faded.
Every few months (or as needed), spray the
concrete with a pressure washer.[15]

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