Cokoured pattern on concrete

[ajk1]

How can a large red coloured maple leaf be created on new concrete pavement?
Is this done by coloued penetrant coating applied to the hardened concrete surface?
Or is it just a surface coating?
Or is it done by other means?
What type of contractor would be experienced in this? Patterned concrete contractor?

 

[ajk1]

Sorry for the typo in the heading. It should have said "coloured".

 

[ztengguy]

Form it in with a chamfer tool, then find someone that can stain concrete.

Optionally, you can form it so its a void, then pour colored concrete.

Any good local concrete sub should be able to research this and provide a means and methods for you.

 

[1gibson]

"Concrete color hardener" is a powder that can be used with a stamp to achieve different colors and textures (cobblestone, brick, etc.) Search "decorative concrete" and I'm sure you can find someone interested in doing it for you.

 

[IRstuff]

The two ways available to me for my hardscape in my house were:
> Staining, but supposedly there were some downsides, probably durability
> Colored concrete mix, which supposedly provides a durable and deep color

We went with the latter, which seems to be doing pretty well after 4 yrs.

TTFN
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[hope9010]

Thanks everyone for your responses.

IRStuff - I agree that what you did would be the most durable, and I know that there are pigments that can be added to the concrete mix, but I am intrigued by how you managed to do from the shape. It would be quite intricate (impractical?) to build the concrete forms to produce the shape of a maple leaf and of a bird (which are two of the shapes that we are seeking to produce on the slab on grade in the courtyard of a commercial building). How did you manage it, or were you dealing with simpler shapes?

 

[hope9010]

sorry for the typo - it should say "...managed to form the shape". I pressed the send button accidentally before checking it.

 

[CELinOttawa]

I agree with the use of powered colour hardeners, but do note that the deeper colours require the liquid black additive IMHO. Further it is relatively very easy to produce VERY complicated concrete shapes using sheet steel forms; Just remove them between pours and use a DRIED bonding additive between the two pours. The final product needs to behalf as a single heterogeneous mass, but not allow bleeding between the coloured zones. I know enough about how hard (pun not intended) this is to stay away unless working with a known Contractor who has the correct skills to make this happen.

Also note that the colour hardeners and getting harder (pun not intended) to find, but make the best product as they increase the strength of the concrete rather than dropping it. For a true maple leaf red you're going to have to use a black additive to the concrete as a colourant in addition to a thin layer of surface hardener. I've only seen a good red achieved once; This is very specialised work and requires the expertise of a grizzled old concrete guy. Often a true master craftsman, frequently Portugese or Italian with broken English, leathered hands, a deft touch, and unbelievable skills in addition to speed...

If you need such a person around Ottawa, I can refer. Other than that, I caution you that you MUST have the right Contractor. Do not get yourself into a position where you are responsible for specifying how to do this... You can't. I'm told they change the amounts they add at the time of pour to compensate for the colour of the concrete that's available. Not something that lends itself to an Engineer's drawings nor spec.