# coloring cement



## SE18 (Feb 21, 2008)

I've been playing with cement for a few years now and wanted to see if anyone else has and compare experiments. 

I've made retaining walls, bridges from concrete, as well as using it for rock fill (between rocks). It's just your cheap quickrete variety from big box; nothing fancy. I've also made concrete mold flower pots, one of which weighs about 150 lb.


I've dumped brown latex paint into the mix in different shades to color it, expecting the latex to dissolve over time. But it's held up nicely, making the concrete have a more rocky color.


I know that you can buy concrete dyes and I've seen professionals use powder to powder coat sidewalks with fake bricks, even using special antique coatings. Beautiful work.

No questions. Just curious about if anyone has been doing anything like that.

Here's my concrete stream


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## toddalin (Jan 4, 2008)

I also use cement/mortar formed with crinkled aluminum foil to do rocks and such. If it is not to hold water, I sometimes use the concrete dye when mixing it up. I later go over it with spray cans. If it is to hold water, I don't do the concrete dye because I will just paint over it with waterproofing paint then hit it with spray cans.


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## SE18 (Feb 21, 2008)

Oh, hey, spray paint. Yes, it holds up nicely too! 

I've sort of waterproofed some of my retaining wall with grout sealer. 

I've yet to pick up waterproofing paint. My stream only operates when it rains as it's connected to the roof water spout. It's mostly dry.


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## George Schreyer (Jan 16, 2009)

Stucco tints work well in cement and are very sun stable. Quickrete is a little dark in color to take tints well. RapidSet anchoring cement is much lighter in it plain state and tints better. 

- gws


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## denray (Jan 5, 2008)

I have used several different techniques, I always use acrylic house paints, so I can thin with water. I have used a gravity air gun sprayer, shaker cans, squirt bottles, all with good sucess, I like to add varity of colors just like the real mountains, I like to make streaks, verticle and horizontal. 





















Dennis


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## SE18 (Feb 21, 2008)

Dennis, that is great! Thanks!


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## Gary Woolard (Jan 2, 2008)

Not to hijack the topic.. at least not TOO[/i] far..









Dennis, if my poor bemuddled memory works at all, weren't you considering doing a 'building mountains' clinic at one of the national conventions a year or so ago? And the idea got waylaid by a broken leg, or sumthin? Or was it a fevered dream of mine?


'Cause you know, Tacoma & environs would be a really nice place to take a vacation this summer. And you could bring along a few bags of quickcrete..


Just droppin' a hint, is all..


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## pete (Jan 2, 2008)

Another product to use is a acid made for cement. It comes in about four or five colors. We have used this to color our cement mts it is a fun way to add color. We also added cement dye to the cement and then sprayed the acid over the cement you get some good looking effects.


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## denray (Jan 5, 2008)

Gary 
That was at Marty's gathering, It looks like I will be doing a double clinic at the nationals, but not on mountains. It will be on magic sculp for structures. 
Thanks Dennis


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## blueregal (Jan 3, 2008)

Man o Man Denray every time I see your pics of your mountains and such, it makes me envious, and how really really far behind I am on what I really want to do on my layout, but just haven't got to doing it yet. Anyways GREAT looking stuff!! Regal


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## denray (Jan 5, 2008)

Regal 
Thanks for your compliments, God has given me an ability to think outside the box, I am not afraid to try something different. I am adding on to my layout this year, I have been expermenting with light weight concrete, with great results. I have back challenges, that makes working on the ground very challenging, so I am going to build a raised modual system, it will work similiar to the bench work that is built inside. It will be totally weatherproof, they will be islands connected with bridges. Most of these can be built inside and carried out and set in place with tractor and loader, trust me some of the things I have done did not work the best, since I try different techniques, i get to find what works best for me and what does not. I will be adding photos as I get it rolling. 
Thanks Dennis


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## mgilger (Feb 22, 2008)

What is the process for using Aluminum Foil? 


I would expect I would crinkle it up and poor the mix into it and remove once it's set up, but wouldn't it have a tendency to collapse and if so how do you support it while it's setting up? 


Thanks,Mark


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## pete (Jan 2, 2008)

Mark no you put the foil over the cement to form strucrure to the face of the cement. I will give you a call .pete


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## toddalin (Jan 4, 2008)

Posted By mgilger on 10 Mar 2010 06:59 AM 
What is the process for using Aluminum Foil? 


I would expect I would crinkle it up and poor the mix into it and remove once it's set up, but wouldn't it have a tendency to collapse and if so how do you support it while it's setting up? 


Thanks,Mark 





I also use crinkled foil to do my "rock" work. To do a cut, I cut away the slope to a vertical surface and drive stakes into the ground about 1" in front of the cut. I fasten 1/2" wire cloth to the stakes using nails, screws, staples, or whatever. I crinkle up sheets of aluminun foil and holding them against the "face," apply mortar mix from behind the wire cloth adding plenty so that it can "squeeze" through into the foil totally covering the mesh. After the mortar "sets up" the foil is pulled away leaving its imprint.

This entire "cut" was done using this method. Color was added simply by using ruddy red primer from a rattle can.


















The rock to the right is real and that to the left is the mortar.









If I'm doing a "solid" surface, I simply apply the mortar mix right over the old surface and press the foil into that, again, removing it once the mortar sets up. If you integrate real rock of similar color, it can add to the effect.


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## SE18 (Feb 21, 2008)

that's terrific; would have been nigh impossible to haul a rock like that into your garden without it fragmenting; NICE!!


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