How-To Information

This handy Contractor's Guide will explain the basics to produce high-quality colored concrete. The Guide shares "Tips of the Trade" that are more specific to colored concrete, not to provide a complete guide to concreting. See the back page for sources of more information about general concrete practices.

Together with the techniques you already know, tools you already have, and without license fees, Davis Colors and your Ready Mix dealer can help you stake a claim for more jobs and higher profits with colored concrete.

CONSISTENCY- THE KEY TO SUCCESS

Consistency in materials and craftsmanship is the key to color uniformity. Follow the tips described in this guide, allow extra time for placement and finishing and above all, finish evenly and with care for beautiful colored concrete.

HOW TO ORDER

Your favorite Ready-Mix supplier is probably a Davis dealer. If not, tell them to get with it! Concrete can be ordered from a Davis dealer with any of 25 standard colors already mixed in. For custom colors or specified colors, your Davis dealer can call upon Davis Colors to match almost any color your customer desires. To locate your nearest Davis Colors dealer click here, or call (800) 638-4444 (East) , (800) 356-4848 (West) or (213) 269-7311.

ADDING DAVIS COLORS™ YOURSELF

While it's easiest to order concrete with colors already mixed-in, sometimes it makes sense to add them yourself. Davis Colors in Mix-Ready® disintegrating bags make it clean and easy to do. Just toss unopened Mix-Ready® bags directly into the concrete mixer. Mix-Ready® bags travel deep into the mix and disintegrate under mixing action, releasing pigments to disperse uniformly. You'll stay cleaner and there won't be a bunch of empty bags to clutter the job site.

Follow mixing instructions printed on the bag or request a Mix-Ready® data sheet from your dealer. Davis Colors™ are added by weight in proportion to the content of cement in each cubic yard. Calculate the mix requirement and add the corresponding weight of Mix-Ready® bags. Mix at charging speed for at least five minutes (10 minutes for pea-gravel mixes).

JOBSITE GUIDELINES

Weather

Remember, "Consistency is Key". Even weather conditions have to cooperate:

¥Schedule placement and finishing work to minimize exposure to hot Sun before curing materials can be applied. Postpone color concreting until windy conditions pass. Don't concrete if rain, snow or frost is in the forecast.

¥Dark or black-colored concrete will be exposed to additional heat in sunny, dry conditions. Provide extra curing protection to prevent thermal cracking.

¥Concrete made from the same supplier can cure to different colors if pour and curing takes place under different climates. Concrete temperature should be maintained between 60°F and 80°F in most applications for proper hardening to occur during the crucial first days. Temperature also affects the amount of water required to make the mix workable. It takes less water at low temperatures to get a workable mix. Variations in water-cement ratio have a corresponding effect on concrete color.

Mixing