Acetone Exterior Dye
Semi-transparent acetone concrete dye in 15 colors that penetrates for an acid-stain patina without the cure and rinse wait.
Specifications
- Product type
- Semi-transparent penetrating concrete dye
- Colors
- 15 colors available
- Appearance
- Natural, multi-color mottled patina
- Surfaces
- Interior and exterior cement surfaces
- Behavior
- Penetrates rather than filming, so it will not crack, chip or peel
- Ships
- 2 to 3 business days
Good to know
- The slab has to be open. Existing sealer, cure and seal, mastic residue or a hard burnished surface will block penetration and leave you with blotchy color.
- Always test on the actual slab in an inconspicuous spot. Color on concrete is a function of the concrete, and the same dye reads differently on a 30 year old driveway than on a new pour.
- Semi-transparent means the slab shows through. Dye reveals patches, trowel marks and repairs rather than hiding them, so a bad slab needs a pigmented coating instead.
- Dye is color, not a wear layer. Plan a sealer or topcoat over it for abrasion and stain resistance, and pick the sheen deliberately since it changes how deep the color reads.
- Acetone-carried products flash off fast and are flammable. Ventilate, kill ignition sources and work in manageable sections so you keep a wet edge.
About the Acetone Exterior Dye
Exterior Kolour Dye is a premium semi-transparent concrete dye that penetrates deeply to create a natural, multi-color patina effect. Unlike paint, it will not crack, chip or peel, because there is no film sitting on the surface to fail. The color lives inside the top of the slab. It is available in 15 colors and works on both interior and exterior cement surfaces.
The reason contractors reach for a dye instead of an acid stain is speed. Acid staining is a chemical reaction that has to be given time, then neutralized, rinsed and dried before anything else can happen. This dye is fast-acting and delivers the rich, mottled look of acid stain in a fraction of the time, which turns a multi-day color step into something that can be done and moved past inside a single visit on the right job.
Semi-transparent is the operative word and it drives the whole buying decision. A dye is not a pigment and it is not a coating. Pigment colors an opaque film that hides the slab. This dye colors the slab and lets its character show through, which means every trowel mark, cold joint, patch, power-wash pattern and hard-troweled slick spot underneath is going to influence the finished color. On a good slab that is exactly the effect you want, and it is why no two dyed floors look identical. On a slab full of drywall mud, adhesive ghosting and mismatched patches, it is a problem the dye will make more visible rather than less.
The slab has to be open to accept it. Dye penetrates, so anything blocking the pores stops it, including existing sealer, cure and seal, mastic residue and a hard burnished surface. Profile or clean the concrete first and test in an inconspicuous area to confirm both absorption and the actual color on that particular slab. Once the dye is down and dry, it still needs a sealer or a topcoat over it, because a dye is color, not a wear surface, and abrasion resistance and stain resistance come from what goes on top.
What it is used for
- Exterior patios, walkways and pool decks
- Interior decorative concrete floors
- Fast-turn color work where acid stain timelines will not fit
- Refreshing weathered or faded existing concrete
- Accent bands and borders in a polished or sealed floor
Before you order
Work out how much you need
The most common ordering mistake in this category is buying by the gallon instead of by the floor. Coverage changes with porosity, profile and whether the coat is a base, a broadcast or a topcoat. Put the slab dimensions in and get a range rather than a single number.
How much material do I need?
Enter the slab. We will give you a range, because porosity and surface profile change real coverage.
- Floor area
- 400 sq ft
- Base coat
- 3.1 to 3.4 gal
- Topcoat (1 pass)
- 3.1 to 3.4 gal
- Flake
- about 8 x 25 lb boxes
Base coat, flake broadcast to rejection, then a clear topcoat. Order roughly 10% over on a first job.
Questions about this product
How is a concrete dye different from an acid stain?
Exterior Kolour Dye delivers the rich, mottled look of an acid stain in a fraction of the time. An acid stain is a chemical reaction that has to react, then be neutralized, rinsed and dried, while this dye is fast-acting and skips that multi-day sequence entirely.
How is a dye different from a pigment?
This acetone exterior dye is semi-transparent and penetrates into the concrete, so the slab's own character shows through the color. A pigment does the opposite, coloring an opaque coating film that sits on the slab and hides everything underneath, including patches and trowel marks.
Will the dye peel or chip like paint?
No, Exterior Kolour Dye is a penetrating concrete dye that soaks deeply into the slab instead of forming a film on the surface, which is why unlike paint it will not crack, chip or peel. There is no coating layer that can lose adhesion and lift.
Can I use it outside?
Yes, Exterior Kolour Dye is a semi-transparent concrete dye made for both interior and exterior cement surfaces, which covers patios, walkways, pool decks and driveways as well as interior decorative floors. Test the actual slab first, because weathered concrete absorbs differently.
Do I need to seal over the dye?
A concrete dye provides color, not a wear surface, so plan on a sealer or topcoat over the dyed slab for abrasion and stain resistance. The sealer you choose also changes how the color reads, since a gloss finish deepens the patina and a matte finish lightens it.
How many colors does it come in?
Exterior Kolour Dye is available in 15 colors. Because the dye is semi-transparent and penetrating, the finished appearance depends on the concrete underneath as much as the color chosen, so a test area on the actual slab is the only reliable way to confirm the result.
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