People sometimes ask me whether the colour of concrete wears off over time, like paint. The answer is no, and the reason is that the colour isn't on the surface: it runs through the whole material.
pigment, not paint
The colour of concrete and microcement is usually achieved by mixing mineral pigments into the mix: the same pigments that have been used for decades to make paint, bricks and roof tiles. Because the pigment is mixed through the whole mass rather than applied on top, it doesn't wear off with use. Only the protective coating can wear off the surface, not the colour itself.
As a general rule, the more pigment, the richer the tone, but also the more expensive the material. Lighter, greyish and sand tones usually come from less pigment or none at all: that's the natural colour of cement.
why two pieces in the same tone still differ
Even with the same pigment, the final shade depends a little on the humidity while it dries, the temperature and even how the light falls on the surface on a given day. That's exactly why two pieces made to the same recipe will never be one hundred percent identical. It isn't a lack of precision; it's part of handmade work.
From my hands // to your home.
Aurelija // mi.ni.mali
