But the formula “shortage” looms on. Explain that one to her Dad!
A mixer driver’s least favorite thing to haul… Terra Cotta colored concrete 
Finishers aren’t all to fond of it either…
Any tinted concrete sucks.
Why, what are the issues/concerns?
That red crap gets all over everything and stains it, forever. If it gets on your clothes you don’t want to wash them at home or everything else will turn pink…
There is your answer Mark. It makes a mess of all your tools and clothing.
Water cement ratio is critical factor to producing consistent color
Changing cements mid-job will result in a color difference.
Inconsistent cure produces inconsistent color which is much more noticeable in colored concrete versus gray concrete.
Close-up of curing differences.
Half the project was cured with a colored curing compound; the other half was not.
Combine different colors and textures. Break up large, integral color projects with different color and texture bands.
Controlling all the variables can produce large, integrally colored concrete projects.
Colored concrete will often be scrutinized because color magnifies issues that would not be a factor in gray concrete.
When it comes to major factors that affect color, the most critical is water to cement ratio. Controlling the amount of water added to the concrete mix is critical to producing consistent color. The addition of water permanently changes the concrete, typically lightening the final color. For example: The first concrete truck arrives and is placed as is. The second one has 5 gallons of water added. At noon the last truck has 15 gallons added. you now have three different colored slabs! Use slump control admixtures available from ready mix suppliers. Or use the powdered form for use on the jobsite from manufacturers such as Fritz Pack. These products make your job easier while eliminating jobsite added water! This is not only true when additional water is added to the concrete mix, but also when water is added to the surface during the finishing process.
If the surface is drying out, or the weather is hot and windy, dont use water! Instead, use a surface evaporative control agent. Available at most concrete distributors, these surface evaporative control chemicals are a must for anyone placing any type of decorative concrete. While all of these surface evaporative chemicals slow the hydration of concrete in hot windy conditions, some are even designed to help finish wetting out color hardeners if the concrete is drying out to fast.
That could be an educational thread all on it’s own Marcel. 
My second least favorite this afternoon, black. Actually this is “Charcoal”. “Onyx” is alot darker so it could be worse.
What were they building Mike with black concrete.?
wow interesting
Stamped Patio for a house Marcel. High dollar stuff for a little house out in the country. There were several out buildings full of junk there. LOL. The red this morning was for a stamped patio also. That crew was going to use a brown antique release. Talk about a fugly combo. lol
Stamped concrete has gotten popular again around here. It goes through cycles, kinda like most things. It’s too bad that most homeowners don’t know how to take care of it properly in our bipolar climate, and most contractors don’t care enough about their work to pour it right. Sad really…
Interesting in the fact that I thought Michael’s first pic was from a hotdog factory. Then to learn its was concrete. I admit, I was somewhat disappointed…
A couple years ago I did a basement floor in the mountains where the color of the concrete was literally Bronco Orange. We had to have the color vendor come up with a special blend of pigment just for that job. The home owner wanted his basement to be his “Game Room”…
So Last weekend I got my garden started.
Still waiting for some seedlings to grow a little before finishing it up.
Then this afternoon I heard that we are under a winter storm watch. WTF??? Guess I have to get some insulation ready for my veggies…
Transplants from out of state give me the strangest looks when I talk about how wacky our weather can be here in Colorado.
I bet that makes some good compost. Tis the season…
