CCS Full Depth Coloured Concrete

Architects_Full-Depth-Colo…

Suggested Specifications for CCS Full Depth Coloured (Integrally Coloured) New Concrete

Part One - Mixing, Placement and Sealing Full Depth Coloured Concrete

  1. Concrete is to be integrally coloured with Concrete Colour Systems (CCS) (nominate colour eg. Onyx) ______ pigment concentrate (phone 1800 077 744, 07 3287 6444 or an office near you).
  2. Add one pre-weighed bag to each cubic metre of concrete. (Note: different bag weights are required for higher strength concrete. For example, two bags may be required for concrete that is greater than 32MPa in strength - consult CCS for confirmation).
  3. ______ cement (refer to CCS colour card and nominate grey or off-white) should be used to achieve the desired colour. (Note: 58 of the 62 colours that appear in the CCS colour card are achieved by using the more economical grey concrete).
  4. All surfaces should be finished uniformly using a (eg. steel trowel, broom, sandblasted etc.) finish.
  5. Do not cure with plastic sheeting, membrane paper or intermittent wetting and drying, as this will cause blemishing.
  6. As an alternative to curing, use CCS Same Day Sealer. While concrete is still in its plastic state and can be walked on, apply one full coat of CCS Same Day Sealer by brush, roller or low pressure spray at an application rate of 3 to 5m2 per litre
  7. Once concrete has cured a minimum of 3 days, apply a second coat of CCS Hardseal (see sealer section for application details).

Note: Should a natural finish be required, remove steps 6 & 7 above and once concrete has cured (a minimum of 7 days) apply two coats of CCS Natural Seal.

Part Two - Finishing Coloured Concrete Correctly

Applicators must carry out the following procedures during placement:-

  1. Place and consolidate all coloured concrete over a well-drained and consolidated sub-grade.
  2. The concrete slump should be kept consistent at 100mm or less and should not exceed 125mm for any load.
  3. For colour uniformity, consistent finishing practices should be used.
  4. No water should be added after a portion of the load has been discharged.
  5. Do not add water to the concrete while placing or finishing or over-trowel, as this will cause discolouration.
  6. All final hand finishing should be done in the same direction.
  7. Where a broom finish is used, the surface must be broomed in a consistent direction
  8. Ensure that all adequate measures are taken during hot or windy conditions (ensure that the concrete surface does not cure at an inappropriate rate).
  9. Apply aliphatic alcohol in a consistent manner during toweling and use curing compounds (that don't affect the surface colour) after placement.
  10. To prevent surface blemishing, do not cure with plastic sheeting or intermittent wetting and drying.
  11. If curing compounds are not used, apply one or two coats of CCS Same Day Sealer after all surface water has evaporated. This special acrylic sealer is designed for application to fresh concrete and penetrates into the concrete pores to inhibit the flow of free lime to the surface. This minimises the incidence of the white blushing effect called efflorescence. It also assists in curing and protects the concrete surface from the subsequent ingress of dirt and grease.

Back to Top

Suggested Specifications for Coloured Render

  1. Render is to be integrally coloured with Concrete Colour Systems (CCS) ______ (nominate colour eg. Onyx) pigment concentrate (phone 1800 077 744 , 07 3287 6444 or an office near you).
  2. Add pigment to the render mixture at the rate of approximately 2.4kg of pigment to every 40kg of cement. Pigment and cement must be apportioned by weight, as volumetric measuring will result in inconsistent colour. For specific colours, please complete a trial and allow to cure for seven days before evaluating.
  3. To assist in maintaining colour uniformity of the render, ensure that the same quantity of sand and water is added for each mix of render throughout the whole job.
  4. Do not re-trowel or re-wet the render once it has been applied to the wall - as this will cause that section of the render to appear lighter than other areas.
  5. Once dry, seal the surface by applying two coats of CCS Natural Seal.

Textures

Custom design coloured concrete with various textures/finishes. (For more information and specifications on achieving textures for non-standard broom finishes, phone 1800 077 744 , 07 3287 6444 or an office near you).