Integral Color Admixtures - Chromix® Admixtures for Color-Conditioned® Concrete

Pre-packaged integral coloring admixture for decorative architectural concrete placements and precast structures.

CHROMIX® Admixtures for Color-Conditioned® Concrete are pre-packaged, easy to disperse bags of integral coloring admixture that permanently color decorative architectural concrete placements, precast structures, and other cementitious materials. With additives carefully blended into the composition, CHROMIX® Admixtures for Color-Conditioned® Concrete are designed to have minimum impact on concrete plastic properties and compensate for the increased water demand ordinary pigments have on most mix designs. Unless noted, each bag is designed to color 1 yard of concrete, and may be added directly into a concrete mix. The toss-in bag quickly disintegrates into the cement containing mix.

CHROMIX® Admixtures for Color-Conditioned® Concrete adds color that is weather resistant, UV Stable, lightfast, and alkali resistant. It contains no materials that initiate,accelerate, or promote the corrosion of steel, coated metal, or plastic fiber concrete reinforcements. CHROMIX® Admixtures for Color-Conditioned® Concrete will not migrate from standing water, and can safely color concrete fountains, pools, water features, or concrete that will be polished and encounter damp or wet environments. Single per yard toss-in dry packaging is ideal for placements in extreme weather environments, remote locations where long-term staging is required, or where complicated metering equipment is impractical.

Usage

CHROMIX® Admixtures for Color-Conditioned® Concrete can be used to color cast-in-place, precast, and dry-cast concrete floor slabs, walls, steps, sidewalks, curbs, columns, arches, blocks, pavers, and other decorative objects.

Advantages

CHROMIX® Admixtures for Color-Conditioned® Concrete adds color that is weather resistant, UV Stable, lightfast, and alkali resistant. It contains no materials that initiate, accelerate, or promote the corrosion of steel, coated metal, or plastic fiber concrete reinforcements. CHROMIX® Admixtures for Color-Conditioned® Concrete will not migrate from standing water, and can safely color concrete fountains, pools, water features, or concrete that will be polished and encounter damp or wet environments. Single per yard toss-in dry packaging is ideal for placements in extreme weather environments, remote locations where long-term staging is required, or where complicated metering equipment is impractical.

Packaging

Premeasured pulpable paper bags designed to color 1 yard of a 5 or 6 cement sack mix (470 lb./ 213 kg or 564 lb./256 kg). Unit weight will vary between 15 and 50 pounds. Custom sizes available with minimum orders.

Color

All colors depicted on Scofield’s Color Chart A-312. Over 3,000 custom colors available with order minimums.

Product Details

Sustainability / Certifications / Approvals

APPROVALS / STANDARDS

All pigments used conform to the requirements of ASTM C 979 Pigments for Integrally Colored Concrete.

Product Information

Chemical Base

Synthetic iron oxide pigments.

Shelf Life

60 months

Storage Conditions

Keep dry, moisture free, and below 175 °F (80 °C).

Volatile organic compound (VOC) content

Not applicable

Technical Information

Concreting Guidance

CHROMIX® Admixtures for Color-Conditioned® Concrete is designed to have minimal effect on concrete plastic and hardened properties, and to minimally interact with other concrete admixtures. As all chemical admixture interactions cannot be predicted, always test final mix designs with actual materials to be used, and perform a jobsite test sections as described later in this bulletin.

Application

Application Information

Mixing

Preferred Use Procedures
Toss-in bags can be introduced at any point in the concrete mixing process, as long as enough mixing and time is given for the color to reach an unchanging uniform appearance. Typically, this will take at least 5 minutes and 130 drum revolutions at mixing speed. Automated delivery systems can be set to introduce bags early in the batching process to minimize dusting. Care must be taken to not allow disintegrating bags or product to become hung up on mixing vanes or collect in spaces where the mix has limited motion.

Consumption

Recommended Dosage

Color selection will determine the mix of ingredients placed into the toss-in bag. Color saturation, and intensity will determine the amount required. Typical dosages range between 0.2 to 10.0 pounds material per 94 pound sack of cement. If supplementary cementitious materials such as fly ash or blast-furnace slag are used in the mix, their weight must be added to the weight of the cement when determining the correct dosage.

Application Steps

APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS

Factors Influencing Final Color & Appearance
Colors represented on the CHROMIX Color Chart A-312 depict samples of broom finished concrete made with medium gray cement and cured with LITHOCHROME® Colorwax™.The final color and appearance obtained on the jobsite will be influenced by concrete composition, surface finishing technique, and curing compound/sealer selection.

Concrete composition variations that can impact color include cement type and color, aggregate selection, and the use of pozzolans such as slag or fly ash. Differences in sealer or curing compound type, such as water or solvent based, or if no sealer is used, can also influence final appearance.

Finishing techniques will influence final concrete appearance. Different tools such as wood floats, magnesium trowels, hard steel trowels, brooms, and edging tools, will each influence color, surface texture, sealer penetration, and final cured concrete appearance differently. Do not change tool types once work has begun.

Changes in water content and water-to-cement ratio, both in the mix and on the concrete surface during finishing, can influence the final surface color. Mix designs that develop excessive bleed water can float non-uniform cement/pigment ratios, and cause uneven or weak coloring. Once mix designs are established, do not add water to alter concrete plastic properties. Do not add water to loosen partially cured loads. Do not use “watering” sprinklers as colored concrete cures, or use wet brooms and tools while finishing. Any of these will likely result in inconsistent concrete color.

Placement and Finishing Tips
As freshly placed concrete cures, its color will vary with differences in surface moisture. Concrete curing in shaded areas or in the center of large slabs will surface dry slower than those exposed to sunlight or closer to form edges. This can cause color variations that will often fade with time. Avoid high salt aggregates that can cause efflorescence that can make color irregular. These visual differences can be long lasting, and raise questions about the quality of the concrete placement. Use LITHOCHROME Colorwax or COLORCURE® Concrete Sealer tinted to match the final color of the cured concrete to avoid these problems and deliver jobs that are uniform in color and appearance. Always evaluate composition and finishing techniques as described below.

Placements to be Ground and Polished

Use 1 bottle of SCOFIELD® Ready-Mix Truck Defoamer per concrete truckload to minimize bug holes and air voids.

Reinforcing Fiber Interactions.

If high air content is experienced with competitor reinforcing fibers, pre-wet the fibers by tumbling in the mixer three minutes with water, colorant, and 1 bottle of SCOFIELD® Ready-Mix Truck Defoamer per truckload before batching concrete into the mixer.

Jobsite Test Sections

Prior to large scale production, the concrete or cementitious mix design for each color to be produced must be made. Conduct small scale testing to demonstrate concrete from the mix design meets all slump, flow, air content, compressive strength, and any other required concrete specifications.

Prior to general jobsite use, representative Jobsite Test Section(s) or “Mock-Ups” must be produced and approved for each individual concrete color mix design, surface finish/texture, and for each curing compound/sealer combination that will be created.

Use Jobsite Test Sections to verify entire system suitability including frame/mold and foundation preparation methods, surface concrete specification compliance, finishing techniques, safety procedures, and achieved performance of the fresh and fully cured concrete. When applicable, test completed systems for wet and dry slip resistance. Evaluate polishing or coating application techniques, final color, and visual appearance. Do not proceed with products, techniques, or finishing systems that do not meet required specifications or meet with site owner approval.

Selected Jobsite Test Sections should be in close proximity to the larger job area, and made from the same concrete mix design that will be used on the larger project. Test sections should be sized to be representative of the finished project, and be produced by the same workers who will perform the project installation.

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