Poured-On Concrete Dye with Densifier / Sealant...?

[MDchanic]

Hello.

First, I did do a search, and did not find anything already posted that directly addressed this question.

I've been lurking on and off here for some time, picking up bits and pieces as I've been piecing my his'n'hers pole barn together (wife likes hayburners, I prefer things that don't make me pick up a shovel every day).

My father built a barn about 30 years ago, and had his concrete guy use his usual pre-curing sealer, which has kept dust down, but which doesn't fully keep spilled oil out of the concrete, and which melts when you spill lacquer thinner on it.

I expect to be pouring a 5" 4,500# slab with highway mesh for 2,400 of our 3600 sqft, and will need to coat or seal the 1,800' garage portion (the 600' of storage will just use the "standard" highly volatile sealer all the concrete guys use).

As much as I really wanted to use Flexmar's polyaspartate in their blue metallic "Maui" blue color (see below), I am very concerned about the chances of screwing it up with welding spatter, dropped red-hot hardware, jack and jackstand scuffs, etc. Plus, whether by phone or e-mail, they refuse to get back to me.

I've been looking at GhostShield's LT-4500 / ST-8510 sealant combination, to give me the ability to avoid permanent staining but still be durable and dry.
My concrete guy is going to do a pretty-darn-smooth machine finish, and I suspect it won't look bad when it's done.

I'd love to have a bit more color, though, if I can, and I was thinking about one of the dyes that you pour onto the surface. If I apply them first, I see no reason to think that they would interfere with the actions of a densifier or a sealant later on, but I really don't know, so I am asking the experts:

Can I apply a dye to the surface of a fresh pour, then densify and seal after it's dried?

Any other pointers that may be useful?

I've considered Legacy's Hellfire, but the cured floor should be at least a shade or two lighter than their color, and I'd really like to keep the floor as light as possible, both for general visibility / reflectivity and to make it easier to find all the stuff I drop.

Thanks,

- Eric

Flexmar's "Maui" Blue Metallic​

 

[LegacyIndustrial]

Eric, welding is an issue for epoxy.

The HellFire Concrete Coating is quite light. We introduced a darker color because some customers wanted something more medium. Good luck!


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[MDchanic]

... welding is an issue for epoxy.

Exactly. Same for polyaspartate and polyurea.

I do like the Hellfire, but I'm trying to find out all I can about the things I can do with the penetrating sealants before thinking about the topical coatings.

Stands to reason that if the substance is inside the concrete, rather than on top of it, there's less damage I can do to it.

By the way, any chance there's a blue dye that could be added to the Hellfire?

- Eric

 

[LegacyIndustrial]

If you want a more decorative look you are back to Polyurea or Epoxy.
HellFire is like Old Fords, any color you want as long as it's Black (in our case silver-gray).

 

[Shea]

The thing about dyes and stains, Eric, is that they look dull and lifeless when they are first applied and set-in. A film forming clear coating is used to make the colors pop and come alive. A penetrating sealer or sealer combo such as GhostShield is not film forming. When applied to dyed concrete, it will not make the colors pop and shine.