BY GRAPHIC CONCRETE
12.03.2025

Concrete is not just grey. When it comes to color, there are four main components to work with: cement, aggregates, pigments, and surface treatment. Many factors influence the final color, including the type of cement, the size and color of aggregates, water content, mixing techniques, finishing methods, pigments, and surface treatment.

While there are endless possibilities for working with color, it is important to keep things simple when designing with colored concrete. Concrete is a natural material, and its appearance can vary. One of the best practices in graphic concrete is to work with the natural color of the concrete itself.

In this newsletter, we share practical options and clear guidance for using color in concrete, especially useful when architects are making early material decisions.

The Viborg Provincial Archive facade shows dots at varying distances up close, creating subtle different grey tones. From a distance, however, the facade resembles a three-dimensional bookcase.

The contrast between exposed aggregate surfaces and smooth surfaces defines the graphic concrete pattern. The level of contrast can produce results ranging from dramatic and bold to elegant and subtle. Grey cement is commonly used, but slight color variations may appear on smooth surfaces. White cement delivers a more consistent color than grey cement.

High contrast is ideal for figurative graphics, photos, images, and 3D effects.

Mild contrast creates elegant and subtle textures.

Playing with the natural color of aggregates can make concrete surfaces more lively. Aggregates can be selected in any color the prefabricator offers.

The Villa School concrete facade uses red aggregates for a striking effect.

It’s also possible to combine pigments in the concrete mix with surface treatments. While pigments can be used with graphic concrete, only the cement is colored; the exposed aggregate retains its natural hue. Maximum pigmentation is 3%, and thorough testing is recommended before final implementation. Pigments are recommended adding UV-resistant to prevent long-term fading. We highly recommend making sufficient tests before using the stains and surface treatments on the projects.

When using pigments, only the cement is colored; the exposed aggregate retains its natural hue. 

Any color stains and paints can be added on graphic concrete surface. Different kind of stains does not seal the concrete surface, and the concrete still holds to its character.

Delfiinikortteli residence blocks are excellent examples of color surface treatments on graphic concrete.

Painting over a graphic concrete surface may not be your first choice, but that's of course possible. Paint can give an interesting end result, where the surface becomes a 3D like surface with low contrast, but can showcase a vivid color scheme. Also, it’s good to remembers that painting seals the concrete surface need more frequent maintenance than just with pure concrete surface.

Colosseum City Center has painted over a graphic concrete surface.

Concrete is a natural material, and its color varies in many ways. Even when using the same pattern, different combinations of cement, aggregates, and pigments create unique visual expressions. Achieving a perfectly unified color requires careful attention to all contributing variables.