Pigment

Fishstone Concrete Pigments & Integral Color Additives

Fishstone Concrete Pigments are premium-grade dry powder colorants designed to provide consistent, fade-resistant integral color for concrete countertops, GFRC, UHPC, cast stone, mortar, stucco, plaster, and other cement-based materials.

Unlike topical stains or dyes that only affect the surface, integral pigments color the entire concrete matrix, producing durable, long-lasting color that will not peel, chip, or wear away. Our pigments are UV stable, weather resistant, alkali resistant, chemically inert, and non-hazardous, making them suitable for both interior and exterior applications.

Create Hundreds of Colors from Just Eight Base Pigments

One of the biggest advantages of the Fishstone pigment system is simplicity. Rather than stocking dozens of expensive pre-blended colors, contractors and fabricators can create virtually unlimited custom shades using just eight carefully selected base pigments:

• Titanium White
• Black
• Ultramarine Blue
• Green
• Yellow
• Brown
• Light Red
• Medium Red

By blending these pigments in different proportions, users can create hundreds of custom architectural and decorative concrete colors including slate gray, graphite, pewter, greige, limestone, sandstone, driftwood, walnut, sage, olive, terracotta, brick red, and countless custom designer colors.

This approach allows fabricators to maintain a compact inventory while still offering customers an extensive range of custom color options. Most contractors can stock a small selection of base pigments and create nearly any color a customer requests without the need for dozens of specialty colors on the shelf.

Benefits

• Create hundreds of custom colors from only eight pigments
• Reduce inventory costs and shelf space requirements
• Eliminate the need to stock dozens of specialty colors
• Easily adjust and fine-tune color intensity
• Improve color matching capabilities
• Produce consistent results from batch to batch
• Minimize waste from slow-moving inventory

Recommended Dosage

Pigments should be added by weight relative to the total cementitious materials in your mix.

Recommended dosage range: 0.25% to 10% of total cementitious weight.

Cementitious materials include Portland cement, metakaolin, silica fume, fly ash, slag cement, pozzolans, and other reactive cement-based materials.

Example

50 lbs Portland Cement + 5 lbs Metakaolin = 55 lbs cementitious material

At a 2% dosage:

55 lbs × 0.02 = 1.1 lbs pigment

Most architectural concrete applications utilize pigment loadings between 1% and 4%, while deeper, richer colors may require higher dosages.

Compatible Applications

• Concrete Countertops
• GFRC (Glass Fiber Reinforced Concrete)
• UHPC (Ultra High Performance Concrete)
• Cast Stone
• Architectural Concrete
• Decorative Concrete
• Mortars
• Stucco
• Cement-Based Overlays

Color Consistency Tips

• Thoroughly dry blend pigment before adding water
• Maintain consistent water-to-cement ratios
• Use the same cement source whenever possible
• Maintain consistent curing conditions
• Seal finished concrete when appropriate
• Always perform trial batches when developing custom colors

Ultramarine Blue Usage Notes

• Avoid high-temperature curing conditions
• Avoid exposure to muriatic acid or acidic cleaners
• Seal finished concrete to maximize long-term color stability
• Perform trial batches before full-scale production

Color Chart Information

The color chart shown on this page was produced using Fishstone HP50™ Mix and sealed with U-SEAL™. Sample dosages shown from left to right are 0.5%, 1%, 2%, 4%, 8%, and 10% pigment loading by cement weight.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can concrete pigments be mixed together?
Yes. Fishstone pigments are specifically designed to be blended together, allowing fabricators to create hundreds of custom concrete colors from a compact inventory of eight base pigments.

What are integral concrete pigments?
Integral pigments are mineral colorants added directly to the concrete mix, creating permanent color throughout the entire concrete section rather than only on the surface.

Are concrete pigments UV resistant?
Yes. Fishstone pigments are UV stable and weather resistant, making them suitable for both indoor and outdoor concrete applications when used properly.

Do I need to stock dozens of colors?
No. Most fabricators can create an extensive architectural color palette using only Fishstone's eight base pigments, reducing inventory costs while expanding color possibilities.

Actual color may vary based on cement source, mix design, water content, curing conditions, pigment dosage, and sealer selection. Trial batching is recommended.