Stencilled and Coloured Concrete in Hervey Bay

Coloured concrete, two ways

There are two common ways to colour concrete. Integral colour mixes oxide pigment through the whole batch at the plant, so the colour goes all the way through and a chip or scratch shows the same colour underneath. Surface colour, often a colour hardener broadcast onto the fresh slab, puts a stronger, denser colour on the top layer. Stencilled concrete usually uses both: a base colour in the mix and a contrasting colour on the surface.

Colour always looks different on a large slab in full sun than on a sample chip indoors. Ask to see a finished job in daylight if you can.

How stencilling works

A paper stencil in the pattern you choose is laid on the fresh concrete. The colour hardener goes over it and is worked in. When the stencil is lifted, the lines it covered show the base colour, which reads as grout lines between pavers, bricks or cobbles. The result is one continuous slab with a paver look, so there are no gaps between pavers for weeds or ants.

Stencilling is different to stamped concrete, which presses a texture into the surface with mats. Stencilled concrete stays relatively smooth.

Where it suits

Stencilled finishes are common on front driveways, entry paths and patios where the look matters. Around pools, check the slip rating of the sealed surface first, because a glossy sealer on a smooth slab can be slippery when wet.

Sealing and upkeep

Coloured and stencilled concrete is almost always sealed. The sealer deepens the colour and protects it from staining and UV fade. It also wears, so plan on resealing every few years, more often on a driveway than on a covered patio. Ask what sealer is being quoted and whether it is matt or gloss.

Getting it quoted

Tell us the area, the pattern you have in mind and the colours, with a photo of the space. Call 0489 955 511 or use the form, and a licensed local concreter will come back to you. For the slab underneath, see concrete driveways and paths and patios.