Concrete takes color four ways: pigment mixed into the batch (integral), a color hardener floated into the surface, a reactive acid stain that changes the top of a cured slab, or a water-based stain or dye that soaks into it. New pours can use any of them; an existing slab is limited to stains and dyes.
One independent, insured North Texas contractor will call or text within one business day to set a time to look at it. You get a written quote with the pattern, color, stone and slab spec on it.
Updated November 10, 2026
Each ages differently in Texas sun.
Iron-oxide pigment, as powder, liquid or granules, goes into the truck before the pour, so the color runs through the full thickness and a chip or scar shows the same color underneath. It adds little labor. The trade-off is control: the color is usually dosed at the plant, and mix changes, water and impurities shift the shade, which makes exact matches across a big job harder. Integral color is also the only practical choice for vertical or complex shapes where a hardener cannot be floated in.
Source: Solomon Colors, color hardener vs. integral color
A dry cementitious color hardener is broadcast on fresh concrete, reacts with the bleed water and is floated into the top. Only the surface is colored, so one truck can serve several colors on one job, and the hardened top is more abrasion-resistant than plain concrete. It takes skill: poor application can delaminate, it is dusty, and it does not work well when there is little bleed water. It is the usual choice under a stamped pattern.
Source: Solomon Colors, color hardener vs. integral color
Acid stains react with the calcium in cured concrete and permanently change the color in the upper part of the slab. The result is mottled and different on every slab, which is the point and also the risk: it is hard to predict and leaves little room for error. The color is durable and fade-resistant. All stain residue has to be neutralized and removed before sealing or the sealer fails. Acid stain is the honest answer for an existing patio you want to warm up.
Source: Solomon Colors, stained concrete pros and cons
Water-based stains carry pigment and polymer into the pores and bond there; they mix to custom shades and can be diluted, but they can wash out over time with water exposure, so the sealer has to be maintained. Dyes are fine pigment in acetone or water, absorb fast and match acid-stain colors for touch-ups, but they are not UV-stable: in direct sun they fade or turn black, which rules them out for a North Texas patio, pool deck or driveway. Dyes belong indoors.
Source: Solomon Colors, stained concrete pros and cons
A new stamped patio: color hardener with a release in a second tone. A new broom-finish or exposed-aggregate slab in a single warm shade: integral color. An existing plain patio: acid stain for a mottled stone look, water-based stain for a controlled, even color. A garage or shop floor out of the sun: any of them, including dye. The quote should say which, and what the sample board will be.
Source: Pennsylvania Aggregates and Concrete Association, four finishing options for decorative concrete
Color consistency depends on curing as much as strength does: uneven moisture leaves uneven color. The Portland Cement Association notes most strength gain happens in the first month and that longer moist curing makes stronger, more durable concrete; a crew that cures a colored slab under a compatible compound or a careful wet cure is protecting the color. A sealer then locks it in and is reapplied on a schedule.
Source: Portland Cement Association, curing in construction
Close, not exact. Integral color shifts with the mix and water; acid stain is different on every slab by nature. Approve a sample on your concrete, not a chip.
Integral pigment and color hardener are iron-oxide and hold up in sun. Acid stain is fade-resistant. Dyes fade or darken outdoors and are not used on exterior work here.
Yes, with an acid or water-based stain after cleaning and testing. Integral color and hardener are only for new pours.
Yes. The usual route is a base color plus a darker release on stamped work, or a stain applied in layers on a cured slab.
Pattern, color method, sealer, stone and joint, or field thickness, edge, steel, base and membrane: one independent, insured North Texas contractor looks at the lot and writes it all down with dates.
Residential and acreage, in eight DFW counties. No price on this site, because the lot and the drawing decide the price.
One independent, insured North Texas contractor will call or text within one business day to set a time to look at it. You get a written quote with the pattern, color, stone and slab spec on it.