While most people are oblivious tot

While most people are oblivious to
the ordinary variations in regular concrete,
they often have heightened expectations
when colored concrete is specified.
Some unrealistically expect colored concrete
to be completely uniform in appearance
like a painted surface. lt would be
more realistic to compare colored concrete
with handcrafted and natural building
materials. As with stone and wood, minor
variations in appearance contribute to the
material's aesthetic appeal. When specified
and constructed with reasonable care,
color expands concrete's aesthetic potential
(see Photos 1 through 4). The measures required to produce
attractive integrally colored concrete are
consistent with those required to produce
any high-quality concrete. Usually,
appearance defects are not a result of
the coloring process but are due to the
basic nature of concrete itself. Concrete
appearance is affected by many factors,
including the ingredients in the mix,
mix design, handling and placing procedures,
forming and curing methods,
surface finishes and textures, environmental
conditions, and craftsmanship.
In most cases, colored concrete is
installed using the same tools and