Cost of colored concrete

by Keith

Q. Does colored concrete (adding the bags to the mix) cost more than troweling in colored surface hardener?

A. The cost to add color to the concrete mix (in the truck) is about 35 - 40 dollars per bag. We add 1 bag per yard of concrete.

The cost to use the color surface hardener is about 32 dollars a bag. A bag of surface hardener will cover about 100 square feet of concrete surface.

For a 4 inch concrete floor, 1 yard of concrete will cover 80 square feet. The cost would be very close either way for a 4 inch concrete floor. If the floor is thicker than 4 inches, then the surface hardener is less money to use. If the concrete floor is thinner than 4 inches, then adding color to the mix is less money.

Using colored surface hardener is a lot more messy (dusty) than adding color into the mix. Sometimes the labor and material cost for preparation and clean-up to keep the area clean makes using color in the mix a more cost effective option.