Take ready mixed and precast concrete to the next level with rich ColorTech colour. Made with 100% synthetic iron oxide pigments, ColorTech is the ideal, economical, integral colouring choice for flatwork and vertical applications.

Uses And Benefits

  • Synthetic iron oxide pigments give exceptional colour dispersion and the strongest purest colours, pour after pour. ColorTech pigments do not contain admixtures and are manufactured under the strictest quality control standards.
  • ColorTech pure pigments are fade-resistant and conform to ASTM C 979 (except pigment CC80, which is a high-tinting strength carbon black that requires special care—please refer to “Limitations” section in this bulletin).
  • These high-strength pigments yield an expansive palette of beautiful colours.  Custom colours are also available with no extra charge for colour matching.
  • ColorTech is high-performing colour that is also easy to handle.  Packaged for clean handling and fast batching, ColorTech colour comes in disintegrating bags of 1-, 5- and 25-pound sizes for exact cubic yard dosing. (Other packaging options are also available—for complete information, see “Packaging” section in this bulletin.) A batch label system tracks the colour from our warehouse to your job site for quality control.
  • For large volume ready mixed operations, QC CONSTRUCTION PRODUCTS also offers BAYFERROX C by QC, the industry’s superior colour automation solution.

Before Any Application

1. ColorTech colour has been designed for ready mixed, precast, and mortar colouring use only. ColorTech should not be dusted or sprinkled onto the concrete surface.

2. Consistency of colour of cement, aggregates, slump, finishing techniques and curing methods are critical in achieving uniformity of colour.

3. For consistent colour, the use of pozzolans or flysah mixes is strongly discouraged.

4. Dosage Guidelines:

Disintegrating Bags – Consult the ColorTech Colour Chart for colour selections and pigment dose per 94-pound sack of cement.

Bulk – Preweigh colour for accuracy in dosing.

5. A job site sample, using the specified mix design and colour, should be done for customer approval. For an accurate colour check on a job site sample or on any job, the recommended size of the job should be a minimum order of three yards. In order to get an accurate colour check, view sample when it has fully cured.

6. Concrete should be batched, placed, cured and finished in accordance with ACI (American Concrete Institute) recommended standards.

Application

1. Ensure that slump does not exceed five inches. Slump should be consistent from pour to pour. Mix designs requiring higher slumps should be achieved by using water-reducing or plasticizing admixtures, not by adding water. Adding water will adversely affect the colour.

2. For Ready Mixed Application:

  • The drum must be cleaned, and approximately two-thirds of the mix water and one-half of the aggregates needed should be added to the drum. The proper combination of disintegrating bags or preweighed bulk ColorTech should be added to the drum and allowed to mix at a full charging speed for three to five minutes or until bags break apart and pigment is distributed evenly.
  • Add the balance of the ingredients (water, aggregates, cement and admixtures) and mix at a full charging speed for 8-10 minutes (80-100 revolutions). It is the ready mixed supplier’s responsibility to make sure bags have fully disintegrated. Failure to follow instructions can result in bags not fully disintegrating.

3. For Central or Premixed Batch Plants:

  • After one-half of the total batch has been added to the ready mixed drum, the proper combination of disintegrating bags or preweighed bulk ColorTech should be added. Drum should be allowed to mix at a full charging speed for three to five minutes.
  • Add the remainder of the batch to the drum and agitate at full charging speed until the ColorTech colour is completely dispersed throughout the mix—about 8-10 minutes (80-100 revolutions). It is the ready mixed supplier’s responsibility to make sure bags have fully disintegrated. Failure to follow instructions can result in bags not fully disintegrating.

4. Type of aggregate, mix design and water content may affect disintegration of bags. Mixing times and procedures are based on best practices. Mixing times and procedures may vary from region to region depending on factors mentioned previously (aggregate type, etc.). Before discharging the mix, ready mixed supplier should monitor mix inside the drum to determine that the bags have broken down completely.

5. For Vertical Applications: All forms should be cleaned thoroughly prior to use or reuse, and applied release agents should be nonstaining. For best results, forms should be free of cement latents from any prior concrete pour of a different colour. For colour uniformity, methods and material used in preparing the forms should be consistent through the completion of the job. 

To achieve more uniform colour, forms should be stripped when the concrete is the same age. Lightly sandblasting vertical surfaces is recommended to remove minor form marks and any cement latents resulting from water, cement, and colouring agents bleeding toward the forms during concrete placement.

6. For fiber reinforced concrete, fibers should be added after ColorTech colour has been dispersed.

7. For sand-blasted surfaces, exposed aggregate (3/8-inch size pea gravel) finishes, or typical 3/8-inch size pea gravel mixes, open ColorTech bag and empty entire bag of colour into drum to ensure proper dispersion.

8. Concrete should be cured according to ACI standards. The use of QC COLOUR WAX or QC COLOUR CURE is recommended for curing most new coloured architectural concrete flatwork. (See the respective Product Information Bulletins for complete product information and application instructions.)

Proper curing, along with maintaining a low slump and protecting the surface against water penetration, reduces the possibility of efflorescence. If proper curing methods are not followed, you risk the possibility of efflorescence appearing. If efflorescence does occur, remove using a mild muriatic acid and water solution (1 part muriatic acid to 30 parts water) followed by a light scrubbing or the use of a low r.p.m. rotary scrubbing machine. (Important Note: If considering acid-washing with this solution, you should wait a minimum of 14 days following the initial installation of ColorTech.) Properly curing with QC COLOUR CURE or QC COLOURWAX, along with protecting the surface against water penetration, reduces the possibility of efflorescence. 

QC CONSTRUCTION PRODUCTS offers a full range of sealers that enhance and finish ColorTech colour. (See the respective Product Information Bulletins for complete product information and application instructions):

  • QC CEMGUARD
  • QC CEMSEAL
  • QC SOLVENT SEAL 18
  • QC SOLVENT SEAL VOC II

Maintenance

  • Maintenance will vary depending on a number of factors, including volume and intensity of traffic, geographic location, ultraviolet light exposure and weather conditions.
  • It is strongly recommended that a routine maintenance schedule for all coloured concrete be followed so that surfaces maintain a high quality appearance. Every 18 to 36 months, or as required by volume and intensity of traffic, coloured concrete installations should be inspected, cleaned and resealed.

Limitations

  • Inconsistencies in job site conditions, finishing practices, concrete mix design and slump, and curing methods may produce variations in the colour of the finished product.
  • Integrally coloured concrete tends to be limited to lighter, more pastel colours and is not as brilliant as colour-hardened surfaces.
  • Pigment CC80 is not recommended for use in air-entrained concrete. Pigment CC80 is a high-strength tinting carbon black pigment that does not meet ASTM C 979. CC80 is subject to fading when exposed to weathering or repeated wetting and drying.
  • As an alternative to CC80, ColorTech CC86 should be used in air-entrained concrete or in concrete exposed to repeated wetting and drying.
  • Nonchloride accelerators may be used but not with concrete mixes containing calcium chloride.

Package Sizes

  • Disintegrating Bags – Available in 1-, 5- and 25-pound sizes for exact cubic yard dosing
  • Bulk – Available in 50-pound non-disintegrating bulk bags
  • Custom Packaging – ColorTech can be packaged to customer specifications in either bulk bags or in disintegrating bags upon request (example: one bag per yard dosing or multiple bag per yard dosing)

Product Handling

For handling and use, consult the corresponding Material Safety Data Sheet before using product.

Warranty

ColorTech, a proprietary product, is warranted to be of uniform quality within manufacturing tolerances. Since control is not exercised over its use, no warranty, expressed or implied, is made as to the effects of such use. Seller’s and manufacturer’s obligation under this warranty shall be limited to refunding the purchase price of that portion of the material proven to be defective. The user assumes all other risks and liabilities resulting from use of this product. If you have any questions, please contact QC CONSTRUCTION PRODUCTS.

 
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