While dyes have experienced an increase in market share in the colored concrete industry over the past few years, it’s not unreasonable to say they’ve enjoyed an unmitigated bull market within the polished concrete arena.
“Until dyes came on the scene, coloring polished concrete was a bit of a challenge – the act of polishing tends to prohibit the chemical reaction in reactive stains,” says Les Davis, president of American Decorative Concrete Supply Co. “With dye, you’re not depending on a chemical reaction. It’s more like you’re injecting color into the concrete. Dye opens up a whole host of artistic opportunities in the polished concrete industry.”
“You lose a lot of the color in the final grinding and polishing with stains,” says Chris Sullivan of ChemSystems Inc. “Stains simply don’t penetrate deeply enough into the concrete. Because dyes go deeper, they’re a perfect fit for polished concrete artisans.”
