Concrete pigment dosage is expressed as a percentage of cement weight, not concrete volume. Get that relationship wrong and you will either produce a washed-out result at under 2% or waste expensive pigment — and risk strength reduction — above 10%. The standard working range is 2% to 8% of cement weight, with most saturated colours landing at 5–6%.
How to calculate concrete pigment dosage
The formula is straightforward:
Pigment weight = Cement weight × Dosage percentage
Example: A 1 m³ batch using a 1:2:3 mix by weight contains approximately 350 kg of cement. At a 5% dosage for a medium red-oxide colour: 350 × 0.05 = 17.5 kg of pigment per m³. At a typical retail price of $3.50–$6.00 per kg for iron oxide pigment, that adds $61–$105 per m³ to the concrete cost.
Use the concrete pigment and color calculator to enter your cement content, target dosage, and number of batches — it outputs total pigment weight and flags you if your dosage falls outside the standard performance range.
For bagged concrete, work backwards from the bag label. An 80 lb (36.3 kg) bag of standard concrete mix typically contains about 10 lb (4.5 kg) of cement. A 5% dosage means 0.5 lb (0.23 kg) of pigment per bag — across a 10-bag pour, that is 5 lb (2.3 kg) of pigment. Manufacturers sometimes publish this as a ratio: “1 lb pigment per bag” which implies roughly 10% — toward the upper limit and not representative of all colours.
Why dosage percentage matters: the chemistry behind colour saturation
Concrete pigments are almost universally inorganic iron oxide compounds — red (Fe₂O₃), yellow (FeOOH), black (Fe₃O₄), and brown (mixed oxides). Chromium oxide gives green; cobalt aluminate gives blue. These are not dyes. They do not dissolve into the cement paste — they coat the cement particles and fill the interstitial spaces between aggregate. Colour intensity is a function of pigment particle concentration relative to the total binding surface available.
Below 2% of cement weight, pigment concentration is too low to produce a consistent tone — the grey of the cement matrix dominates and the result looks diluted regardless of the pigment colour. Between 2% and 6%, colour intensity increases roughly proportionally with dosage. Above 6%, returns diminish significantly and the additional pigment particles begin to interfere with cement hydration by coating cement grains before they can fully react. Above 10%, strength loss is measurable — ASTM C979 (US) and BS EN 12878 (UK/EU) both set 10% as the maximum permitted dosage for this reason.
White Portland cement produces substantially more vivid colours than grey cement at the same dosage. A 5% red oxide dose on white cement will be a saturated terracotta; on grey cement, it will be a muted brick-brown. For high-saturation colour work — stamped concrete, exposed aggregate, decorative flatwork — specifying white cement base is worth the 20–30% cement cost premium.
Dosage reference by colour type and application
| Colour / Pigment type | Typical dosage range | Notes |
| Red / iron oxide red | 3%–6% of cement wt. | Most common pigment; performs well on both grey and white cement |
| Yellow / iron oxide yellow | 3%–7% of cement wt. | Heat-sensitive above 300°C — avoid in fire-exposed applications |
| Black / iron oxide black | 1%–3% of cement wt. | Highly efficient — low dosage achieves deep tone; easy to over-dose |
| Brown / mixed iron oxide | 3%–6% of cement wt. | Blended product; shade varies significantly by supplier |
| Green / chromium oxide | 3%–6% of cement wt. | More expensive than iron oxides; better UV stability |
| Blue / cobalt aluminate | 2%–5% of cement wt. | Most expensive option; typically requires white cement base |
| White / titanium dioxide | 5%–10% of cement wt. | Used to lighten concrete on white cement base; large volume required |
Common mistakes
Measuring pigment by volume instead of weight. Pigment density varies widely by type — titanium dioxide is roughly 4.2 g/cm³; synthetic iron oxide is around 4.8–5.2 g/cm³. A cup of black iron oxide and a cup of titanium dioxide weigh different amounts and require different dosages. Always weigh pigment on a scale calibrated to ±10 g or better. Using scoops or volume estimates across a multi-batch pour will produce visible colour variation between pours.
Inconsistent cement content between batches. Colour consistency depends on a fixed ratio of pigment to cement. If one batch uses 320 kg of cement and the next uses 370 kg, and both get the same weight of pigment, the second batch will be noticeably lighter. Use the concrete batch calculator to lock your mix proportions and scale them identically for every batch in the same pour.
Adding pigment directly to dry cement before water. Dry blending pigment into cement before adding aggregate and water is the correct method for hand-mixing. Some contractors add pigment to the water instead — this leads to clumping in some pigment types and uneven distribution in the mix. The correct sequence is: aggregate, cement, pigment (dry-blended), then water. For ready-mix, the batch plant adds pigment with the cement and aggregate in the drum before water.
Not accounting for sealer or coating effects on the final colour. A penetrating sealer darkens concrete by 10–20%; a film-forming sealer can shift apparent colour significantly depending on its tint. Any colour sample or test slab assessment must be done with the sealer already applied. Assessing colour on bare concrete and then applying a sealer without re-checking produces an unpredictable final result.
Related calculators you might need
Once you know your pigment dosage, the next step is making sure your cement quantity is calculated accurately — because the dosage is a direct function of it. Use the cement quantity calculator to get exact cement weight per batch or per cubic metre. If you are mixing on site in multiple batches that all need to match, the concrete batch calculator keeps your proportions consistent pour to pour. For stamped concrete projects where colour is a primary decision, the stamped concrete calculator estimates volume and material cost for the full job.
Frequently asked questions
How much pigment do I add per bag of concrete?
An 80 lb / 36 kg bag of premixed concrete contains roughly 9–11 lb / 4–5 kg of cement. At a 5% dosage, you need approximately 0.45–0.55 lb / 200–250 g of pigment per bag. For a 10-bag pour, that is about 5 lb / 2.3 kg total. Pigment manufacturers often publish simpler ratios — check the product data sheet, as dosages vary by pigment type and the shade you want. Use the concrete pigment and color calculator to generate exact weights for your specific batch.
Will adding pigment weaken my concrete?
At dosages up to 6% of cement weight, iron oxide pigments have no measurable effect on 28-day compressive strength in standard mixes. Between 6% and 10%, minor strength reduction is possible but typically within 5–8% — acceptable for most applications. Above 10%, strength loss becomes significant and is explicitly limited by ASTM C979 and BS EN 12878. Black iron oxide at high dosage has been shown to slightly retard setting time. If strength is critical, specify the mix design with the pigment included and test samples at 28 days.
Does concrete colour fade over time?
Iron oxide pigments are among the most UV-stable colourants available — far more stable than organic dyes. Colour fade over 10–20 years is minimal when the concrete is sealed and maintained. What changes colour more noticeably is carbonation (surface greyening from CO₂ reaction with calcium hydroxide), efflorescence (white salt deposits), and surface wear. Resealing every 3–5 years maintains both the colour and the surface protection. Black is the most fade-resistant colour; yellow iron oxide is the least stable at elevated temperatures.
Can I mix two pigment colours together?
Yes. Iron oxide pigments are compatible with each other and can be blended dry before adding to the mix. Stick to pigments from the same supplier to avoid unexpected reactions — though iron oxides from different manufacturers are generally inert to each other. Test your blend on a sample slab before committing to a full pour. Colour shifts slightly when wet versus dry and again after curing — the only reliable reference is a cured, sealed sample in the same mix design and cement type you will use on the job.
What is the difference between liquid pigment and powder pigment for concrete?
Liquid pigments are pre-dispersed in water and are easier to mix uniformly — they are standard in ready-mix batch plants. Powder pigments are more concentrated by weight and more cost-effective for site mixing. Both produce equivalent results when dosed correctly by weight (liquid pigment dosage is quoted per litre of concentrate, which corresponds to a dry pigment equivalent on the product data sheet). For hand-mixing, powder is more practical. For ready-mix truck delivery, specify the dosage to the batch plant and confirm whether they use liquid or powder so you can provide the equivalent dosage.
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