Antiquing - Calgary Concrete

Antiquing

Antiquing, as we call it at Stallion Concrete, goes by many different names, such as an accent colour, release colouring, pop colour, grain colour and highlight colour. Antiquing is basically just an additional colour used to accent and highlight textured or stamped concrete surfaces.

By adding additional colour to a textured or stamped concrete surface, using specific antique colouring, this technique helps to add the colour mostly just to the underlying grains and textures with limiting it's effect on the surface of the concrete. Essentially, it settles into the grain of the texture.

Antiquing is important to create a realistic appearance to textured and stamped concrete. It can help enhance the depth and shadow or a texture or stamp in concrete. Some people refer to this effect as making the texture “pop.” When properly applied, antiquing will have random variations in intensity which makes for a more natural or realistic appearance.

Without antiquing, or if applied incorrectly, stamped and textured concrete can appear fake or “plastic.”

Antiquing colours are typically applied with releasing agents either as a powder or in liquid form, although this is not always the case.

Antiquing is one of the reasons that pouring the concrete isn't as much about knowing how to pour it, but rather it is an art form that is perfected over time. There are dozens of techniques depending on the look that is trying to be achieved. Talk to us at Stallion Concrete and we will help match the look at technique that you want for your concrete project.