Can I use paint in wet concrete for color, for stepping stones ?

Gail
by Gail
I recently moved, now I have a "back yard", well it's more of a space. I want to make some stepping stones out of cement but I want colored cement. Can I use paint, if so, can you recommend a certain brand ? Can I use dye, if so, please recommend a brand ? How about chalk, if so, can you recommend a brand ? I live in the Northeast, and as usual, we are probed to be icy cold, snowy, lots of moisture, etc. and the cement has to be able to stand up to those elements. I look forward to any advice you can send my way and a huge Thank You in advance for your knowledge.
Thank you, Gail M.

  6 answers
  • Linda Bruse Linda Bruse on Sep 14, 2017

    your best bet is to check with a a hardware or lumber company, like Lowes or Home Depot. They will probably tell what to use and how. I take it you want to dye the cement before laying them.

    • Gail Gail on Sep 15, 2017

      Yes, I don't mind the work, I just want to make sure the color will last and to not have to redo it. Thank you for your suggestion, greatly appreciated :-)

  • 27524803 27524803 on Sep 14, 2017

    They do make concrete stain/dyes.. some you can add to the wet concrete and some you put on after... what about using gems, shells, colored glass, broken china or ceramic tiles...stencils, leaves.... lots of ideas, lots of ways to add color.

    Use inexpensive cake pans for the forms, place contact paper sticky side up in the bottom to hold designs in place when pouring the concrete (don't forget to "butter" your forms with Vaseline so concrete will release easily). The cake pans can be found all over and there are many shapes.

    • Gail Gail on Sep 15, 2017

      Holy cow !! Thank you !! Those are some great ideas, now my head is swimming, I better start before I get overwhelmed. The contact paper is a fantastic idea !! You must have done something similar before. Thank you so much, greatly appreciated 👍👌👏

  • Jim Okerblom Jim Okerblom on Sep 14, 2017

    Why not color the concrete as you mix it? There are lots of different colors available. They come as a liquid in bottles, and are easy to use. You just mix it with the concrete (the proper term) before you pour it. Coloring the concrete will mean the color will be all the way through, just not on the surface, and will never wear off.

  • Jim Okerblom Jim Okerblom on Sep 14, 2017

    P.S. You want to use concrete, which is a mixture of sand, aggregate and cement. Cement is without those first two, and it would not be strong enough to make durable stepping stones.

  • Sta48700080 Sta48700080 on May 14, 2022

    Can I mix leftover latex paint with concrete? I would like to make stepping stones . Will it cure as hard & last as long? Where can I find a “recipe “ for doing this? I’m trying to recycle old house paint that has sat in the garage over several winters.