The only hand-mixed cement question I have involves color. Is there an
additive to get hand (bag or portland-sand-stone) mix to bleach out?
The ready-mix always bleaches to a nice bright white. I used to do
concrete work for a contractor, and I would often be the one stripping
forms and wetting the setting concrete. I have never been able to
duplicate the nice bleaching with a bag mix.

I mostly find it all looks the same after it has weathered. After that color
depends on the color of the sand and the color of the gravel. New concrete
has a lot of the Portland Cement on the surface, probably what you called
bleaching, which disappears quickly in the presence of rain, usually acid
rain, leaving the sand and gravel showing on the surface.

wrote in message
oups.com...
The only hand-mixed cement question I have involves color. Is there an
additive to get hand (bag or portland-sand-stone) mix to bleach out?
The ready-mix always bleaches to a nice bright white. I used to do
concrete work for a contractor, and I would often be the one stripping
forms and wetting the setting concrete. I have never been able to
duplicate the nice bleaching with a bag mix.

Are you left w/ a green-ish color?
Thought that was kind of weird myself.
But then, I like green.
--
Mr. P.V.'d
formerly Droll Troll
wrote in message
oups.com...
The only hand-mixed cement question I have involves color. Is there an
additive to get hand (bag or portland-sand-stone) mix to bleach out?
The ready-mix always bleaches to a nice bright white. I used to do
concrete work for a contractor, and I would often be the one stripping
forms and wetting the setting concrete. I have never been able to
duplicate the nice bleaching with a bag mix.

A google search on "how to pour a concrete floor" yielded a few concrete
staining places/suppliers.

I found one relevant ref so far. Haven't read it yet, but it apparently
gives step by step instructions, and mebbe staining/bleaching advice.
http://www.homesandcottages.com/trad...article_id=118

Someone told me the 'crete would eventually turn white, and indeed it's
lightened up some, but the walls remain darker than the floor, altho the
walls appears to be streaking.
The floor is now an off-white, which is really not bad, but not the
sand-white you see on sidewalks, etc.
--
Mr. P.V.'d
formerly Droll Troll
wrote in message
oups.com...
The only hand-mixed cement question I have involves color. Is there an
additive to get hand (bag or portland-sand-stone) mix to bleach out?
The ready-mix always bleaches to a nice bright white. I used to do
concrete work for a contractor, and I would often be the one stripping
forms and wetting the setting concrete. I have never been able to
duplicate the nice bleaching with a bag mix.

Look at any parking lot or other mass concrete poured in sections
on different days. There will probably be one section that is
snow white, or at least substantially more white than all the rest
of the concrete. That section was rained on the same day it was
poured.

I cannot give you any science for the result, but I can sure show
examples. This difference easily lasts 10 years or more, though
it gets less noticeable with time as the oil stains and other
discolorations take over.
______________________________
Keep the whole world singing . . . .
DanG (remove the sevens)




wrote in message
oups.com...
The only hand-mixed cement question I have involves color. Is
there an
additive to get hand (bag or portland-sand-stone) mix to bleach
out?
The ready-mix always bleaches to a nice bright white. I used to
do
concrete work for a contractor, and I would often be the one
stripping
forms and wetting the setting concrete. I have never been able
to
duplicate the nice bleaching with a bag mix.