Oxide Mixing Instructions

• The mixing percentage can vary greatly depending on the shades required, type & colour of cement, sand or aggregate used. However, the general proportion is about 1% to 3% oxide in total of the amount of dry cement used.
• Trial tests can be made by mixing a tiny amount (quarter teaspoon) of oxide with cement and adding a small amount of water, mixing thoroughly. Once mixed, paint onto a concrete surface and allow it to dry thoroughly before deciding on the shade you desire. Always make notes of what colour/s and quantity of oxide you have used.
• By using a combination of oxides different colours can be achieved, eg red and yellow will give you an earthy brown colour.  Experiment with your own mixes and techniques to obtain your favourite mix.
• The colour of the cement, sand or stone used will greatly alter the colour of the final casting.  The colour can also vary greatly until fully cured.
• After handling oxides, always wash your hands thoroughly.

How much Oxide should I use in my 1:2:2: Concrete Mix

We recommend 1% – 3% Oxide for a 25-30 MPa or 1:2:2  Concrete Mix. For more info on the Concrete Mix, Click Here

For ease of calculation, we work by volume and not weight. Thus 250ml of oxide would be 1 cup of powder, or 5ml would be one teaspoon.   If using 1 Litre of cement, use an old 1 litre bottle and fill that.  Once you have measured the volume you can use any container marked with what you need to use.  For instance, you could use a 10 Litre bucket for the stone.

Please note: The ratios printed on cement bags call for “barrows”. This can be confusing, as one pocket of cement (50kg) is equal to 33Lt by volume and one “barrow” is equal to 66Lt.