Hanson Concrete’s new range of coloured ready-mix concrete provides unrivalled depth and quality of colour.
The Colourcrete range uses durable colour fast liquid pigments formed from iron oxides which disperse easily in the concrete mix. The concentrated liquid pigment, supplied by Hanson’s partner, Sika, produces a high intensity of colour in the concrete.
Colourcrete has already been supplied to the British Museum in London to create the floor of the Sainsbury Exhibitions Gallery, which forms an integral part of its new World Conservation and Exhibitions Centre. It has also been used to create an architectural structure at the Olympic Park in London as well as a number of skateboard parks.
Paul Lacey, Hanson’s head of sustainability and marketing, said: “Our Colourcrete range can add a whole new visual dimension to a project. It can be used wherever conventional concrete is specified and colour-matched to stand out from, or blend with, the surroundings.
“The colour is added in exact quantities in an automated process which ensures that different batches match perfectly.”
Coloured concrete provides a permanent, cost-effective alternative to decorative surface coatings and brings colour and texture to a wide range of structures – from footpaths, flooring and facades to skate parks, shopping centres and sea defences.
Hanson also uses white cement or Regen (ground granulated blast furnance slag), a cement replacement product, to produce lighter pastels and brighter colours. The use of Regen also enhances the product’s sustainability credentials by reducing the CO2 emissions associated with its production. It also produces a greater SRI (solar reflectivity index), allowing reduced lighting. All Hanson’s coloured concretes are durable and weather resistant.