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Posted: Sat Aug 28, 2004 9:39 pm
by patdunham
I have some old grey block paving and have extended it, but could only obtain a paler colour new blocks. Is there any product I can use to darken the colour of new blocks, that won't just disappear with the rain?
Posted: Sun Aug 29, 2004 7:28 am
by 84-1093879891
Nope.
That's the short answer: time and weather is the long answer. It'll take perhaps a couple of years or longer, but eventually, the two batches of blocks will begin to look more and more similar. Other than floor paint, there is no 'magic treatment' or jollop that can be applied to make them identical.
Posted: Sun Aug 29, 2004 3:29 pm
by patdunham
OK. Thanks for your reply.
Posted: Sat Sep 04, 2004 6:30 pm
by Paverman Dan
Tony,
Would it help to apply a wet-look concrete sealer to the new, paler pavers? This would make them look darker.
Most sealers wear off in a few years; in that time the older, darker blocks might mellow closer to the new pavers/blocks.
Another possibility might be to break up the old and new sections with a band of pavers in a different color, or a circle. red or brown might be the way to go. That way it will look like you were deliberately trying to use two different shades.
A third fix? Tear up the old pavers, and mix them with the new pavers. I know, not what you might have wanted to hear- but that actually might be the best solution of all.
This by the way is one of the reasons concrete landscape product manufacturers, at least on this side of the pond, will not gurantee color matching.
Posted: Sun Sep 05, 2004 3:14 pm
by 84-1089053830
Sealers don't always work to make blocks of different ages and experiences look the same. It would work with some blocks, but other would still look like 'cousins', rather than 'brother', following the treatment. The only way to determine whether it would work is to try it on a handful of 'spare' blocks on the site itself.
The idea of using a break band to isolate the two blocks is the best option, providing the actual site layout can accommodate it. This would be my usual recommendation when asked to extend an area of existing CBPs.
The notion of mixing the old with the new would be my second choice - it does work, and surprisingly well, but it can involve a lot of extra work, and getting a truly random, non-blotchy appearance to the extended pavement can be a bit of a gamble, but I'd still favour this methodology over that of using a sealant.