So, what went wrong the first time around? Initially, we had colored the countertop integrally. This means that instead of coloring the countertop at the end by applying a stain to the finished and cured concrete, we instead mixed in a colored pigment during the pour. This works almost always, with few exceptions.
This time, though, it didn’t come out right. There is no standard for gray concrete, and tinting it isn’t an exact science. When a pigment is added to the gray, the color may change slightly from what was expected – this variability is normal and we explain this to our clients, it’s not a paint color that you can order and get exactly what you want. Usually, though, the difference is so subtle that no one really notices it. In this particular case, though it was noticeable.