Frequently Asked Questions about Hunter Press Crete Products

Colour Hardener

What the approximate sq.m (square metre) coverage of Hunter Press Crete colour hardener?

Will the product fade?

How hard does Hunter Press Crete colour hardener cure to?

Does the colour of the surface vary from the Hunter Press Crete colour chart?

How do you apply colour hardener?

Do different methods of finishing the surface affect the final colour of the concrete?

When should the colour hardener not be applied?

Can the colour hardener be mixed into the actual concrete?

Can you mix colour hardeners to produce different colours?

Stencil Patterning

What the sq.m² coverage of Hunter Press Crete stencil patterning?

What is Hunter Press Crete stencil patterning made of?

How do you apply stencil patterning?

High Gloss and Wet-on-Wet Sealer

What the sq.m coverage of Hunter Press Crete concrete sealer?

How do you apply sealer?

How many coats of sealer should be applied?

What’s the difference between wet sealer and high gloss sealer?

What’s the solid content of Hunter Press Crete sealer?

Is high gloss sealer slippery?

Spray-On Flowcoat

What the sq.m² coverage of Hunter Press Crete Flowcoat colour?

How do you apply spray-on Flowcoat?

How is Flowcoat prepared?

Can the activator used in Flowcoat application be diluted?

Stamped Patterning

Can you spray stamped patterning over existing concrete?

How do you create stamp patterning?

Possible Problems: Whitening of the Concrete

About whitening

To prevent whitening:

To repair whitening:

Possible Problems: Inconsistent Colour

To prevent ‘patchiness’:

To repair ‘patchiness’:

Colour Hardener
Q. What the approximate sq.m (square metre) coverage of Hunter Press Crete colour hardener?
     A. Approx. coverage is 8-9sq.m. Darker colours may in some cases cover slightly more area (eg. 10sq.m) and lighter colours may cover less (eg. 7sq.m).

Q. Will the product fade?
     A. Hunter Press Crete colour hardener is made with GENUINE OXIDES and do not contain colour enhancers. This means that after the 100 day curing stage, the colour hardener will undergo virtually no bleaching whatsoever. As long as the surface is resealed every 5 years, the decorative concrete will remain vibrant for years to come.

Q. How hard does Hunter Press Crete colour hardener cure to?
     A. Hunter Press Crete colour hardener cures to 90mpa.

Q. Does the colour of the surface vary from the Hunter Press Crete colour chart?
     A. Yes. The colours on the Hunter Press Crete colour chart should be used as a guide only and slight variations can occur based on factors such as weather and finishing methods.

Q. How do you apply colour hardener?
     A. See our “Stencil Application” how-to-do guide.

Q. Do different methods of finishing the surface affect the final colour of the concrete?
     A. Yes. Different methods of finishing the surface will produce different silhouettes that can produce slightly different colour shades.

Q. When should the colour hardener not be applied?
     A. It is NOT RECOMMENDED that you apply colour hardener during:

Strong winds - this will result in cracking of the surface

Rainy or very humid weather - this will result in colour blotching and possible whitening of the surface

Very hot weather – this will make the colour hardener very hard to apply effectively

Q. Can the colour hardener be mixed into the actual concrete?
A. No. Colour hardener is specifically designed to be trowelled onto the SURFACE of the concrete only.

Q. Can you mix colour hardeners to produce different colours?
A. Yes, if it is necessary to do so, but only if they are THOROUGHLY MIXED - preferably in an agitator.

Stencil Patterning

Q. What the sq.m² coverage of Hunter Press Crete stencil patterning?
     A. Coverage of stencil patterning is 100sq.m. Width is generally 0.850m to 0.970m and length is generally 103m – 117m. Stencil patterning is also available in 50sq.m.

Q. What is Hunter Press Crete stencil patterning made of?
     A. Our stencil patterning is made of 100% quality Australian stencil board. This board bas been specially designed by API for use in stencilled decorative concrete. It has a special poly-coating to inhibit water absorption and to provide superior strength to the patterning. It is also designed to remain flat on the surface of the concrete to make application much easier.

Q. How do you apply stencil patterning?
     A. See our “Stencil Application” how-to-do guide.

High Gloss and Wet-on-Wet Sealer
Q. What the sq.m coverage of Hunter Press Crete concrete sealer?
     A. Coverage of Hunter Press Crete concrete sealer is approx. 60sq.m for roller or broom application and 70sq.m for sprayer application.

Q. How do you apply sealer?
     A. Concrete sealer can be applied with a broom, roller or sealer sprayer. All of these methods produce good results, however sprayer application results in slightly more sq.m coverage.

Q. How many coats of sealer should be applied?
     A. For freshly laid concrete or spray-on concrete, two coats of sealer should be applied (first coat should be wet sealer and apply a coat of high gloss 3-4 days later). For resealing of old driveways, only one coat is necessary.

Q. What’s the difference between wet sealer and high gloss sealer?
     A. Wet sealer is a porous based sealer that is designed for same-day application. High gloss sealer is a non-porous based sealer that is designed for application 3-4 days after a job has been laid.

Q. What’s the solid content of Hunter Press Crete sealer?
     A. High gloss sealer has a solid content of 24.3%. Wet sealer has a solid content of 22.5%. The high solid content of our sealers means that their quality is also high.

Q. Is high gloss sealer slippery?
     A. No. High gloss sealer simply has a higher visual gloss factor. If you are concerned about your surface being slippery, use a wood or granosite finish after laying the concrete to add texture to surface and for extra grip, throw anti slip grit beads over the surface after it has been sealed.

Spray-On Flowcoat
Q. What the sq.m² coverage of Hunter Press Crete Flowcoat colour?
     A. Coverage of Hunter Press Crete Flowcoat colour is approx. 18sq.m.

Q. How do you apply spray-on Flowcoat?
     A. See our “Spray-On Flowcoat Application” how-to-do guide.

Q. How is Flowcoat prepared?
     A. Flowcoat colour is mixed with a polymer activator. This mixture is either sprayed through a hopper gun attached to a compressor or trowelled onto existing concrete. Hunter Press Crete Flowcoat cures to 87mpa.

Q. Can the activator used in Flowcoat application be diluted?
     A. Yes, but only to a certain extent. During the ‘priming’ stage, activator can be diluted up to a ratio of 1:5 activator to water. A MAXIMUM ratio of 3:1 activator to water can be used in the application of Flowcoat spray on colour. Although some dilution is recommended during the priming stage, it is not recommended during the application stage. If it is necessary to dilute it, DO NOT go beyond the recommended dilution ratios.

Stamp Pattering
Q. Can you apply a stamp patterning effect over existing concrete?
A. No, the only way to do this is to remove your existing concrete and lay a new stamped pattern surface. Stencil, however, can be applied over existing surfaces. For more information on this, see our stencil page.

Q. How do you create stamp patterning?
A. See our "How to Create Stamp Patterning" how-to-do-it guide.

Possible Problems: Whitening of the Concrete
About Whitening
     This is a problem that can occur if the concrete is laid during rainy / humid weather or if a high gloss sealer is applied too early. Whitening occurs when moisture trapped on the surface draws salt out of the concrete as it tries to escape, leaving a deposit under the sealer.

To prevent whitening:
     Only use high gloss sealer when applying spray-on Flowcoat and wait at least 24hrs before application of the sealer.

After the surface has hardened on stencil decorative concrete, apply one coat of wet sealer within 24 hours. Apply a second coat of high gloss 3-4 days later.

Only apply sealer to stamped concrete 3-4 days after the surface is cleaned.

DO NOT apply high gloss sealer over a concrete surface that has any moisture content or during times of high climatic moisture content (eg. wet or humid weather conditions).

To repair whitening:

Apply a xylene wash to the surface and scrub away the sealer using a stiff broom. This will break up the sealer enough to allow the moisture to escape.

Wait until the surface is completely dry and reseal the surface with one coat of high gloss sealer. This should eliminate any whitening of the surface.

Possible Problems: Inconsistent Colour
To prevent ‘patchiness’:
     Do not apply colour hardener during wet, humid or very windy weather. These weather conditions are not suitable for applying colour hardener to concrete and can cause problems such as ‘patchiness’, cracking and ‘colour bleeding’.
     Do not pour or spray water over the colour hardener immediately after application. Trowelling is the ONLY effective method of applying colour hardener and AT LEAST the first coat has to be thoroughly trowelled in. If it is still powdery it needs to be trowelled into the surface more. Water will affect the colour of the surface if the concrete has not yet cured.
     Keep the colour hardener in a cool, dry place if storing it before use. Keep away from moisture, as the colour hardener can react and harden, or the colour may be affected

To repair ‘patchiness’:
     Colour patching can be hard to repair, however after the concrete sealer if applied and the surface is left to cure completely. While it takes 7-14 days for the surface to cure, it takes up to 100 days for the surface to achieve maximum hardness. During this period, most colour patching will either fade or, in most cases, disappear completely.
     If the problem still persists after this period, Hunter Press Crete FLOWCOAT may need to be applied. Flowcoat is a 1.5mm thick concrete surface that is sprayed over the existing surface. For assistance with this product, please see our “Spray-On Flowcoat Application” how-to-do guide or contact us.

If your question is not answered here, feel free to contact us

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