Paint suggestion for concrete

[foxmulder_ms]

Can anyone make a suggestion for concrete color, preferably enamel but others are okay, too?

[Janissary]

I think any shade of gray should work just fine, thought the key I think is to use several shades of it rather than a single tone. Here is my attempt:

http://www.arcforums.com/forums/air/index.php?showtopic=255496&view=findpost&p=2545291

I used Tamiya XF-19 + several lighter and darker shades of it. The lines have an oil wash of them to simulate staining (so not part of the airbrush work) but the rest has several grays. I think MM aircraft gray or the ghost grays should work similarly well.

[Netz]

Floquil Gull Grays were good, but now gone, but any Gull Gray should be close enough.

Curt

[Triarius]

To some extent, that depends on scale. The color of concrete is dominated by the color of the portland cement with which is was made, the amount of water, and the color of the aggregates (sand and crushed rock or gravel.) These vary with location and era. Also, the color changes with time.

Almost all concretes have some brown in their color, especially with the passage of time. This is due to changes in raw materials, firing practices for portland cement, and chemical changes in portland cement, and changes in the way concrete was made and placed. The situation is highly complex. It is actually possible for a knowledgeable petrographer (a kind of geologist) and a cement chemist to determine the era and origin of older concrete. See below as a very general guide.

WWII and earlier: often a shade of grayish brown, though gray is not uncommon, especially in the era between the turn of the century and the end of WWI, when very dark gray was common. Note that such concretes age to a much lighter color. British concretes tend to be grayer than those in the US.

Note that US concretes made with or exposed to seawater, through the '50s, weather to a medium brown.

Late '40s through mid '60s: tan with some gray. Higher quality concretes tended toward gray.

Late '60s through mid to late '80s: variable. Any shade that is a mixture of gray (predominant) with varying amounts of brown.

Late '80s to early 2000s: almost all are a shade of gray. However, certain concretes start as dark greenish gray rapidly become a very pale tan.

Mid 2000s to present: gray predominates, but will still have a brownish cast.

The best general formula would be a light to medium gray, with a very small amount dark green, and a distinct but subtle brownish cast, especially for concrete several years old. For the older ('60s and earlier) a mix of medium gray and tan.

As to how I know: In my former life I was a geological consultant to the construction industry, in particular working with concrete and other materials made with portland cement.

[thegoodsgt]

I wouldn't obsess looking for a "correct" color. If you do a Google image search for flightline you'll find hundreds of photos that show concrete of many, many shades. I'd recommend selecting whatever grey paint you have on hand and mixing small amounts of other colors into it to get something you're happy with. I wrote about "painting what you see" on my blog a few months ago; bottom line, trust your eye.

Steven Brown

Scale Model Soup

Edited January 4, 2015 by thegoodsgt

[foxmulder_ms]

Thanks guys.

I agree with "paint what you see" just was looking for an average base color.

[Neptune48]

Scalecoat II Aged Concrete. It's a lacquer and is described as a high gloss finish, which can easily be knocked down with some clear flat. You can purchase it in 1-ounce or 2-ounce bottles or 6-ounce rattle can.

I'm not affiliated with Weaver Models or Scalecoat paint, but I do like their products. With the demise of Floquil, these paint should help fill the gap.

Regards,

Bruce

Edited January 6, 2015 by Neptune48

[SonyKen]

Fox,

I have seen a Rust-Oleum product that is called Stone Spray Paint. These sprays are available in craft stores such as Hobby Lobby and home improvement places like Lowe's and Home Depot. The affect on some of these sprays may be too far out of scale but it looks like the graystone, mineral brown, canyon moss, or black granite may be toned down enought to match a scale look of "concrete".

Rust-Oleum Catalog Page

But to me your best advice has already been given by Steve. "Paint What You See" I hope this helps you!

Best Regards,

Ken Bailey

(SonyKen)

[Serelle]

Vallejo has a Concrete color in their line. Bought it some days ago but didn't give it a try yet.

Serelle