On a 10,000 square foot open floor, the failure that gets noticed is not durability - it is shade. Two batches of color meeting in the middle of a retail sales floor reads as a seam under the lights, and there is no fixing it after the fact without re-grinding. The 5 gallon pail of Ameripolish Classic Dye exists so a commercial crew can color the whole floor from one batch.
The chemistry is identical to the 1 gallon size. Classic Dye was designed specifically for polished and exposed interior concrete: it penetrates into the surface of the slab rather than sitting on top, so the color does not wear away under traffic and does not grind off during the resin stages. What the 5 gallon size adds is batch consistency and fewer stops - fewer container changeovers, fewer sprayer flushes and refills across a shift.
Built for
- Large-format commercial floors. Retail, warehouse office, schools, breweries and restaurants where one color runs across thousands of square feet and batch consistency is the whole job.
- Multi-phase and repeat-color work. Contractors who standardize on a house color across several buildings or several pours.
- Production crews on a clock. Ten gallons of working dye after ColorSolve means fewer interruptions per shift.
- Distributors and shops stocking a standard color. Indefinite shelf life on the concentrate means inventory does not age out.
- Jobs with a VOC restriction. At 0 g/L it clears EPA, CARB SCM, SCAQMD, Maricopa County and NE OTC limits.
Coverage math
Five gallons of concentrate plus five gallons of ColorSolve yields ten gallons of working dye. At the 400 sq ft per gallon starting rate that is roughly 4,000 sq ft, and crews often see 400 to 600 sq ft per gallon in practice. Porous slabs drink considerably more. Run a test area on the actual floor before you commit a color order - absorption on a real slab is the only reliable number.
Specifications
- Coverage: 400 sq ft per gallon starting point (about 9.8 sq m per liter); 400 to 600 sq ft per gallon is typical in practice. Slab porosity, moisture and mix design change this - run a test area.
- Dilution: mix 1 part concentrate with 1 part Ameripolish ColorSolve.
- VOC: 0 g/L; compliant with EPA, CARB SCM, SCAQMD, Maricopa County AZ and NE OTC.
- Application: low-pressure sprayer with a conical mist tip (Patriot Gray #8 or equivalent, 8.4 gal/hr at 40 psi); hold the wand 12 to 18 in. above the floor in an overlapping circular motion, then work in with a microfiber pad.
- Substrate: interior only. New slabs must cure 28 days. Moisture 5 lbs per 1,000 sq ft per 24 hours or less (ASTM F1869).
- Ambient temperature: 40 to 100 degrees F. Store upright and sealed, 40 to 105 degrees F, protected from freezing.
- Shelf life: indefinite.
- Color range: 24 stock colors; custom colors made to order.
- Sequence: dye, densify with 3D HS, polish to 400 grit, re-dye if needed, remove residue (white-rag test), then polish 800, 1500 and 3000. Protect with 3D SP or SR2 and avoid chemical exposure for 7 days.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use this outside?
No. Ameripolish specifies interior use only and states the product is not intended for exterior applications. Exterior decorative color needs a different product class.
Do I have to buy ColorSolve separately?
Yes. Classic Dye ships as a concentrate and is diluted one to one with Ameripolish ColorSolve. ColorSolve is also what you use to flush the pump and wand between colors and before storage, which is the step that prevents contaminating the next color.
Why is the dye soaking in unevenly?
Faster absorption in some areas is normal and does not mean more dye is needed. Uneven absorption usually reflects variation in slab porosity, patched areas, or residue from old adhesive or sealer that was not fully removed during grinding.
Does the color wear off with traffic?
The dye penetrates and bonds into the concrete matrix, so it does not wear off from foot traffic. What wears is the protection layer above it. Plan on renewing 3D SP or SR2 roughly every two years, sooner in heavy use.
Do I dye before or after densifying?
Dye first. The densifier reacts with cement at the surface and makes it very difficult for color to bond afterward. Color, then densify, then polish.
Discount Cleaning Products is an authorized dealer for the professional cleaning and surface-prep brands we carry, with US-based product support from people who use this equipment. If you are unsure which part or grade fits your machine or your slab, contact us before you order and we will confirm the fit.
