FAQs

We are always happy to speak to you directly about any questions regarding our products.  Please feel free to also review our FAQ's, located below!

On parle français! Veuillez nous contacter si vous avez une question ou avez besoin d'informations en français.

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ADDITIONAL  PRODUCT INFORMATION

1. Where can I find a product's MSDS or Technical Data Sheet ?

Although many product MSDS and Technical Data sheets are available on our website under each project, we are in the process of translating some Technical Data Sheets/ MSDS from French to English. If the information you require is not on our website, please contact us and we will ensure that we send you the translated version of the document you require.

2. Does terrachrom sell milk paint in larger quantity and if yes, in what package size?

We sell our MILK paint in large 20KGS bags. If you are looking for a no texture/ matte finish, we recommend the milk based paint. It can be used on interior walls and/or wood furniture and is 100% natural.

3. Are terracrhom's pigments toxic and do I need to protect myself when using them?

Most of terrachrom’s pigments are 100% natural and non-toxic, but we recommend using a mask to avoid inhaling dust particles. Gloves and protective clothing are recommend if the user is allergic to clay or earth.

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ABOUT PIGMENTS

1. What colours, form and size do terrachrom’s pigments come in and what are they compatible with?

Most of our pigments come in powder form. The SP pigments howerver, are micro-beads that are water-soluble and can be used on exterior and interior surfaces. They can be mixed with water-based products (including concrete sealer). The smallest package size is 25ml and the largest package size is 15kgs to 25kgs. Our Oxides come in 25kg bags. There is no minimum order quantity. Our SP line of pigments is best for bright colours and more information on colours can be found here:

2. Are the following types of pigments suitable for use in concrete, cement, brick and mortar? - enhanced pigments, natural pigments & oxides

Yes, the natural, enhanced and oxides pigments can also be used for concrete, cement, brick and mortar. Please note, these do not have the same colouring power as the SP line of pigments, which we recommend when looking to create bright vivid colours (red, blues, greens...).It is necessary to respect ratios: a maximum 10% volume of pigment should be added to the mixture. We recommend 10kg of oxide pigment per m3 for concrete when colouring "in the mass". The pigments can also be sprinkled on the wet concrete surface and then sealed, or added directly to the sealer or be burnished with a finishing trowel to create unique effects. . We recommend to use a white cement or mortar base when adding pigments. Pigments may also be added to a sealer/protective coat. This option will require less pigment than colouring “in the mass”. 

3. What other products can terrachrom pigments be added to?

Terrachrom pigments can be used to colour epoxy. (The SP pigments are only compatible with water-based epoxy) It is however necessary to respect ratios: a maximum 10% volume of pigment should be added to the mixture. Our pigments can be sprinkled into wet concrete for a ‘faux rock’ look. Terrahcrom pigments may be used to make watercolor paints or fired with clay slip. They can also be further ground to achieve a finer-grained texture, as desired.

Ochres and Natural Earths are suitable for making stoneware or ceramics, but changes in tint may occur after firing. For bright colours, it is preferable to use pigments manufactured specially for ceramic use as these are very stable at high temperatures.

Terrachrom pigments can be mixed into plasters and stuccos. We recommend mixing the pigments with equal part water to properly dilute before adding to your mixture.

Our pigments can be used to stain seashells as long as they are added to the proper binder solution (i.e. resin, varnish, stain, paint, etc.)

For porous (terracotta) tiles, our pigments may be added directly to penetrating stains. For nonporous tiles, our pigments may be added directly to a varnish or resin intended for countertop use. 

Terrachrom pigments are not certified for cosmetic use (example soap or make up) except for the pigments shown in our Cosmetic section.  

But, as most of our pigments are 100% natural, they are harmless and non-toxic. Black Oxide Cosmetic and Red Oxide Cosmetic are not recommended for bath products as they may stain porcelain. 

Terrachrom pigments can be mixed with alcohol and are compatible with most binders. Minerals, oxides, enhanced, glitter & pearlescent pigments can be used in acrylic nail powder bases but we cannot guarantee the colours will dry as shown on our colour charts when our products are not used as directed. The SP line of pigments are micro-beads that are water-soluble only. All pigments are offered in 500 gr/1.1 pound packages.

 4. How can I achieve a beige coloured pigment?

Mixing Light Yellow Ochre France with Natural Umber CPR Italy will yield wonderful shades of beige (try using a 4:1 ratio to start and adjust according to your liking).

5. How much concrete will a pigment pack colour ?

The amount of concrete you can tint will depend on the desired colour (pale or dark).  We recommend using a maximum 10% pigment per volume and it is preferable to use a white concrete/cement mix (as opposed to regular grey concrete) to achieve more vibrant colours. You can color from 1 quart to 1+ gallon (pastel colour to deeper tints) with one of the 150ml/ 5oz package. Should you require larger quantities, please note that all our pigments are also offered individually in 1kilo/2.2pounds bag. You can refer to the color charts on the website here:

6. Which pigment will lighten concrete from its natural colour ?

Titanium Dioxide added to the mixture will lighten grey concrete from its natural color but will never yield white concrete.  To achieve a true white countertop, we recommend using Titanium Dioxide added to a white cement/concrete mixture.

7. Can Titanium dioxide be mixed with water to stain old concrete floors ?

Titanium dioxide can be mixed with most binders. We recommend mixing it with a hard oil to stain concrete floors.

8. Can terrachrom pigments be mixed together to create unique colours ?

Absolutely, our pigments can be mixed together to obtain other colours. Be creative and enjoy!

9. Can terrachrom pigments be used to dye fabric ?

Yes, natural pigments can be used to dye fabric as long as an appropriate binder is used to "stick" to the fabric. Here is an article of a fibre artist in Amsterdam who is experimenting with earth pigments to sustainably dye textiles. (https://waag.org/en/article/using-earth-pigment-dyes-textilelab). A mordant or dye fixative is a substance used to set (i.e. bind) dyes on fabrics. Depending on the colour, pigment type and fabric; acetic acid, alum, copper sulfate, iron sulfate, lime, tartaric acid, etc. may be used.

10. Do you offer custom colours or colour swatches ?

Yes, we customize colours. Please email us to learn how !

Yes, our pigments (primarily ochres and natural earths) can be used to colour arabic gum solutions for gum bichromate printing.  We recommend to dilute the pigments in the solvent used in the solution beforehand.  The pigments can also be further ground to achieve a finer-grained texture, as desired. 

12. Can terrachrom pearlescent pigments be used in jewelry making and come in contact with skin ? 

The terrachrom pearlescent pigments are mica-based. As is the case with all fine powders, take precaution when handling and do not inhale. Some people may have skin irritations/allergies to natural mineral mica. Assuming that the pigments used will be added into a binder (ex resin), as long as the resin is approved for this use, there should be not risk to using these pigments for jewelry.

13. How can I make the "perfect white" colour using Titanium Dioxide ?

Titanium Dioxide is the pigment used to create the colour white. It is a pure white powder with no undertones. The more Titanium Dioxide is added, the crisper and opaque the white will be. Depending on the opacity or brightness of the white required, the amount of Titanium Dioxide you will want to use can vary from 20ml to 75ml Titanium Dioxide per litre. 

Terrachrom paints and coatings come untinted with the pigments separately; this way you can test out and make changes at home and create your perfect "white". It is recommended to do a small test patch (ex. with one litre of paint), letting the paint dry and assessing the colour before tinting the full amount. From there, you can add more pigment to make the white crisper, or completely change colours with different pigments/ratios. It is important to write down the ratios of paint & pigments you use so you can recreate the same colour later. If you add in smaller increments the water and pigments you can always adjust with more/different pigments, add more water for different consistency.

For 1 L of Paint: Combine 40ml titanium dioxide + 40ml lukewarm water in a small container. Mix until homogeneous (no lumps). Pour this mixture into your paint and mix well.

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BASE-COAT & PAINT

1. Is a primer (base-coat) required when using LIME PAINT on drywall?

We do recommend using a primer before applying LIME PAINT to unpainted drywall to make sure the joints are properly covered and do not "show" through. It also improves adherence for increased longevity. Apply one coat of TEXTURED Lime Paint & Base coat and only one coat of our LIME Paint (depending on the colour).

2. Can terrachrom primers be used under a non-terrachrom lime or milk paint?

Yes. You can make/ use your own lime paint and use terrachrom primers. The TEXTURED paint & base coat is the most appropriate for lime coatings/paint. Lime-based primers/paints are grainy, for better adherence. Our primer can be applied directly to drywall or with some resin on an already painted surface.

3. Can terrachrom TEXTURED paint & base coat be used as a primer and paint, if pigment is added into the two coats ?

Yes, you can use TEXTURED Lime Paint & Base coat as a primer & paint - burnishing (lightly pressing the trowel at a 30° angle while the coat is drying) the last coat "crushes" the grain and gives you the "concrete look". Yes, you can put the pigment in all the coats. You can look at the banner picture for the TEXTURED Lime Paint & Base coat. That will give you an idea of the finish if you do not burnish it.

4. Should my primer/ base coat be tinted and how many paint coats are required ? 

Tinting the primer/ base coat is not required but tinting it can help you decide if you like the colour (of note theTEXTURED paint & base coat has added Titanium Dioxide so the colour will look paler in the TEXTURED paint & base coat than in the paint). We also recommend tinting the primer if the paint colour you have selected is quite dark.

For paler colours, you may be able to get away with one coat of primer and one coat of paint. For darker colours, you will likely need to put 2 coats of paint.

5. May I use a commercial primer from Can Tire or Home Depot instead of a terrachrom base-coat ?

It is not recommended to use a commercial primer with terrachrom paints as we cannot guarantee the product will adhere properly. TEXTURED paint & base coat  is designed specially to allow the adhesion of natural paints to synthetic substrates. It creates a porous support, unlike commercial primers & paints. For example, Methylcellulose acts as a glue, the grain provides a mechanical grip and the resin sticks between the natural and the synthetic. TEXTURED paint & base coat can be tinted and used as a first coat of paint so that only one layer of finish paint (ex. LIME PAINT) is required as a finish coat.

6. May I select a custom colour of paint and does terrachrom colour match paint colours from another company ?

All of our paints have a beautiful selection of colour options shown on each paint page. If you prefer a custom colour, you may select any colour from our colour charts or ask us advice, and select "Custom Color" when purchasing your paint.

Please note that we cannot reproduce other paint company's colours since our paint are made with natural pigments and not synthetic colours. If you require help colour matching, please email us a picture of the colour that you would like and we will help you select a colour from our colour chart.

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JOINTS & GROUT

1. I am looking for a product to colour the grout for joints.  What should I use?

Most of our pigments can be used to color grout. The amount/type of pigment required will depend on the desired intensity/tint and the color of the grout used; it may be preferable to use a white grout for brighter colors. Terrachrom's SP line of pigments work well to achieve vivid colors as they are up to 10x more powerful than regular pigment (Green SP 7 and Green SP 8). For more information, visit SP Super Pigments collection here:

Recommend first properly mixing the pigments with water (follow the colouration guide) to ensure proper dilution prior to adding to the grout mixture. We suggest (for example if blue tile is surrounding the joints) to use 25ml SP blue 7 + 5ml SP Orange per ¼ litre of mortar. You can use a pale grey or white mortar. You likely have less than 1m2 of joints to cover – estimating approx 1litre of grout will cover 2m2. You would have approx 1/2 litre of grout and would therefore need approx 50ml of blue 7 + 10ml orange.

2. Can terrachrom pigments be used to stain/colour tile grout that is already cured between tiles?

Yes, pigments can be used to stain grout as long as they are mixed with a binder/sealer recommended for this use.

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ORDERS & SHIPPING

1. Who can I contact about my order or shipping ?

Please send any order or shipping questions via contact us and we will reach out to you directly and quickly. Most orders are shipped within 48 hours Monday - Friday. Your order will be filled in 1-2  business days and sent out for delivery. We typically ship "Expedited" but if you require the product faster, please email us  and request faster shipping.  There will be an additional charge for further decreasing the shipping time. See the Canada Post site for faster shipping of Canadian packages.

2. If I am not satisfied with the product, may I request a refund ?

Yes. You can return products (as long as the package is unopened) by contacting us for instructions and we will refund you the product cost upon receipt.  You can visit our return/refund policy via the link

Returns, Refunds and Exchange Policy

3. Do you ship outside of Canada and the USA ?

Yes, please send us the items you are interested in purchasing, we can prepare a draft invoice for your review that would include shipping costs from Canada or the USA to your country of delivery. The website won't let you process an order outside of the USA and Canada, but we can manually prepare it.

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OTHERS QUESTIONS

1. My company is a third-party reseller and we would like to carry and sell the terrachrom product for you. Who can I speak to about this ?

Please contact us

2. Do we sell binders ?

Yes ! We sell Beeswax, Blacksoap, Savon de Marseille, etc. Please email us a list of the items you require. Should we not have in stock in North America, we can order from France with our next shipment.

3. Can terrachrom pigments be added to wax ?

Pigments can be added directly into melted wax (except for our SP line of pigments which are water-soluble only). We recommend using black iron oxide or romana black earth for black, titanium dioxide for white and any brown coloured mineral pigment for browns.

4. Which products will make a "Sand" finish and a "Concrete" finish ?

To create the “Sand” limewash look, you will require LIME PAINT. This paint must be applied with a whitewash brush (due to its lime and grainy consistency). Brushstrokes in all directions create unique effect. To create the “Concrete” look, you will require the TEXTURED paint & base coat product. This paint/primer must also be applied with a whitewash brush (due to its lime and grainy consistency) and the last coat can be burnished with a trowel to create textured effects.

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