diff --git a/point_cloud_utils/_mesh_io.py b/point_cloud_utils/_mesh_io.py
index 648bbfd..92bf082 100644
--- a/point_cloud_utils/_mesh_io.py
+++ b/point_cloud_utils/_mesh_io.py
@@ -250,8 +250,11 @@ def save(self, filename, dtype=np.float32):
         # Handle RBG colors by just concatenating alpha=1
         vcolors = self.vertex_data.colors
         if vcolors.shape[-1] == 3 and len(vcolors.shape) == 2:
-            vcolors = np.concatenate([np.ascontiguousarray(self.vertex_data.colors),
-                                      np.ones([vcolors.shape[0], 1], dtype=vcolors.dtype)], axis=-1)
+            if vcolors.dtype == np.uint8 or vcolors.dtype == np.int8:
+                alphas = np.full([vcolors.shape[0], 1], 255, dtype=vcolors.dtype)
+            else:
+                alphas = np.ones([vcolors.shape[0], 1], dtype=vcolors.dtype)
+            vcolors = np.concatenate([np.ascontiguousarray(self.vertex_data.colors), alphas], axis=-1)
 
         fcolors = self.face_data.colors
         if fcolors.shape[-1] == 3 and len(fcolors.shape) == 2:
@@ -263,8 +266,11 @@ def save(self, filename, dtype=np.float32):
 
         wcolors = self.face_data.wedge_colors
         if wcolors.shape[-1] == 3 and len(wcolors.shape) == 3:
-            wcolors = np.concatenate([np.ascontiguousarray(wcolors),
-                                      np.ones([wcolors.shape[0], wcolors.shape[1], 1], dtype=wcolors.dtype)], axis=-1)
+            if wcolors.dtype == np.uint8 or wcolors.dtype == np.int8:
+                alphas = np.full([wcolors.shape[0], wcolors.shape[1], 1], 255, dtype=wcolors.dtype)
+            else:
+                alphas = np.ones([wcolors.shape[0], wcolors.shape[1], 1], dtype=wcolors.dtype)
+            wcolors = np.concatenate([np.ascontiguousarray(wcolors), alphas], axis=-1)
 
         if fcolors.shape[0] > 0:
             if fcolors.dtype == np.uint8:
@@ -286,7 +292,7 @@ def save(self, filename, dtype=np.float32):
                            np.ascontiguousarray(self.vertex_data.positions.astype(dtype)),
                            np.ascontiguousarray(self.vertex_data.normals.astype(dtype)),
                            np.ascontiguousarray(self.vertex_data.texcoords.astype(dtype)),
-                           np.ascontiguousarray(vcolors.astype(dtype)),
+                           np.ascontiguousarray((vcolors * 255.0).astype(np.uint8)),
                            np.ascontiguousarray(self.vertex_data.quality.astype(dtype)),
                            np.ascontiguousarray(self.vertex_data.radius.astype(dtype)),
                            np.ascontiguousarray(self.vertex_data.tex_ids.astype(np.int32)),
@@ -294,11 +300,11 @@ def save(self, filename, dtype=np.float32):
 
                            np.ascontiguousarray(self.face_data.vertex_ids.astype(np.int32)),
                            np.ascontiguousarray(self.face_data.normals.astype(dtype)),
-                           np.ascontiguousarray(fcolors.astype(dtype)),
+                           np.ascontiguousarray((fcolors * 255.0).astype(np.uint8)),
                            np.ascontiguousarray(self.face_data.quality.astype(dtype)),
                            np.ascontiguousarray(self.face_data.flags.astype(np.int32)),
 
-                           np.ascontiguousarray(wcolors.astype(dtype)),
+                           np.ascontiguousarray((wcolors * 255.0).astype(np.uint8)),
                            np.ascontiguousarray(self.face_data.wedge_normals.astype(dtype)),
                            np.ascontiguousarray(self.face_data.wedge_texcoords.astype(dtype)),
                            np.ascontiguousarray(self.face_data.wedge_tex_ids.astype(np.int32)),
diff --git a/src/common/ply_loader.h b/src/common/ply_loader.h
index a5bc402..765f806 100644
--- a/src/common/ply_loader.h
+++ b/src/common/ply_loader.h
@@ -373,7 +373,7 @@ void save_mesh_ply(std::string filename,
     bool has_v_positions = assert_shape_and_dtype(v_positions, "v_positions", dtype_f, {-num_vertices, 3});
     bool has_v_normals = assert_shape_and_dtype(v_normals, "v_normals", dtype_f, {-num_vertices, 3});
     bool has_v_texcoords = assert_shape_and_dtype(v_texcoords, "v_texcoords", dtype_f, {-num_vertices, 2});
-    bool has_v_colors = assert_shape_and_dtype(v_colors, "v_colors", dtype_f, {-num_vertices, 4});
+    bool has_v_colors = assert_shape_and_dtype(v_colors, "v_colors", pybind11::dtype::of<std::uint8_t>(), {-num_vertices, 4});
     bool has_v_quality = assert_shape_and_dtype(v_quality, "v_quality", dtype_f, {-num_vertices});
     bool has_v_radius = assert_shape_and_dtype(v_radius, "v_radius", dtype_f, {-num_vertices});
     bool has_v_texids = assert_shape_and_dtype(v_texids, "v_texids", dtype_i, {-num_vertices});
@@ -381,7 +381,7 @@ void save_mesh_ply(std::string filename,
 
     bool has_f_vertex_ids = assert_shape_and_dtype(f_vertex_ids, "f_vertex_ids", dtype_i, {-num_faces, 3});
     bool has_f_normals = assert_shape_and_dtype(f_normals, "f_normals", dtype_f, {-num_faces, 3});
-    bool has_f_colors = assert_shape_and_dtype(f_colors, "f_colors", dtype_f, {-num_faces, 4});
+    bool has_f_colors = assert_shape_and_dtype(f_colors, "f_colors", pybind11::dtype::of<std::uint8_t>(), {-num_faces, 4});
     bool has_f_quality = assert_shape_and_dtype(f_quality, "f_quality", dtype_f, {-num_faces});
     bool has_f_flags = assert_shape_and_dtype(f_flags, "f_flags", dtype_i, {-num_faces});
 
@@ -417,7 +417,7 @@ void save_mesh_ply(std::string filename,
     }
     if (has_v_colors) {
         plyf.add_properties_to_element(
-                "vertex", { "red", "green", "blue", "alpha" }, ply_type_f, num_vertices,
+                "vertex", { "red", "green", "blue", "alpha" }, tinyply::Type::UINT8, num_vertices,
                 reinterpret_cast<std::uint8_t*>(v_colors.mutable_data()), tinyply::Type::INVALID, 0);
     }
     if (has_v_quality) {
@@ -485,7 +485,7 @@ void save_mesh_ply(std::string filename,
     }
     if (has_f_colors) {
         plyf.add_properties_to_element(
-                "face", { "red", "green", "blue", "alpha" }, ply_type_f, num_faces,
+                "face", { "red", "green", "blue", "alpha" }, tinyply::Type::UINT8, num_faces,
                 reinterpret_cast<std::uint8_t*>(f_colors.mutable_data()), tinyply::Type::INVALID, 0);
     }
     if (has_f_quality) {