How do you maintain a concrete countertop?

You can use soap and warm water, laundry detergent and stain remover, or use pH wipes, sold in hardware and grocery stores.

What are the advantages of concrete countertops?

They can be custom-sized, they are impervious to heat. They are a durable and long-lasting surface. You can embed materials such as glass fragments, shells, stones, and fiber-optic lights. They're easy to clean. Concrete countertops can improve real estate value as they're considered a "premium" material.

How do you color concrete?

There are two methods. One is a dry pigment, swept across the surface of freshly finished concrete. The other is using powder or liquid pigments mixed into the concrete before it's poured.

What are the disadvantages of concrete countertops?

They are expensive. They can cost as much as $150 per square foot. They require annual sealing to avoid staining. The weight of them can strain cabinet frames and floors. Repairs are complicated, and cracking sometimes will occur.

How do you make concrete countertops look like marble?

Apply a primer that's designed for concrete. Mix one part base coat, three parts primer. Allow it to dry, then apply a full coat of the base color. In a large plastic bucket, mix the acrylic glaze with the topcoat color, using one part paint to four parts glaze. Dropping a two-foot by two-foot section of plastic drop cloth in the glaze, remove it and shake off any drips. Lay the plastic on the base coat. Scrunch it up in places, then lift it off. Repeat this and make sure to use fresh drop cloths each time. Do this until the surface is covered with the texture. Allow the paint to dry. Dip a dagger brush or turkey feather into the veining paint. Lightly touch the tip of it onto the glazed surface. Try to duplicate the direction and size of the veins in a reference image. Then apply a concrete sealer.

What does it cost to make a concrete countertop?

For 75 square feet, materials cost $5,000 on the low end, $7,500 on average, and can cost up to $10,000. Prices per square foot range from $65 to $135. Some manufacturers will quote with materials, transport and installation included. It's important to review any quotes you receive and ensure they are an apples to apples comparison.

How do you polish concrete countertops?

First, clean the surface. Make any repairs necessary. Polish with the coarsest pad, typically 50 grit. Switch to a 100-grit pad and polish the whole surface again. Repeat this, working progressively through all pads up to the finest, which is a 1500-grit pad. At this point, a sheen will start to form. Periodically stop and clean the surface with a squeegee to remove any debris.

Do concrete countertops crack?

They can crack, especially when it's poured in place rather than pre-cast. Most cracks are small and easy to repair.

Are concrete countertops durable?

Concrete is durable, but it can crack. It's also susceptible to stains and scratches.

How do you make a concrete countertop?

Constructing concrete countertops can be labor intensive: The molds must be carefully constructed, with flat and smooth sanded surfaces and no gaps at the joints for the concrete to escape. After the concrete is poured and cured (4-12 days), further finishing with a wet grinder and sander may be required to smooth corners and surfaces, and small gaps may need to be filled with concrete filler. The countertop must be polished and finished with concrete stain. Oxide stains can be used to give the concrete a variety of appearances, like dark or bright, rusty, or colorful. Lastly, a sealant must be applied to the concrete for protection. Choose a low- or no-VOC sealant to finish the surface.

How thick should a concrete countertop be?

Slab thickness of 1 ½ to 2 inches is standard for concrete countertops.

What is the best concrete for countertops?

There are a few options. You can use an all-sand mix designed to be hand-packed and stiff. Another option is an aggregate-based mix designed for cast in place or vibration. You can also go with a polymer-based or GFRC mix.

Are concrete countertops less expensive than granite?

They cost about the same as granite countertops.

In-Depth Product Guide

Concrete Countertop

FAQs

·Related

Countertops made of concrete are typically 1 to 2 inches thick, in any shape or size using custom formwork. When pouring the countertop, ceramic or glass can be inlayed into the surface to produce patterns or images. Once the concrete is cured, it is polished and finished with concrete stain to produce colours and patterns.

Look for concrete with a high content of recycled material and fly ash and seek local concrete producers for lower transportation distance. Constructing concrete countertops can be labour intensive:

The moulds must be carefully constructed, with flat and smooth sanded surfaces and no gaps at the joints for the concrete to escape.
After the concrete is poured and cured (4-12 days), further finishing with a wet grinder and sander may be required to smooth corners and surfaces and small gaps may need to be filled with concrete filler.
The countertop must be polished and finished with concrete stain. Oxide stains can be used to give the concrete a variety of appearances, like dark or bright, rusty or colorful.
Lastly, a sealant must be applied to the concrete for protection. Choose a low- or no-VOC sealant to finish the surface.

Concrete is very durable, only requires a minimal finish, and requires little maintenance. On the down side, concrete takes a lot of energy to produce, and its production emits high greenhouse gases. But once it is installed and cured, there are no off-gassing emissions in your home.

Mortar, a cement made of heated lime, sand, and water, that hardens over time with exposure to air, was first made over 7,000 years ago in the Middle Eastern region. Mortar was an early precursor to cement, which is a key component of modern concrete.

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