Concrete Countertop
For our new bathroom remodel we decided to go with a concrete countertop. Partly because the price is totally right, and partly because we really like the look. We have done a concrete table top in the past, so we figured it wouldn’t be too hard. The slab is an 1 1/2″ thick with a 4″ lip on the front, and is reinforced with wire and rebar. It took three bags of quickcrete 5000 and one sheet of melamine. Well actually two sheet of melamine, because I cut the first one an inch too short, and had to go get a new sheet. Oops. Minus the extra sheet the whole cost came in at about $50. Not bad at all. The fact that we had an above mount sink made the form super easy. Above are the pics of the form before the pour, and after. Next week I’ll put up pics of it installed, plus the walnut vanity that it sits on.
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7 Responses to “Concrete Countertop”
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Cool countertop. We’re planning a concrete countertop for our bathroom We want to colour it though, with some black pigment. I was wondering about grinding? Did you grind the countertop? The pads seem really expensive
derek, i want to try the same with some black or dark pigment. where do you get it?
by the way, how did the 4″ lip do when you moved and installed the countertop?… i was planning on a plain slab because i thought it would crack.
creede, nice work. i can’t wait to see the vanity it sits on, at least the carcass. i want to get moving on the counter but am hesitant to start the vanity… need some inspiration
A great place for do-it-yourself concrete mixes and pigment is http://www.buddyrhodes.com
It’s worth checking out.
Creede, are we looking at the top or bottom surface of the poured counter top? Very cool.
Ok, lets see if I can’t answere some questions. First off for Derek, I did not grind it at all. Grinding will give you an exposed aggragate look, which we didn’t want. We did sand it with 250, 600, and 1500 grit sand paper with an orbital sander though. That gives it a super smooth surface.
For DC, Bryon has a great recommend for pigment. I think that even home depot carries a few basic colors. I’d be surprised if they didn’t have black. The important thing would be to do a test cast first before you commit yourself to a 300 lb countertop. About the lip, it did great. No cracking at all. It was reinforced with rebar and wire though.
Bryon, thanks for the link, sorry it took a bit to post, because of the high spam I get all comments with links are held in moderation until I can look at them. Ånother great website is http://www.concreteexchange.com/ which is the website for Fu-Tung Cheng the author of several wonderful Concrete Countertop books. Thats basically where I learned how to do it all.
As far as the pictures, you are looking at the bottom of the countertop. The technique I used was to make a reverse mold and pour the concrete in and vibrate it well. That way instead of getting my best trowel finish (which is pretty bad) you get the textute of whatever you use to make your mold out of. Melamine is the best for a smooth surface, but I have also used MDF in the past and it worked pretty good.
Next week I’ll have pics of it installed with the vanity carcass and sink and faucet.
Thanks everyone for your comments. You make it fun, and worth doing.
I can’t wait to see the finished product.
Check out http://www.interstar.ca, they manufacture a huge selection of products for decorative concrete. Their wide array of concrete pigment colors is really amazing. An acid stain on your countertop would be really nice too, it makes for nice effects! Check out the picture: http://www.interstar.ca/concrete/concrete-acid-stain.aspx
My wife and I are going with pre-fab concrete countertops. We are going with Sonoma Cast Stone products after reading the interview on http://www.getwithgreen.com, and visiting one of their dealers. A bit pricey, but the quality is amazing!!