How to Make a Concrete Countertop For Kitchen. A Guide To DIY Cement Countertops.

The concrete countertops in your kitchen are capable of enhancing the beauty of your home by making it look much more glamorous and luxurious than ever before. Few kitchen countertop materials are more misunderstood than high-end concrete. Rock-solid and hard as granite or slate, concrete is often a far better slot in contemporary kitchen designs than engineered or natural stones since it exudes a contemporary industrial aesthetic and can be easily drilled using the impact drivers and drills.

Concrete countertops are only one of the various kitchen countertop options to settle on from. Though you’ll be able to purchase various stylized precast counters from fabricators that are already cured and finished from a workshop and which may be delivered straight to your kitchen for installation. Otherwise, you can make DIY cement countertops by creating your own molds and curing your counter’s reception.

The brute strength of concrete has made it the go-to building material for a range of such outdoor installations as driveways, walkways, and patios. But there are some who love concrete not just for its high durability and low maintenance, but also for its distinctive look. In fact, probably due partially to its affordability, concrete has become a celebrated countertop material in both kitchens and bathrooms. What makes concrete an excellent more budget-friendly option is that—in contrast to, say, natural stone—it’s easy to work with. A professional or perhaps beginning do-it-yourselfer can make a concrete countertop himself, saving the prices related to hiring a contractor to do it.

DIY How To Make Concrete Countertops

Concrete countertops can give the kitchen inside your home a distinctly industrial look or provide an outside kitchen with a slab that’s both functional and sturdy. Making your own concrete countertops DIY may require some dedicated time, but the results of your effort are often gratifying. This guide will assist you to find out how to form concrete countertops and description the tools and supplies needed to finish the project.

Also, concrete does not mean that you are only stuck with a single color gray rather you have the privilege of choosing from a variety of different colored countertop options, either by purchasing a pre-manufactured kitchen countertop or by making yourself a brand new concrete countertop form that can make things more interesting.

To build your own concrete countertop forms, you will need to assemble the tools and materials for creating your molds also as for mixing, setting, and curing the concrete. Firstly you should purchase the right amount of concrete required for your project and stick with the recommended water-to-concrete ratio. The goal is to possess as smooth a surface as possible to stop dirt and food particles from catching in holes while also giving your countertops a finished look.

Materials & Tools Required For Making Concrete Countertops

• Materials Needed
• Cement & Concrete
• Colorants
• Painter’s Tape
• Sandpaper
• Liquid Release Agent

• Tools Needed
• Concrete Mixer
• Concrete Mixing Tubs And Pans
• Table Saw And Miter Saw
• Power Drills
• Mallets

Steps To Make The Countertops By Yourself

Place a sheet of 3/4-inch melamine fiberboard that’s larger than your finished dimensions on two sawhorses. The cement you’ll be using is heavy, so use a few 2- x 6-inch boards stretched between the sawhorses as additional support for larger countertops. Mark the size of your countertop on the panel. Use a table saw to tear 1-1/2-inch wide strips (or the thickness of your countertop) of the melamine for the edges of the mold. Measure and crosscut the strips to length.

The strips used for 2 sides of the mold are going to be used as an abutment to the opposite edges, in order that they should be cut 1-1/2-inches longer than the countertop dimensions to accommodate for the thickness of the melamine board. Clamp the pieces in situ on top of the bottom panel, drill pilot holes in 12-inch intervals, and use coarse-thread screws to secure the shape. Apply a bead of silicone caulk inside the mold at each corner joint and round the perimeter. Run a wet finger along the silicone to smooth it, pressing it into the joint and creating a rounded edge.

Use a dark color of caulk to form it easier to ascertain the surplus that you’ll remove later. If your countertop requires a cutout for a sink, cut a bit of 1-1/12-inch foam insulation panel to the size of the opening you would like. Glue the froth to the bottom of the countertop form within the proper location. Use painter’s tape around the edges of the froth to stop the concrete mix from seeping in.

When you’re able to mix concrete for the project, closely follow the manufacturer’s instructions. Aim to realize a thick, oatmeal-like consistency. If you discover that it’s too hard to figure with, add a touch of water (but only a little). The wetter the concrete, the more brittle it becomes upon drying. Consider augmenting the concrete countertop mix with additives that inhibit cracking and shrinking. referred to as admixtures, these need to be readily available at your local home improvement mercantile establishment.

Pour enough concrete into the shape to fill its volume completely, then use your hands to figure the fabric along the sides and into the corners. If you attached the steel mesh reinforcement to the frame itself, cut those connections now. Then proceed to use a flat board, like a one-by-four, to level, or screed, the concrete. Move the board back and forth so as to smooth the surface and fill low spots. Keep a trowel at the ready, so you’ll quickly affect any excess.

Next, use a wood float, raising its vanguard slightly, to smooth the concrete further. Meanwhile, tap the edges of the shape gently with a rubber mallet (or grab a partner and shake the shape side to side very lightly) so on create the vibrations necessary to dissipate air bubbles. After letting the concrete harden for a few of hours, come to the shape and another time run a tool over the concrete surface. This time, reach for the trowel and use it to eliminate any lingering imperfections.

Remove the screws that were holding the shape together. Insert a spatula into the side joints with gentle taps of a hammer. Carefully pry the shape sides from the concrete. Use the spatula and shims along the perimeter of the kitchen concrete countertop to loosen it from the fiberboard base. Lift the slab and take away the bottom melamine panel. Turn your new countertop over and rest it confront on the sawhorses

Sand the concrete countertop surface and sides to show any air bubbles near the surface using an orbital sander and 80-grit sandpaper. Mix a slurry and include an equivalent pigment ratio if your concrete is tinted. placed on some rubber gloves and spread it over the whole surface to fill and gloss over any voids. Allow drying.

Sand the whole slab again using the orbital sander and 80-grit abrasive. Wipe clean and switch to 120-grit. A final sanding using 220-grit abrasion will leave a smooth polished surface. Vacuum the concrete countertop then wipe with wet cloths to get rid of all dust. Allow drying. Concrete is porous and may easily stain, so it’s vital to use a concrete sealer to assist prevent permanent blemishes. Choose a food-safe variety if your countertop is going to be utilized in the kitchen. Apply the concrete countertop sealer consistent with package instructions. generally, this may require multiple coats and maybe a required step to guard your new DIY concrete countertop.

There’s an honest chance at now that tiny cracks or bubbles could also be visible in your countertop. If you wish them, do nothing. Otherwise, you’ll perform spot repairs with concrete patching compound. Remember, however, that after applying the patches (and allowing them to dry), you want to then sand the countertop with diamond-grit sandpaper (manually or employing a power sander). Finally, wash the counter thoroughly, removing all debris and fine particles of dust; let the countertop dry completely, then finish the work by applying a concrete sealer or a coating of food-safe polyurethane.

This is an excellent way by which the concrete forms are built and therefore the countertop is poured, complete with whatever sink cutouts, coloration, or additives are requested. During fabrication, the countertop slabs are usually reinforced with fiber or metal mesh of some type to offer them strength and rigidity. After fabrication, the concrete countertop is allowed to cure fully, and therefore the surface could also be ground and polished to whatever finish the client has requested. Sealer is applied, often a really hard epoxy. Once curing and finishing are complete, an installation crew carefully delivers the countertop to the worksite and installs it.