Concrete Countertops: How Difficult Is It?

Replacing you kitchen countertops can be a daunting task. Deciding what you want can be the most difficult part of the job. There are so many choices now: tile, wood, stone, granite. The choices are limited only by your imagination. A new, and very popular, counter top choice is poured concrete. When I first heard this, I thought it would be cold and industrial, looking more like a garage workspace than a kitchen countertop. I was wrong. I have seen concrete countertops that will give granite a run for its money. Poured concrete can be finish as smooth as glass and just as glossy. It can be colored and textured, patterned or plain.

Poured countertops can be a DIY project, but is a fairly high on the difficulty scale. It can be done though. I will provide a simple outline of what needs to be done, however, I strongly suggest that you research thoroughly before beginning.

Remove all old countertop material and discard. You will need to shore up the top of the counter top using plywood. Cover the plywood with tarpaper to prevent the concrete from seeping into the plywood.

Purchase still Styrofoam for forming the edges. Shape the inside of the Styrofoam in the shape that you would like the edges of your counter top using the appropriate tools to ensure evenness. Place the Styrofoam against the counter top edges place a 1"X2" strip of wood along the outside edge of the Styrofoam. Nail through the wood and the foam into the counter top. This will provide the outside for the concrete. You can use the wood alone to form around the hole for the sink.

Using rebar, placed from front back, side to side in a grid like pattern from board to board. This will form a skeleton, provide strength, and help prevent cracks in your concrete.

Mix your concrete according to the instructions. It will be the correct consistency when you can form a ball that does not droop crumble in your hand, holding its shape. When you have achieved the proper consistency, pour or shovel the concrete into the frame you have prepared. Spraying the form with a water bottle, wetting the surface before adding the concrete will make removing the forms easier. Once the concrete is in the frame, screed it level, adding or removing concrete as necessary. Work quickly though; concrete begins to dry in about an hour. The heavy aggregates will settle to the bottom and the slurry will move to the top giving you a smooth finish.

If you are using color, it is time to sprinkle the color evenly over the concrete. Make sure you cover every inch and try to get it all even. Using the trowel continue smoothing the concrete this will force the color into the concrete as well as preparing a smooth surface on the concrete. Continue to trowel every 30 minutes for 7-8 hours.

When the concrete has hardened, remove the frames. Mix colored powder into a grout like mixture of concrete and spread this along the edges of the counter top to add color to the bull nose portion of the countertop.