DIY

Concrete Counter Tops, From Mud To Marvelous!

      There are some things in this country that we as consumers will pay a lot to have, just because they are different. There also is a certain cachet as well to being the first one to have a NEW thing, but with that there is an inherent risk as well. I still try not to buy a car the first model year, like my Dad always said “Girl, let them work the bugs out first!” Concrete, or cement counter tops aren’t really a new thing anymore, but they remain in the high cost range of counter top surfaces. 

     So, the questions remain: what were the initial “bugs” as the product developed, and have they been satisfactorily addressed; and is the surface really worth the added expense when completing a kitchen remodel? 

     When I was building a home in 2000, a lifetime ago, concrete counter tops were the latest thing in old technology if you will. My homebuilder was offering it as an upgrade, but the project managers were very discouraging, offering up advice as I recall that sounded quite logical at the time: concrete counter tops can be great in a settled structure, but the weight of them in a house that is just newly built can cause dramatic settling putting the tops at risk for cracking. Well certainly based on that information, and facing all the other decisions I needed to make, I quickly abandoned the thought; there wasn’t any way I wanted to run headlong into that kind of an “I told you so”.

     Keep in mind concrete is tremendously heavy, I found this out first hand on a do-it-myself field trip to a local fabricator; handling the tops is strenuous and labor intensive. Concrete weighs virtually the same as granite, but it is generally poured thicker that the typical 1 1/4″ used for stone counters. The heavier visual weight is more luxurious, gives the top a more substantial presence.    

     As it is, concrete is a mixture of natural aggregates, activated by water; therefore it is potentially susceptible to cracking, mostly by way of a few different but manageable conditions. Air bubbles in the mix weaken the material, therefore it is essential to loosen and release any bubbles when the top is first poured. This is difficult to do by hand, commercial manufacturer’s, like the one I recently visited in, Rockaway, New Jersey use giant automated agitating tables to properly achieve the desired result. Factors which can contribute to cracking over time are shrinkage in the material due to continued drying over time, which is why professional fabricators store the tops in a humid climate controlled environment after they are poured. Lastly, the concern of handling and installation, the weight and the size of the tops make them difficult to transport and install. The proper equipment, shimming material, and epoxies ensure that all the hard work that went into making them won’t be wasted if they are broken or damaged just as they are about to complete your entire project!

All of these factors lead me to believe a few things: 

• the guys building my house may just not have wanted to deal with the material: the weight, the temperament, and the service issues
• the counter tops we fall in love with in magazines and trade shows are not made in an hour or two
• making concrete counters is not for the typical DIY’er
• like all great art, there needs to be a passion for the subject

     I was fortunate to have the help of the true Pro’s of the industry when I made my concrete tops (one vanity top, one for a dry bar), Bob Gockeler, Owner, Empire Contracting Group, Union, New Jersey, and my boss, was with me. His brother Bill Gockeler a recognized expert in the decorative concrete fabrication industry, and owner of “Artisan in Concrete” the facility I visited in Hackettstown, NJ. It was Bob’s muscle and skill that we used to make the forms, the molds had to be mitered to precision, center lines for faucets and sinks accounted for, and then we calked and sealed everything into place, and headed to the mixing room. Following strict recipes for the mixtures to create our specific chosen colors and finishes, Bob and I formed a bucket line and passed full and empty buckets back and forth until both mixtures were being churned into the right consistency. Pouring, shaking, troweling the tops, and cleaning up took the rest of the day.

     We left the shop tired, after about seven full hours, and the tops were still not finished. In the days that followed they were trowelled many more times over, then buffed and glazed. The final colors and textures on the tops are absolutely beautiful, and unlike any other surface you could choose.

Some of the benefits include:

• heat resistant(not heat proof)
• stain resistant(not stain proof)
• impact tolerant
• natural looking
• eco-friendly
• durable
• moldable
• available in an unlimited color palette
• many varied textures and finishing effects
• unlimited styling and design options

     When approaching any kitchen design remodeling project today, I naturally offer my clients sustainable “green” design options throughout the process. Concrete has properties that make it a valuable product offering in this category, it is a renewable material, it is durable and can be expected to last very long time, and it is a product that is manufactured in a closed environment with no harmful pollutants. Additionally, truly “green” concrete can be manufactured using silica fume and fly ash; these are byproducts of silicone metal manufacturing and the coal burning industry. Using these materials as a direct substitute for Portland cement makes use of a material that otherwise goes directly into landfills.

     When I asked Bill what he thought the greatest misconception about concrete as a counter top surface was, he answered “Due to the relatively high cost per square foot there are many masons, contractors, and homeowners who think ‘hey, I can do this’- most often with poor or even disastrous results. When a concrete counter top is made poorly, the initial perception is that concrete stinks-they (consumers) blame the material, not the fabricator. This situation can give concrete a bad reputation since it is innately dependant on proper fabrication. High quality decorative concrete is worlds apart from ‘sidewalk’ concrete.”

     My original question as a designer and a consumer, are they worth the extra investment when remodeling your kitchen? My answer: YES, if you are in love with the look, they are worth it, I would definitely recommend saving up and spending the extra money to have them professionally fabricated and installed, after all, you don’t want a counter top that looks like a sidewalk, do you? If your idea is to personalize the top with family hand-prints, embedded embellishments, crystals, anything basically you can dream up, your fabricator will help you with that. This is a truly unique and custom element to add to a kitchen or bathroom remodel.

About the Author

I have 20 years experience in Home Furnishings and Interior Design, specializing in Kitchen and Bath Design since ‘02. I have a passion for learning and love the opportunity to collaberate on projects of all sizes. My strengths in the field begin with my design background, use of color and texture to bring interest to a room, spatial relationships, organizational skills, innovation, decisiveness, and planning. I have had the thrilling experience of helping hundreds…?maybe thousands of people with their projects, and what I love is it never gets boring, and no two are ever the same. Thanks for reading.

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