I am building my own counter tops from concrete, I have the floors reinforced so you don't have to warn me etc, etc. My problem is after I remove the sides of my form ' the size is 7 x 5 by two inches thick' so it can not be precast, the top edge will be crisp, any suggestions on how to smooth it out, a sidewalk finishing trowel with the round over effect will not work as that will an edge on the sides after complete. So, outside of trying to accomplish this while wet, and not feeling good about trying to do it free hand with a grinder as I feel this will leave a rough uneven edge, anyone have any suggestions on how to round over the crisp edge that will be left removing the form? The sides are easy, I know to vibrate the form etc, just researching the options for smoothing the top/side transition. I have poured three small practice pieces and even tried my router while the concrete was green, but that was a big fail : . I might try sandpaper and a belt sander, but an angle grinder and free hand has too much risk of a screwup. Got any ideas for me?
What about profiling the form prior to pouring? You mentioned a router, if it is still functioning maybe you can shape some wood to the edge you need and tack them onto the form. Wax or oil the forms for an easy release. Good luck, post up some pics of the successes (or failures?!)
On my sample pour I did put an angle piece that will provide a 45 degree edge whe removed, so we will see ow that works. I'll take lots of pics
Why a bare concrete? You could tile it and use bull nose edge tile to round the corners as part of the finish. It will both last longer and look better/finished.
Then why bother with concrete at all? I could tile anything. The concrete counter will be oh so cool!
Good tip thanks! I just checked out the site you linked to, that looks like the ticket for my edges, using the hand pads will be perfect! And 4" grinder pads are the cheapest I've seen! $9.99 each!
Subscribed. I'm very curious to see how this turns out. I remember seeing a This Old House episode where they hired someone to make concrete countertops, as I remember it seemed more complicated than you'd think. Take lots of pics!
Concrete bricks or pavers will work well for breaking the edges and they are cheap. I assume you are not using an agregate? Are you using fiber or wire mesh?? At 2" thick it WILL crack without reinforcement. What are you sealing it with? GH
You can go to a cooking equipment store and buy huge polypropylene cutting boards pretty cheap. Profile edge with router. cut off strip. Repeat. Tack into mold. Pour. Vibrate. cure and touch up with sandpaper. This keeps the aggregate away from the edge Rod
Why not just go with laminate. I will be sealing it with Procrete products Procrete radiance will be the finish surface Will be reinforced with 1/2 inch rebar 12 inches spaced, ad an under surface of half inch plywood
Do a search, they look good. http://www.google.com/search?q=conc...cfjggeGiLCZAg&ved=0CIcBELAE&biw=1920&bih=1073 I've seen many DIY concrete counter tops, reinforce your slab, make sure its all level, and for the corners, you can grind them or you can precontour. You can also use caulk in the corners to make them smoother so long as it sets up fully.
Hey Skinner- Cool idea! My wife and I are wanting to do concrete countertops in our new house too. I've got two books by Fu-tung Cheng on the subject- well worth the money if you're serious. One of them came with a DVD. It seems to me that it's more about prepping the forms and getting everything perfect for the pour (ie- patience) than anything else. Are you going to add any cool aggregates or fossils? You can even get glow-in-the-dark stuff or incorporate fiber optics. It's pretty much limited by your imagination. I'm going to see how our projects turn out and consider taking a swing at a side business. Good luck!
Yuck. The look and feel of concrete is entirely different...and better. If it's what you like. Tile is patchwork, grouty and shiny while granite is shiny and common as cheap formica nowadays. Concrete has a much nicer feel and can be DIY. YMMV. OP, looking forward to pics.
I guess I am using an agregate? I will be using quickcrete 80 lb bags. I will have a 12 inch overhang, so that will the interesting part as far as reinforcing, that's why the 1/2 inch rebar, I will support the underside with 2 x 4's during the pour and cure, leave under for at least a week. I'll get some pics up soon.
I would suggest adding extra cement to your "Quickcrete concrete mix" to make a much stronger concrete. A 6 bag mix equivalent would be the minimum. It is hard get a Quickcrete bag mix rating but I think it is not close to 6 and the true rating is real sensitive to the water ratio. 5 bag mix = 2500 psi concrete.....generally used for footings 6 bag mix = 3000 psi.......the minimum I'd use for a surface type concrete 7 bag mix = 3500 psi ........ and so on.... The "Pounds per Square Inch" rating is a bit misleading......the rating for footing concrete would also hold about any vehicle you would park on it ( including your house ).......but the higher the PSI or bag mix, the more Portland cement in the cubic yard. What that does do, is give a better surface finish. As you increase the cement, the finisher has more to float to the surface and you get a denser finish that will resist surface cracks, chipping, etc......assuming of course it is finished correctly ( not allowed to freeze or get too dry during curing ). Bottom line more cement in the mix (with reason) the better. But it must remain consistent from batch to batch for color match, strength and finish quality etc and with a12' over hang, strength is critical. Good luck practice practice practice
