Cement Countertops??

mommaroot2004 · 11-25-2006, 07:25 PM

does anyone have any idea how to do the cement countertops? Can we pour them in place as it is just the hubby and I and I am disabled or do they have to be done else were and then placed??

**joasis** · 11-26-2006, 04:41 AM

I would not advise this as a first time DIY project. I have don them both ways, and the best results are obtained by casting the countertops using melamine board as a form, and then flipping them over abd setting in place. They can be cast in place also, but you will have to work at getting the surface finish flat and smooth....the cast in placem if done correctly, nearly negates to need to polish the top...just stain and seal.

Buy a book on this or see if a video is available online. It would be worth the bucks to research bofore you jump in. By the way, local libraries have this stuff available...books and videos.

dougrus · 11-26-2006, 10:01 AM

Joasis is right.
It is very precise work for a DIY'er. The more you have worked with concrete though, the better off you will be. I tried pouring a coffee table using melanine forms and after 3 tries, it came out just ok...It takes several pours to really get any good results. It is very tough to get the right mix and also to get all the bubbles out and avoid pitting. Plus once you pour it, the pieces are EXTREMELY heavy. I used a book by Fu-Tung Cheng called Concrete Countertops. It is an excellent book and goes into great detail on pouring concrete in melanine forms as Joasis mentioned. A small section is devoted to pour in place methods which is clearly not Cheng's method of choice, as it requires a lot of finish work. I bought it at Barnes and Noble but Im sure as Joasis said you could get it at a local library. There is also a guy named Buddy Rhodes online and he sells all sorts of concrete countertop products. May want to check out his site.
Hope that helps.

mommaroot2004 · 11-26-2006, 01:43 PM

my hubby poured concret for a living for awhile

billinak · 11-26-2006, 02:12 PM

I looked into this pretty closely in the last few weeks and decided against it because it is so work intensive and I would have to rent many of the tools necessary to do it. The amount of time it would have taken me, the huge mess it creates when finishing, the fact that they can get stained/chipped, and the amount of time from pour to finished product all helped me decide that my time, plus the cost would almost equal the amount to have a contractor do it with solid surface. If you want a formica/laminate, it's probably less expensive to have someone else do it.

mommaroot2004 · 11-26-2006, 02:21 PM

I want the cement countertop I like the way the look I don't like any other countertops

dougrus · 11-26-2006, 02:31 PM

If you are intent on it and your husband has experience with concrete, definetly check out the book I discussed before it is a must before you get to work.

billinak · 11-26-2006, 03:49 PM

Sounds like your mind is pretty made up. Best of luck!

mommaroot2004 · 11-26-2006, 04:13 PM

I will post pic as we go I just wondered if any one here had done them before. and if so how they came out.

dougrus · 11-26-2006, 05:26 PM

Are you planning on pouring them in place or using forms?

mommaroot2004 · 11-26-2006, 05:33 PM

I was thinking about pouring them in place but I am gonna borrow the book from my dad thats were we got the idea. He is planning to do them in his house. But yea dunno yet. I thought pouring them in place might be easier for us cause they will be heavy right??

dougrus · 11-26-2006, 07:37 PM

The pour in place counters have a more rustic look to my eye. In less of course you do lots of finish work you could probably get them to look really uniform.
The melanine forms produce a very smooth finished look, almost like natural stone or granite you see in homes.
Depending on how thick you pour them (I think it is rec. at least 2 1/2 inches to facilitate remesh or rebar reinforcement) and how long and wide each piece is, they can be brutally heavy. If you have to carry them upstairs or something, you may need several guys. Even the fabricators in the book poured many of the counters in two or more pieces to make them a reasonable weight. They used a slurry to hide the joints.
Also keep in mind, whichever way you choose to pour them, your cabinets, depending on their stablility, may need to be reinforced...
I looked it up, they can weigh approx. 15 pounds per sq/ft.

mommaroot2004 · 11-26-2006, 08:28 PM

thanks we will be careful and the hubby is talking about using gaulvenize pipe to make a frame inside the cabenits.

**joasis** · 11-26-2006, 09:06 PM

I have done several of these, and you really nned to have your plan in place before you start. I have no idea what you plan on using galvanized piping for in conjunction with countertops, but whatever.

If I were doing this by myself, cast in place is the ONLY option, as a 2 inch countertop of any size will require a lot of guys to turn it over safely and place it. If your cabinets are in good condition, you can place 3/4 plywood (cdx is ok for this) on top, and create a form edge, following the guidence from the book. Then it will all be about how good you are with getting it settled (vibrated in) and floated and finished. I have had the best results with acid staining rather then dying the concrete. Good luck.

mommaroot2004 · 11-28-2006, 06:56 PM

well we went to Lowes today to walk around and look for the book on the counter tops, I saw a tile that I fell in love with but it is too small for a floor so I think that I am going to do my counter top with it but thanks to everyone that gave us info on this I might still do it in like my laundry room or my green house.