worktops with a difference.

[peckers]

Counter tops with a difference go check this out on you tube if you want to see different looking worktops!
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=if3mi9ZCv60]YouTube - Concrete Countertops Training Preview[/ame]

 

[Rob Z]

This author has written a wonderful book about fabricating concrete counters. The second book is newer and might be aimed at the DIY market. I have the original book and it's interesting to read even if you never plan to do any work like this.


Taunton Store - Concrete Countertops - Fu-Tung Cheng - 070599

 

[doug boardley]

wow, some amazing effects there

 

[merlecollins]

COOL

 

[Scott]

Some of those are excellent! Cant see the average plastic feet holding them up though

 

[mikethetile]

ive seen these before, the base units are of a more substantial construction in the us and will take the weight

not so in the uk which is why it never caught on and probably wont

they work out cheaper than proper granite and as they are cast in situ theres no joints

this is for top end refits not your average kitchen

 

[SandyFloor]

I looked into this last year partly for fun and partly for viability and chose to abort after a few experiments.

The recommended thickness of concrete is minimum 50mm and considering granite is 30 -35 mm you can imagine the weight. I have a polished piece outside my back door in black 600 * 1000 and it's heavy....really heavy. Looks the dogs though.

There are two ways of casting them...in situ and off site. In the off site method you form a mould from contiboard and cast upside down giving a flat surface when cured. Before you pour the concrete you can stick things like coins and metal objects to the contiboard so they are exposed in the finished product. You can also put in decorative aggregate and grind and polish afterwards to expose it. The concrete can be dyed during mixing or stained afterwards in all sorts of weird and wonderful ways.

The in situ method involves forming a cast and pouring on top of the carcasses but this has several drawbacks in that it's almost impossible to get a flat surface, it's potentially very messy and the polishing is very wet & time consuming.

Generally the off site method is preferred. For both methods various additives are required to reduce shrinkage and surface cracks. These products aren't available in this country (I may be wrong there) as well as the dye which has to be pure pigment to achieve a decent colour. In the US you can buy all-in-one bags you just add water and mix.

Another product is known as microscreed which is applied thinly by trowel to almost any surface and you can then polish it. Once again very hard to get in this country.

The main reason I aborted the whole thing was to market something like this in the UK which is unknown to the british public would be extremely expensive. I mean if someone said to you ' concrete worktops' you'd think they were mental.

I reckon when the technology comes along where you can make these things and don't need a fork truck to install them they might catch on. But until then they're purely top end stuff. There are some companies here do them and it's worth a look at their websites.

You can make other things too like sinks, shower bases,fireplaces, table tops, bartops.

 

[Dan]

They know what they're doing them lads do!

 

[White Room]

Some great colours though:drool5:

 

[david campbell]

wow!:drool5:
i really like the metallic finishes

 

[DHTiling]

That was mint.. really enjoyed that vid..

 

[peckers]

I was flicking threw you tube and saw this and thought it was very different and impresive thought you would like to see it too hope you enjoyed it

 

[mikebidd]

could you not use thinner concrete but with a metal mesh inside it?

 

[user123]

I loved this .... ok, even if you never get into this, the ideas themselves can still be applied, really neat, thanks for posting this, peckers!!