Concrete Countertops

Fu-Tung Cheng announced the winners of Cheng Concrete’s 2012 Circle of Distinction Design Challenge honoring design and craftsmanship in decorative concrete. The Design Challenge featured nine entry categories.

Compaction of each thin layer of backer is a critically important step in the fabrication of GFRC.

Countertop concrete is not your grandfather’s concrete. It requires new approaches to the basic elements of mix design and reinforcement. This in-depth look takes you inside the bag.

As Bob Chatterton, co-owner of Surface 519, puts it, "Countertops are just a sealing nightmare. It's asked that they be resistant to everything under the sun."

So it seems a natural correlation to make a stain- and scratch-resistant coating that uses the sun - or at least the sun's ultraviolet rays.

Scott Cohen, owner of Green Scene Landscaping & Pools in the Los Angeles area, has been designing and building concrete countertops for more than 20 years.

Although Shelley and Guy Chomistek of Rafter C Precast Concrete are no strangers to custom concrete countertops, this recent bathroom project held some unique creative challenges.

When offered the chance to help customers relax with cool pool designs, these veteran design crews dove right in.

A real conversation starter, the concrete table designed and cast by Dominic Boinich of 5 Feet from the Moon kept the table talk flowing freely at the unveiling of the 2017 Pasadena Showcase House of Design in California.

This former Intel employee traded semiconductors for stains and stencils — and now he's making his mark at churches, Jimmy Buffet's Margaritaville Cafes, and everywhere in between.

Every concrete countertop fabricator is after a smooth, clean finish on his or her work, be it a kitchen island, fireplace mantle or sink basin. Achieving a flat, shiny surface often comes down to the type of grinder that's used, and with so many machines on the market, many fabricators can feel overwhelmed by the choices.

Decorative concrete contractors are adding an exciting new technique to their repertoire that always elicits a “wow” reaction from clients: embedding fiber optics in concrete countertops.

Avoiding certain pitfalls can mean the difference between a struggling hobby and a thriving business. When it comes to countertops, here are a few of the most common mistakes we at the Concrete Countertop Institute think are the biggest stumbling blocks for aspiring concrete countertop contractors.

Concrete hoods are an easy sell for customers who are already buying countertops, but this hood - Concrete Jungle’s first - was purchased by a homeowner with a kitchen in mid-renovation who had already committed to granite countertops.

Aldo Buffone thinks of his avocation to be more artist than contractor. Either way, Buffone’s efforts are one of an innovator. 1025 Studio, the Philadelphia-based artisan’s company, has garnered a local reputation for its creative upgrades of the city’s historic downtown loft structures.

From "food-safe" to "sacrificial coating," kitchen concrete countertop maintenance will have you upgrading your vocabulary along with your tool kit. Here's how to speak the language.

Forms serve many functions beyond simply containing the concrete. The formwork defines the precision and, to some extent, the quality of the casting. Well-made forms create straight lines, fair curves and right angles and lead to easy, effortless installation.

With a specific look in mind, the client approached us to create a singular look out of concrete for his kitchen island and tops, powder room sink, master bath vanities, floor and shower base, as well as vanities in the second bath, laundry and lower level wine bar.

Concrete tables and countertops are held to a higher standard of appearance, feel and performance than floors and walls. And the final element of the finished piece — the interface between the concrete and the customer — is the coating.

There are few things you can add to decorative concrete that are as impactful - or as unpredictable - as light. Just like water, light is a natural entity with subtleties and effects that unfold in unexpected ways. Light can create an environment without help from structure, shape or texture.

Bag mixes for countertops share some characteristics: They are designed to minimize cracking and shrinking, they are strong enough to be poured in thinner slabs and they are optimized for workability.

Aggregates that glow and sparkle. Scented concrete. Salted concrete. Cremated ashes in concrete ... Just some of the out-there options that are only offered by this industry.

The District is a restaurant specializing in contemporary American cuisine. It is a venue that proudly supports local agriculture and sustainable, local fishing practices. It only made sense to include as one of its focal points a concrete countertop made from local natural resources to complement its overall ambiance.

The powdered sugar-like product is available for a little more than $100 per pound, and for this project it only took 1/4 pound to achieve this long-lasting glow effect.