Concrete counter tops

[Yanita]

Hi everyone,

Have been putting together some ideas of my future kitchen renovations. I have a tiny kitchen, on the lines of a galley kitchen. Very little counter space.

Anyways, after inspection of base cabinets all is fine but I would still need to make them a little more structurally sound. To do this I thought of 1/2" ply cut to fit the back and sides of the cabinets, at this time you can see the wall. Secure this with glue and screws. Also adding extra vertical supports to the existing framework in the front where the doors are attached. Of course adding 3/4 ply to the existing counter top to help deflect bowing/flexing.

Total counter top measures 18"wide x 25"deep, this small area is to the left of the stove. On the other side of the stove the counter top measures 25" deep x 102" length. (this includes the area of the sink) have a standard stainless sink 33x22.

What do you think, is this doable?

Hubby and I both have experience with finishing concrete. Have the tools to complete this job, guess I am wondering if the weight will be to much?

Yanita

[Maureen]

Hey Yanita,

I don't have much time left tonight to go into detail, but I have thought of the concrete counter tops also. The problem is that even though our homes are on permanent foundations, they still move. Concrete is very unforgiving, just look at 10 year old sidewalks these days! I know it's a small area, but it will take a lot of work to just experiment. Personally. I wouldn't do it.

We have a company out here that constructs granite overlays. They are made to fit over existing counters. They also allow the movement that are homes need.

I'm still considering the paint that has fine granite mixed in for my ugly breakfast bar. It's 12 feet by 4 feet! I love where it is. I love my stove top, I love how it's constructed. I just hate the old ugly laminate!

My kitchen as it is now, sits at an weird angle with a soffit over the kitchen area. I've got so much planning to do! Now, with the boys moving out, I'm so glad that I've taken things very slow!

Maureen

[JD]

Just another idea. A while back I mentioned in a post where a customer of mine refinished laminate countertops and cultured marble sinktops with a durable nice looking finish. It kind of looks like marble and it looks much better than Corian. I looked into the product and have requested a dealers kit. I do need to experiment with the stuff myself to have a final opinion on the product, but it does look like a great option for refinishing sinks, bathtubs and counters. They make different products for counters and sinks/bathtubs. They claim to have a fiberglass tub repair kit, which leaves some doubts about all the products. A chip I would believe but a true leaking crack? We will see. Anyways, the product is Grip Cote. If anyone has experience with this product, I would sure like to hear about it.

http://www.getagripinc.com/products/

JD

[Greg]

Yanita, one way to find out... If you get up one morning and the counter is a foot off of the floor - it was too much!! Greg

[Yanita]

Thanks Greg,

Was looking for positive feed back. Guess if that should happen I can count on you and Sandy coming on down and helping with the kitchen redo!

Oh, and Sandy's and my job is to make sure the pool doesn't get a leak!

Have a good one buddy!

Yanita

[Greg]

Yanita, I am not sure how thick of a top you were thinking about so I would not even try to guess the weight, I DO know that our old counter (the first one I tiled) was HEAVY, I had my hands full with a 4' section.
I have seen pictures of installed poured tops and I almost question if it is a DYI job. I doubt I would attempt it in my home (Your's on the other hand....) Greg

[Yanita]

Hi,

About an 1 1/2 thick I am thinking...anyways heres a link I read.

http:www.homeenvy.com/db/1/761.html

Like I said I am thinking about it, not necessarily a done deal yet...

Yanita

[Handweaving]

Hi. Just have to jump in here and say Mag Ruffman at http://www.homeenvy.com/mag_ruffman.html
is one of my heros*
That's all
Just wanted to say that

[Yanita]

Hi,

Thanks for the link!

Yanita

[Maureen]

Hey Yanita, and anyone else out there looking for solid counter tops. I finally remembered the name of the place that does the granite overlays, and I have the website.

Now, this certainly isn't on the cheap by any means! It is a granite over lay. But from what the commercials on TV mention, it is lighter than a granite normal granite slab counter.

The place is called Granite Transformations. They are located world wide.

http://www.granitetransformations.com/home.html

I'm sure it's not for everyone's pocket book. I know it doesn't fit my budget, nor will it work on my breakfast bar. I am looking at the product that JD mentioned though! Thanks JD!

Maureen

[shabbybrat]

I'm not so sure about that resurfacing product. I just looked at their website. The product is not suitable for surfaces where the substrate moves, as it will crack. I don't know if "our" houses count as such a substrate.

Additionally, the warranty is voided if you use abrasive cleansers, spray cleaning products, bleaches, any cutting tools, etc, etc. on the refinished surface. I don't know how durable the product actually is if these are used, it just says the warranty is voided. So the way I use a kitchen counter would void my warranty almost immediately.

[Gone Costal]

Hi folks, I used to be a kitchen and bath designer in Ohio and Pittsburgh Pa for about 15 years. As the manager of these design and sales centers it was one of my jobs to keep up with the times on new product lines.

We sold almost $100,000 in counter tops at the one store a year as they were laminate fabricators also. One product that was just coming out about 10 years ago was a preformed counter top made from a corian type of product. They actually heated and formed a 1/8" product on 3/4" particle board.

I installed two of these tops on the showroom about 3 months before I came out to Oregon. If I remember right the product was 1/3 of corian. You could use an abrasive on it to clean and even polish out scratches and burn marks, to a certain degree.

If anyone is really interested in looking into this product I could try and make contact with the company that produces them. Their goal was to compete with the granite, marble and corian market at a fraction of the cost.

[Yanita]

Hi,

Certainly, I would be interested in more info.

I am not a huge fan of marble counter tops, or tile either. I do residential cleaning as a business. Marble scratches real easily and tile, well although pretty is not a real sanitary product either. Yeah, yeah, I know keep um sealed....you still have to eventually re grout etc...I want a low maintenance but yet attractive, and durable, low maintenance item.

Yanita

[Gone Costal]

Hi Yanita,

I did some searching last night on the preformed solid surface countertops. I figures after 10 years it would be so popular I wouldn't have any trouble locating it. I am also having some problems locating the company that fabricated it for me. I do have an old phone number file stored away somewhere that should surface when we are packing. I certainly will have the numbers in there and try contacting them.

The two I had on my showroom floor was a hunter green with a black and almond speck in it. The other was an almond with several different specks in them also that make it look like stone. They were very attractive and I sold several in a couple of months. The price was a fraction of corian but then again there was very little install labor on these tops as with Corian also.

Try my best to locate the product name and source for you.

[Yanita]

Thanks,

Let me know when you locate the info.

No need to rush, this project is still on paper...have many other projects to finish or do before an "I want".

Yanita