The kitchen overhaul has begun, and like I promised, I am keeping you guys up to speed on all of the decorating projects and budget (I am trying to work with a real person fix it up budget).
Since the day we moved in I have hated the color of our countertops. When we bought the house the cabinets were lovely reddish oak (WHY!?) This in turn made them look really peachy. It was like a freaking peachfest-a-palooza.
When we moved in we had someone come in and restain our cabinets, which is a whole other can of worms that I will open when we start talking about the changes that they are getting.
Restaining them took the peach down a little, but it was still not good. Oh and please remember the motto when it comes to unstaged house photos…don’t judge me. This was the only one that I could scrounge up that was at the same angle.
The plan all along has been to follow in my girl Kara’s footsteps and use Feather Finish to put a concrete overlay on the existing countertops. It is a really inexpensive way to change the entire look of your counters. You are basically putting a few thin layers of concrete over you existing counter tops.
But.
As I was doing a little more research the reoccurring theme that I found was how easily concrete countertops stain. This has more to do with the sealer than the concrete btw.
This type of scenario comes up a lot when you are DIYing. Lets say you find a great chair with ugly fabric and you want to try your hand at painting it. You have to change the fabric out anyway so if you hate it then you are no worse for the wear.
That is how I am feeling about the counters. There is NO WAY that they are staying the way that they are. The new tile is too gorgeous and it doesn’t match, the way that mom jeans on a Victoria’s Secret model don’t match.
So do I try it out, hoping that the warnings that I read online are a little dramatic and it is amazing? All the while knowing that there is a good chance that they will need to be replaced in a few years? And then I can give you guys real life updates on how well they are holding up…
Or do I save the $100 and put it towards new countertops entirely and blow all hopes of redoing the kitchen for a few grand out of the water?
Do you have concrete counters? I WANT TO HEAR ALL ABOUT THEM! And if you know what kind of sealer was used I want to know all about that too!!!
My countertops lives are in your hands. No pressure.
psst! I am still accepting submissions for the DIY Gone Wrong Series that is happening next week! Find out all about it here.
I am working on a countertop redo in my kitchen. I want to put concrete over my existing granite (the previous owners did a horrible job installing it and cracked it in several places). I would like my countertops to eventually turn out white (not pure white but a lot lighter than gray). I was thinking I would use the Feather Finish product first, then put SD-M in white over the top of that and seal it all.
I contacted Ardex directly. Here’s what they told me: “Under normal circumstances, we would not install SD-M over Feather Finish, due to the difference in PSI and what conditions SD-M is used. In your case you may be fine, due to the limited use of a counter top vs. a floor topping.” (He clearly thinks I don’t cook) “We do know that Feather Finish will bond to clean granite and that SD-M will bond to Feather Finish. As far as sealing, yes, you do want to seal the Ardex material with a sealer to prevent staining.
Maybe a few coats of sealer would help? I’ll keep you posted on how the whiteish concrete countertops turn out and if I make any major blunders along the way.
Go for the concrete. Someday you might have $$ or be sponsored for new countertops. You are not a messy person, so you may never stain the concrete. Ann
Count me as another inquiring mind wanting to know… we have an ugly teal-colored Formica laminate countertop in our master bathroom and have thought about using concrete for the interim.
We have several areas with concrete counters, in fact I have an upcoming tutorial for the one going in our boys bathroom. My husband poured kitchen counters for a young couple we know but I have not seen them – I will ask how they are holding up, it’s been two years. I love them in the bathroom, and we have an entertainment stand that has concrete, and I like that too but really it gets no wear. My husband seems to think they would be awesome in our kitchen, I’m not convinced. I don’t want more upkeep, I want less. But the look of concrete…… excellent! (I’m not talking an overlay though, these are full poured counters).
Ugh. We had concrete and Hated them. The reasons being that they are terrible with kids – I had toddlers and if they bang their little heads on them, it was a big deal. They also stained. I think this was due to them not being sealed properly though – but wine, kool aid, pretty much anything dark left ugly stains.
If I had a choice between concrete and a cheap melamine counter – I’d go with the melamine any day 🙂
I’m sorry to tell you, but your snotty little kids would hit their head on ANY kind of countertop, regardless of material composition.
Kevin, you’re stupid.
Forgot to mention the cracks. They were everywhere! and when a little on started, they would spread. You also need to have extremely strong counters beneath it to support the weight of the concrete on top/
We have a couple places in our house with concrete. I started with a workbench to practice. It turned out awesome. Then I did the landing on our stairs. Perfect. Then we did our counters. Totally love them. Here’s the post about it: https://www.whitebutterflyfurniture.com/2013/10/diy-concrete-countertop/
I will say, we used Ardex Feather Finish and it is a great product, but you have to move quickly. I had a large space to cover and if you don’t cover it all at the same time and use the mix at the same consistency, the color varies. Now, we love that about our counters. Also, we have 4 boys. It gets used ALL. THE. TIME. I used a sealant on it. And will have to seal it a couple times a year. It has water marks, it has oily finger print marks, but that is what we love about it. It looks worn and used. And we just love that. I may decide to do another coat and then put an epoxy over the top, but that will make it super shiny, so I’m not sure I want to do that yet.
I have a metal guy that made me some corner pieces to add some interest and I love the look. The counters clean easily and I just don’t worry about the coffee my Mother in Law spills every time she comes or the grease that comes with eating right on it.
Our landing on our stairs is absolutely in perfect condition. No stains. Nothing. If my kitchen island wasn’t the hub of our family, we wouldn’t have a stain on it. If it were in the bathroom, or even the side counter, they’d look the same as the first day.
All that being said, I would totally do it again. It’s an inexpensive project, looks great and if in 5 years or even 1-2 you want to change it, no big deal.
Good luck!
Thank you! I’ve seen that product before. We’re putting our house on the market soon and I’ve been thinking about it for awhile now. Hoping its worth the risk!
Hey Mandy! I don’t usually comment on blog posts but I feel super strongly about this subject! I HATE our concrete countertops!!!!!! (6 exclamations are needed here) we moved in to our house about 6 months ago, and from the moment I walked into the kitchen I knew the countertops would have to go. Our realtor made the comment that she had concrete counters and she loved them, but I have a feeling hers were very different than ours. I know they were a DIY “upgrade” when the family two owners ago were selling. They are matte black, and kind of lumpy looking. Ours are THICK, like 3 inches. It’s reinforced with rebar, so getting them out is a huge headache. Even if we liked our existing cabinets, there is no way we would be able to save them and still remove the counters. They have cracked, especially behind the faucet. I’m fairly sure they haven’t been sealed because everything stains (water rings from drinking glasses!) and they constantly look dirty. If you take a paper towel and wipe the counter, you’ll end up with a black paper towel! I guess the moral of the story is do them RIGHT the first time, because I think concrete done right could be nice. Don’t make them so thick, and for heaven’s sake, seal them! From our kitchen experience, I will never be installing concrete in any of my future houses. Ever.
Hey mandi I say go for it ! My brother owns a night club in NYC and he has concrete counters for his bar! The waitresses dance on them, some bar tenders light alcohol on it, and the bussers really don’t care how its cleaned. Point being its indestructible and still has the beautiful look … If you’d like email me and I can tell you exactly how it was done … My dad the jack of all trades made them for him. If you’d like to see what it looks like google raine night club Bronx NY. Hope this helps with the overhaul!
When we bought our home 9 almost 10 years ago the builder installed stained and epoxy concrete counters. The epoxy has chipped from the Pam cooking spray can falling out of the cabinet. I also have chipped spots on the counter from a hot pan that was on a trivet. I want to rip out the counters and add quartz countertops. We also have stained and stamped concrete floors that I hate also. The biggest issue is the sealer. The epoxy chips and scratches but it does protect the concrete from chipping due to accidents. If you decide to go with concrete I would use a concrete that doesn’t have a lot of rocks in it. I’ve seen a lot of DIY countertops that the rocks settled on the surface of the countertop and it makes the surface rough.
I just used this feather finish Ardex last week over plywood formed countertops in my new kitchen. I will say mix in small batches as it drys quickly and gets lumpy. So far I love it but mine is rough and needs sanded, sealed and waxed. In my reading I think the sealing and waxing is the key to minimize the staining. If I had done a better job installing it smoothly I wouldn’t have to sand it but I rushed and mixed the entire bag at once:( I say go for it. $100 is a cheap update. I have two bags left from my project if you want to buy them. I had to buy four off amazon:) good luck!
Hi there. I’m in the process as I type this of having concrete countertops put in my newly remodeled kitchen. I couldn’t resist the 6k savings. I can’t really give the advice of how they are holding up but the gentleman that is doing this for us is from Philippines and has installed them there many times in the past. Here in the states not as popular except for outside. So here he has installed them frequently in the states but outside. We did many test slabs and I loved them all! What he warned me of is there could be very small hairline cracks but that is not for sure…..However you can buff them out and reseal the area. Now I was going to install marble on my island but everybody warns you can get stains on that surface too… just like the concrete. BUT I wouldn’t dare buff my 3k marble island nor did I really want to be anal about people setting stuff down on my island. I’m loving the way it looks so far and he hasn’t even sanded them or sealed them, also love how inexpensive it is!!!! We purchased a good sealer on line to make it shine. I know this doesn’t really help with your “how they are holding up” information needed but I say go for it.
Don’t do it. Before we settled down here in NY we lived in a variety of places and had rentals all along the way. I experienced laminate, granite and concrete. You couldn’t pay me to have concrete counters. They look beautiful right when they are finished but that doesn’t last long. We ended up having stains all over our kitchen concrete counters. We also had them in the bathroom. Again HORRIBLE. I do not know if it was how they were sealed or not but I wouldn’t chance it. When we moved out I was nervous they wouldn’t give us our deposit back but they agreed that we didn’t do anything wrong. Whoops I forgot I left a cup of ice water on the counter overnight, no worries I will see the mark every day to remind me never to do it again unless I want a twin cup mark. Ok just my opinion. I will still read you even if you go the concrete route. Good luck!!!
I say, go for concrete! Do the Ardex method. I just did it in my kitchen (we made the counters from scratch, then coated them with Ardex). You WILL have to seal them — start with a concrete sealer, then wax on top of that. The sealer makes it waterproof and the wax will help prevent scratches.
After living with the Ardex counters for only a couple of months, I can tell you that if you seal them, scratching is more of an issue than staining. We are sure to use cutting boards. And we’ll probably have to wax them again soon.
That being said, for the price, they are AMAZING! This is a fix that takes only a couple of days and costs less than $50. They will last you a couple of years while you save up for something that’s gorgeous and durable…like painting a wall to tide you over until you can buy a new house.
You can see pics of our counters (and the whole process) here. We used Kara’s method.
Can’t wait to see what you decide to do!
I agree with Sarah! I just did my countertops this summer because I also figured I had nothing to lose by trying it out. Ardex makes Henry FeatherFinish, available at Home Depot, which is what I used – it was so easy, just like frosting a cake. It looks so beautiful now!
I sealed the heck out of them when I was done with Cheng Concrete Sealer (liquid and wax). For me, wet spots still appear, but they dry up and leave no stains. I’ve even hosted a large dinner party for 20 people (turkey grease, wine, coffee… you name it, it was on my counters) – no stains yet! I’m pretty good about wiping things up, but not obsessive. I plan to quickly re-apply the wax sealer every few months. I definitely think you should go for it. It’s a one day project that costs very little and makes a huge impact!
Wondering if you followed the Cheng Sealing directions, i.e., soaking the countertop with water then sealant? If so, did the Feather Finish hold up to all that wetness?
We just installed a concrete island counter top that we did ourselves. Took us two tries, but it is a solid piece not an overlay. I really love it, even though there are a few cosmetic things I would change if I could like stain color. The first try was a bust, because we followed the mixing instructions that came on the bag, after altering the water a little the second came out perfect!
We just did concrete for our basement kitchen. Our experience was that if you are going for a slightly imperfect look, then concrete is great. If you want them perfectly smooth and mirror finish, then it is a nearly impossible DIY. We love the look of ours, but I don’t know if I would choose the DIY version for our everyday kitchen without a lot of extra finishing work. We used the tutorial on Impefectly Polished, Cheng’s concrete books from the library, and some advice from friends who have done it. For sealer, we used Buddy Rhodes penetrating sealer first, then a decorative concrete sealer on that, then carnauba wax on that. All in all, it was about $200 for us. We used molds, which I would recommend over pouring in place. We also used a kind of concrete from Home Depot called “Maximizer”, which is lighter and stronger than regular concrete. If you don’t have much experience with concrete work, then you probably won’t end up with something you like.
We did concrete counters in our kitchen and master bathroom. My husband did them himself ( building the mold, mixing, pouring, countless hours of sanding and then sealing) HE did an amazing job and they looked stunning. Like a high end granite…until we started using them. The sealer is a must for stains, but the scratching is terrible. Fine scratches everywhere and even after resealing once its no better. In our new house we will not do them as they are too high maintenance ( especially with 3 boys!!) But in our bathroom they are great, maybe cause you are not using them constantly?? looking forward to what you do!
Though I don’t personally have concrete countertops yet, I do know people who do and love them! Like any porous stone countertop (marble, etc) they need to be sealed properly (epoxy should not be used as a sealer, it colours with age and will chip easily). Finishing with a beeswax is actually a better option for concrete countertops, as it provides a stain resistant & water resistant finish. You do need to refinish beeswax more often than some other sealers, but I even know people who have used it on their concrete (and rammed earth) floors and the finish is absolutely amazing, even after wear and tear.
Be very careful in your research of how to do the countertop itself. Lumpy countertops and rocky countertops comes from a poor use and understanding of aggregates. There are a lot of bad DIY concrete countertops out there, and that’s because of people who didn’t follow directions properly, did it on the cheap, or made materials substitutions they shouldn’t have. Is there a contractor that you can talk to who has done them before? Get tips from the pros before you do it, and I bet you will have countertops that you love and will keep for years to come.
My biggest warning, polish the countertops outside before you install. The first few polishes create a lot of dust and it’s not something you want to end up cleaning inside your house.
2 yrs ago we remodeled our kitchen and chose concrete. Now these are poured so I can’t speak to the overlay and how they would hold up. I have heard of people having problems with cracking when they chose to overlay vs. a new pour. I couldn’t say for sure but it seems to me existing counter tops just aren’t strong enough to support the additional weight, but that’s just a guess.
We looked into several different options and chose concrete because it was 1/3 the cost of the granite and marble we liked and its just so cool. We get so many compliments and our contractor still asks if he can show new clients our counter tops. As far as food stains we have not had a problem. I do seal it every few months but its not a big deal and only takes about 30 minutes. I use Zep commercial floor finish, you can get it at Lowes.
Now if you are the type to look at every little flaw and cringe then concrete is not for you. I have small children and they discovered they could use their forks to carve into the concrete. So we have lovely, but permanent, swirls where they eat, play and draw at the bar seating. Which brings me to the next down side, children and drawing with markers. They will stain the counter tops but its just on the surface so if you seal it periodically eventually they will fade away. I can usually get the marker stains out with a magic eraser.
Bottom line, I think concrete is a great option. We are still thrilled with our decision. I don’t think it is a project I would tackle on my own. I’ve heard too many nightmare stories. I know this is all about the DIY but I’d go with a pro.
We poured our own concrete countertops about 10 months ago and so far love them, BUT we purposefully went for the “imperfect” look for a more modern feeling. We used Cheng concrete’s method along with their dye and sealer/wax products. My husband poured the 2″ slab onto plywood so that it had some texture on top and then we grinded down the plywood design to more of a ribbed texture. The areas around the sinks are reinforced with rebar and the rest with just chicken wire in the the middle of the slab. We’ve had no issues with cracking, chipping, or water rings– there are 2 tiny places where we have oil spots from spilling olive oil, but I think it was from not coating with enough wax since the entire spill did not stain. We’re careful to not place hot pans on the counter and to use a large cutting board to place food on. Other than that, they are very easy to clean (despite the texture) and everyone compliments them because they are so different and full of character. I would just recommend using a very high quality wax, aggregate mix, and doing a few test slabs before hand!
i’ve got concrete countertops in my kitchen and my bathrooms, and my entire floor is stained concrete. i wanted them that way. and i love them. here’s the thing about concrete: it’s versatility comes from the myriad of products out there to color, reinforce, stain and seal it, and you have to do your research to get something that suits your needs (note: a sealer is necessary for countertops, because, hello, concrete is porous). that being said, concrete DOES require maintenance from time to time, something that i well understand since i grew up in a house with concrete flooring. our concrete coutertops are unstained (i left them the natural gray because i love it and like the subtle variations in the color) and sealed with a hi-gloss urethane epoxy sealer- this sealer is highly durable and completely waterproof (so no staining! yay!) but it is not immortally impervious to wear and tear (you’ll get micro-scratches if you’re really rough it. but then again, so does titanium). if you talk to any retailer that sells specialty concrete products or any contractor that works with specialty concrete, they will let you know that a sealer needs to be reapplied at intervals, depending on what product you’ve chosen and how rough you are on your surfaces. this is just common knowledge, and something to expect (my professionals told me to expect to re-surface at ten years, at least). also something to note: if you drop a heavy metal object from a high distance it’s going to damage pretty much ANY surface. it will dent stainless steel, it will crack your tile, it will gouge your wood flooring and it will certainly chip your concrete. so as long as you’re realistic and informed about physics and your products, you’re going to be satisfied with what you’ve invested in. i promise.
I love concrete countertops! So much so that my husband fell in love with them and now makes his own. Concrete is an awesome and unique countertop that you can do soooo much with!! If you use the right products they shouldn’t stain or crack!! My husband trained through Ben Ashby ( https://countertopsolutions.net ) and loves his products and system. If you are looking for a DIY countertop I’m not sure if you can order their system without doing their training course. It is super important to make sure you are using the right additives and fibres for strength and reinforcement. And the right sealers should mean that you shoudn’t have any stains or need to reseal and the counter shouldn’t be pourous. With the sealers we use I can leave spaghetti sauce on my counter overnight (because I forgot to wipe it up :p) and it comes off so nicely and no stains!! I don’t have any children so I can’t speak to the markers and such. We just wash our counter with soap and water or non-abrasive cleaner.
Hope that helps! Happy renos!!
Please PLEASE can u give us the product Info on which food-safe sealer YOU guys used that u were able to leave spaghetti sauce on!???? Love to know THAT brand and your sealing process, did u finish w wax? How often? Thank u thank [email protected]
We decided to have a concrete overlay placed on our CT about 5 years ago. To this day, I don’t know if it was just a weak product or installed improperly. It wasn’t smooth; the grooves made when installer was leveling stayed in place and a solid sealant was never applied although the installer said CT was ready to go. In high traffic areas: the island, edge above dishwasher, most edges in general, there was constant chipping. We called the installer back to repair the first few times but gave up-she would have been there on a weekly basis. Staining was also a problem- and I mean water would cause a dark stain. We suffered for about 2 year’s and began to feel it would be a health issue. Areas that had cracked were lifting. Moisture collected…it was a disaster and we were very disappointed. We priced granite & replaced. We chose the concrete because at the time it was popular and half the cost of granite. After replacing with granite, and now the housing industry was down and materials were also low, we paid for the granite what the concrete cost. However add them up and it was the cost of granite 2+ years earlier so we never saved any money and gained lots of frustration. I’m a bit tainted,you could say, against concrete overlay. I don’t recommend.
We did concrete countertops in our bar area about 18 months ago. I LOVE/HATE them! Now, having said that, let’s just say the installation experience was a nightmare, took 3 tries and a report to the better business bureau! And this was a reputable company that we had used before.
Now why I hate the countertops…first, sealing…you must seal them frequently which for me, isn’t happening unless I put it on my calendar and do it religiously. Second- children – wear and tear on them and they chip easily (we didn’t go with a smooth surface). Chips aren’t easy to repair and if you are like me, you see the smallest flaw in the countertop and it drives you crazy. Third – They are porous – so don’t leave anything wet on them – if your seal isn’t good, it just seeps right into the concrete. So, if you want a flawless, smooth surface that is durable and doesn’t need maintenance – they are for you.
Now why I love them. They look awesome (if I close my right eye and avoid the chip and area with sealant peeling). I get tons of comments on how great they look. Second – they are different. I didn’t want granite or quartz so I wanted to find something that would be different for our space.
Having said all this, would I do it again? YES! With a completely different company. I am planning to have them redone by someone else sometime in the near future so I can look beyond the crappy job and start to enjoy them more. I figure if I love them more, I will take care of them more and seal them more frequently right? Good luck – I do think you will love them if you do them.
You hate the existing countertops, you are going to change them out eventually, I say go for it. This is the perfect time to experiement. One of two things can happen:
You still hate it and still replace it someday
You love it and don’t have to replace the counter after all
Since it is minimal financial output I think you should do it. Dooooooo it!
Just do it!!!!! It doesn’t cost that much, and I think they will turn out gorgeous! And just make sure you choose the right sealant to prevent staining!
We had custom concrete countertops put in our kitchen about 2 years ago and have loved them. We did have concerns/things to get used to: kids bumping heads was a big deal, learning which things cause stains- anything acidic (fruit, vegetables cut open and left on the surface), anything greasy (butter, oil, cooking spray). We did get stains but found waxing more often and just being conscientious about what we left of them and they were fine. Also, we felt like the discolorations kind of added to the character of them. I could see how people would feel strongly against them but if you love the look of them and get them done right they can be awesome. I feel like ours were super well made and think that’s the trick. Ours were done by Kingbird Design https://kingbirddesign.com/photo/modern-concrete-counters/ I would totally recommend them!
I am so glad you posted this question because my husband is currently planning on pouring some concrete countertops for us! He is an engineer and feels pretty confident about it, and I am the one who wanted to do it cause they look so cool, but I love reading all the yes/no comments here. I will be able to make an even more informed decision!
I have no personal experience with this but my friend had someone install concrete in her kitchen, after just a few months they had been cracked and staining so they replaced it with granite.
We put in concrete counters 2 years ago and they still look amazing! We acid stained them, sealed with a water based sealer and then wax them with Changs countertop wax every 6 months. The only thing that has stained is oil. I have a few spots but they really just add to the look.
Little Green Notebook DIYed some concrete countertops back in May or June of this year. She used feather finish concrete so it was really light and only took a few coats that she troweled on, and didn’t include rebar or mixing the concrete in a wheelbarrow or five gallon bucket. The finished look was so pretty and she just did it over the existing countertops. She did seal it a few times. The break down seemed super inexpensive. Hope this helps! 🙂 littlegreennotebook.blogspot.com
My husband poured our concrete countertops last year. I love them! He used a concrete sanding pad afterwards and they really shine. We have concrete floors and concrete surrounds for our drawers, so we could pour it 3 inches thick since our floors and surround could hold the weight. We live in rural Guatemala, so we used what was available which was a regular Sherman Williams floor sealer. Maybe floor sealer isn’t ideal, I don’t know, but I love my countertops. We use Carnauba Wax, which is food safe, once a month. I would highly recommend that wax! I haven’t had any stains and my kiddos use paints and every other kind of bottled mess on top of them. I spilled red food gel coloring on them soon after my husband finished them and freaked out, but it came up easily too. We haven’t had any cracks. We used a 1/2/4 ratio: 1 bag of concrete, 2 buckets of sand, 4 buckets of gravel… that probably doesn’t help at all I know. Here’s a pic anyway: https://instagram.com/p/gtLlgIRTWc/
Kara Paslay Designs uses Ardex concrete quite a bit for various projects, you might check it out with her: https://karapaslaydesigns.com/diy-ardex-concrete-countertops/
would love to hear about concrete counter tops – am too chicken to try them myself without a little more info. I am sure you will them mandilicious AND give us the deal!!! Here hoping!!
My husband just finished pouring solid concrete countertops for our kitchen and powder room. It took a ton but time but they look amazing. We used Cheng Concrete sealer and Cheng wax and polish. Ours are super shiny and don’t absorb anything. We are very happy with the Cheng sealer, if you use it. Follow the directions in the video posted on Cheng’s site. Not the instructions on the bottle. You will get streaks if you follow the bottle. Ask me how I know. 🙂 Good luck!
This morning we looked at a house that we really like but has a seriously outdated kitchen with awful laminate countertops. I thought of the Ardex tutorial I saw on Little Green Notebook and now I’m itching to buy that house and give the Ardex a try! I ditto what someone said above- if you love it, great! If not, you were going to replace them at some point anyway.
I say do it! Its better for the environment and for your wallet to at least give the old countertops a second chance!
Do it! I have a bag of Ardex sitting in my closet waiting for a good time to update my kitchen counters – 4×4 white ceramic tiles, cracked, dirty grout, bad trim piece job, etc. You don’t have anything to lose. I plan to do extra sealing and waxing but don’t mind the imperfect look if they do get “broken in”. I do plan to just do one small section of countertop between stove and fridge first so I can nail down my approach.
If you would like someone else’s house to try it out on first…I volunteer haha
I think that if you love them then go ahead and do it and if for some reason it doesn’t work out you can always change them. They are not permanent.
Are you saying its only $100 to do the concrete!?!?! If so, I saw go for it 100%. No one can deny that your projects always turn out amaze balls anyway!!
Question … well first off LOVE your blog! Okay, question: I have this same issue – oakie colored cabinets make my countertop look very peach. I want to change them (paint probably) but can’t figure out how to trick the eye so the countertops will look more tan, beige, or anything but peach. They are Corian so changing the counters is “not going to happen” (to quote the Hubs). Any suggestions? What color is going to tone down the peachfest I’ve got going on in my kitchen? I’ve got Mexican Saltillo tile flooring (also permanent) so the orange tones are overwhelming. HELP! Thank you (bows down) thank you!
Hey there girly,
Chiming in with the concrete 411. We have concrete in one of our bathrooms and I honestly would NOT do it again. We are having a whole slew of problems with them and I’m about ready to rip them out. And I even had them done professionally made and sealed. I was enamored with the beauty of them but having lived 2 years with them now they are SOOOO high maintenance. Even more high maint. than my Calcutta counters. They stain and mark up so easily. After I wipe them down I can still see evidence of markings and spots. Drives me nut-so! And then there’s the hard water marks that have totally discolored around the faucet. Gah! But we’ve got serious problems going on underneath the cabinet now too which I can’t tell is a result of the concrete or not. Our concrete cracked in a spot so water is ever so slowly seaping through. As a result it has completely rusted ALL the pipes underneath. We’re talking major bucks not to fix the problem. You might also call down to Ferguson’s or Mountainland show room (can’t remember which). I was told they installed concrete counters for one of their cooking display models (and I think they may have taught classes and demos on them). They had such issues they ended up ripping them out too. Ouch. This gal did DIY counters recently: https://mydalydesigns.blogspot.com/. You may want to pick her brain. Good luck with your decision! Michelle: http://www.4men1lady.com
Concrete counter tops sound cool, but I could not handle any staining! That would make them a no-go for me.
I have concrete countertops made by a local artisian (I’m in Wyoming.) I LOVE the look of them and we were able to customize the color, thickness, shape (we added a slight curve in front of the cooktop) and my kids even got to pick some “gems” (polished stones) to put in. I have not had any problems with staining, but I do notice slight scratches. These do buff out with wax, but I don’t do that very often. The artisian we used is Cache Fross in Lander, Wyoming… his website is https://www.culturedconcretedesigns.com/blog/
My husband made concrete countertops for our last house but they were poured into forms and were solid, so not a veneer over Formica. So I can’t necessarily speak to that method. I liked ours and we got compliments a lot. But they weren’t exactly hardy. They gained character over time that’s for sure. Right before we sold our home my husband filled in the pockmarks and rebuffed them and they looked better. So I bet if we had done that more often it would have helped. But I am not that high maintenance. I don’t know that I would do them again if I could afford something like quartz or some sort of solid surface, but for a non-permanent fix I think you could pull it off. Ours were a really dark charcoal color so that his things pretty well. A lighter color would probably be more prone to stains. My husband used a book called Concrete Countertops by Fu-Tung Cheng that told him how to do everything – except it was all about building them from scratch not veneer. But if you decide to go that route you could borrow my book! It’s still really cheap to do them that way. Anyway…good luck! I love your tile!
Mandi- I love you and your blog! I stop by every day to check in!! The subtitle of
Your blog is “Fearless DIY.” So what are you afraid of?! You have done so many fantastic DIY projects and I have every confidence that you could pull this off!! The concrete countertop would look amazing in your kitchen! My vote is to do it!!
DO NOT GET CONCRETE COUNTERS. The staining. The delamination of sealant, The STAINING. They stained from day one. Oil and acid (vinegar, wine and oh, I hope you don’t like citrus – it will irreparably damage by etching, you have to keep an eye on every errant drop). We’ve had them from a year and a half and they look 20 years old. And we don’t live like pigs. The lovely charcoal gray counters of my dreams have turned to crap before my eyes. So disappointed. If you want “patina” or “character”, go for it – but that also translates as “looks really dirty”.
We did granite counter tops in our kitchen for $300 plus another $200 for fabrication and installation. And you could do the fabrication yourself if you have the right blade. Anyway, I’m just saying that granite doesn’t have to be as expensive as you might think. We found these Chinese importers that were moving warehouses so they had their inventory on sale. I suggest saving the hassle and $100 and put it toward your counter top fund. And look for good deals in the meantime.
By the way, we did a TOTAL kitchen remodel (changed layout, new tile floors, new cabinets and hardware, granite counters, farmhouse sink, and one new appliance) for under $3,500. It can be done! But we did ALL the labor ourselves except for the granite fabrication (they threw installation for free! But installing granite is super easy).
Jenny over at Little Green Notebook did it too and it looks amazing. I say go for it! https://littlegreennotebook.blogspot.com/2013/07/diy-concrete-countertops.html
Hi Mandi,
I did a diy concrete countertop overlay a year and a half ago in two bathrooms and my kitchen. I wanted something that looked like high end marble with a lot of variance and I LOVE what I ended up with. Because of the process I needed to seal with epoxy which does scratch really easily (which I hate, so i baby it). But you can put wax over the top to help with the scratching I just haven’t gotten around to it. We are pretty hard on our countertops I have three kids under three and they sit up to my bar multiple times a day and bang cars ect. I have one little chip from my husband hitting a piece of furniture into in during our kitchen remodel. For the price and the look I would do it again in a heart beat and I have ordered all the supplies to do my mom’s and I have already done one of her bathrooms and she LOVE’s it. You can check out my countertops and my process at creatingacreator.com. Also if you are ever in Salt Lake Area and want to check it out in person I live in Bountiful and would love to show it to you.
We had poured concrete countertops in black in our old home. I loved them! We noticed pretty early that they were not sealed properly; they were peeling I guess the clear coat of the sealant. Anyway, we had someone come in and put a think coat of concrete on, seal them properly, and they were as good as new. We have granite in our new home (who doesn’t, right?), but I really miss the unique quality of the concrete. I’d go for it!
DIY concrete countertops have been on my list for years. I chickened out for the counters and went with quartz which I adore. But the bathrooms will get the concrete, I just know it!
Mandy, I wish Apartment Therapy would post articles just because I wondered out loud about something. You lucky duck!
https://www.apartmenttherapy.com/inspiration-installation-and-maintenance-the-complete-guide-to-concrete-countertops-197069
Did you see this article on apartment therapy today? All about concrete counters!
https://www.apartmenttherapy.com/inspiration-installation-and-maintenance-the-complete-guide-to-concrete-countertops-197069
My concern is the leeching of the concrete chemicals and minerals into your food supply. We have always been told to not store our food storage directly on the concrete, but put a barrier between food cans and the concrete. I just wonder how safe they are? All the sealers and chemicals involved in making them stain-proof cannot be good for your food.
We have solid concrete counters in the kitchen. They were stained with a concrete stain product and have a variation in color. They are not smooth but have a textured finish to them. Not so much that anything wobbles on them though. In the three years we have lived here, and as much use they’ve had (my husband is a great cook but a very messy one; even making coffee means spilled coffee every morn!), we have not stained the counters in any way. There are no cracks but the beveled edges are rather rough; don’t like that. I do prefer a glossy, smooth kitchen counter for cleanliness reasons. I want to see any spills or drips and they are hidden on our counters. Ours has a matte finish, so upon reading about concrete counters and the need to re-seal them regularly, I am thinking I might try a glossy sealer. I say go for it. $100 is a relatively small investment until you have the cash to get what you want. And you might end up not even doing any major overhaul later, if you love the concrete!
Hi Mandi! I’m a recent follower and really love your style! Come decorate my house!!
So I actually sell concrete countertops! (Meld USA, here in NC and 74% recycled glass aggergate) They are used a lot in kitchens and are a great choice. You are correct that the sealer is what will determine how stain resistant they will be. Concrete is a porous material so that has to be sealed up to prevent staining. It is good to know however that the sealer CAN be damaged – if you leave something acidic on your surface like lemon juice or red wine that could damage the sealer and leave your surface exposed – so be careful with those items. (only if left on the surface for an extended period of time) The sealer that we recommend is called ICT Counter-Hard and First Seal combination by Innovative Concrete Technologies. You can buy it at https://www.blueconcrete.com. In theory you should only have to have this process done once!! I am speaking from the perspective of the material that I know (Meld) and not sure how it would work with other concrete surfaces but I would imagine well.
Best of luck
I’m just seeing this post but I wanted to share that we did concrete countertops in our kitchen last year! You can see them here https://www.runtoradiance.com/2013/01/11/sealing-concrete-countertops/
I really, really love them. We made them extra thick and they are gray and imperfect and perfect. BUT I will say hey are impossible to keep from staining. We have little oil splatters around our cooktop, and a few water rings and some wine spots, but that doesn’t really bother me too much. They tell you to re-seal them every 6 months but I would recommend every 2-3. So there is definitely maintenance but worth it! 🙂
This website details how “SunsetSammy” tested all of the sealers:
https://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/kitchbath/msg022051331658.html
after reading this, I don’t think concrete counters are not a good choice for putting in for a rental unit. I don’t want to have to educate tenants on upkeep…. esp. since they won’t.
I was thinking of doing this to make countertops. Just wondering if you decided to do it or not?