Concrete Countertop Facts
Concrete is the new unique trend hitting the kitchen design industry? It is being used for kitchen and bathroom countertop designs in many high-end homes. The video below tells the facts about using concrete for countertops.
Popular design trends spread like wild fire. Once enough homeowners like a trendy item, practically every home or business in America has a touch of it. You’d have to be camping out under a boulder not to notice that marble is at every turn. It seems like everyone either wants or has a designer marble top. For our benifit, this is not the case with cement counters, not just yet anyway.
Granite is stunning, but you know, more so than not you just need a change. Concrete is a wonderful way to spin things up a little.
The best way to get reputable information about concrete counter-tops is by visiting a manufacture’s faculty.
Here are a few facts we pulled from the video:
- Custom cement kitchen tops are heat resistant-You can put a hot pan on concrete within acceptable limits. At some point, if the pot is hot enough you can burn the surface. It’s best to use hot plates. Why take chances if you don’t have to.
- Cement tops are extremely hard-They actually are just one step below granite on the hardness scale. Solid or real marble is number eight and cement counters have been rated in the number seven position on the scale.
- They are soft-Fabricators call these “the rub stones” because once you start rubbing them-you cannot stop.
What Problems Do People Have With Concrete Contertops
There’s a long list of things that can go wrong with concrete. Some of the problems include cracking, staining, warping, twisting, and shrinkage. The key to overcoming the possibility of these potential problems is found in hiring the right company for the job.
Here are a few important questions that you can ask a kitchen or bathroom concrete countertop fabricator.
- How long have they been building decorative concrete counters?
- Who have they done work for?
- Ask to speak with previous customers or if the company has testimonials on hand.
- What are their guarantees? Do they warrant against cracking, staining, chipping and discoloration?
- Can you come and see the product as it is being made?
- Do you have a showroom? A showroom is very valuable. This will really display what the fabricators are capable of building and the options they have readily available. The company should be able to help customers decide what they want through showing them colors, shapes and styles. There should be hands-on design options for the customers to see and touch.
Is there anything good about concrete countertops?
There are a lot of benefits to having these tops. They are sterile, easy to clean, functional and very durable.
Can concrete countertops be repaired if anything were to happen to them?
A professional cement countertop fabricator should be able to repair damaged areas without any difficulty or resistance. The original fabricator would save the formula and color design specifications. Most repairs can be done in the business or residence where the tops are installed.
Should the concrete kitchen counters be made in the home, business or in the shop?
It is always preferred that the concrete countertops be fabricated in the manufacture’s plant. This is called precast concrete. The countertop fabrication process is very messy. There are also special machines that help get air pockets out of cement. You have a much more controlled environment in the manufacturer’s plant. Countertops cannot be poured and finished to a soft smooth finish in the business or residence that they get installed in. Shop fabrication is the preferred location.
How are concrete countertops made?
Templates are made of the kitchen or bathroom area where the tops will be installed and taken back to the shop to be used as a pattern for making the forms for the cement to be poured into.
- Templates are made of the kitchen or bathroom area where the tops will be installed and taken back to the shop to be used as a pattern for making the forms for the cement to be poured into.
- The cement is mixed in the mixer and custom color tints are added during this part of the development process.
- Once the ingredients are thoroughly blend together, it gets poured into the custom mold and a vibrator works efficiently to get all of the air pockets out.
- The top then gets flipped over and the finishing and sealing process is done.
With limitless color selections, custom fabricated cement counters can be formed and shaped exactly how you want them. It is a poured material, so you can get almost whatever you want. You can add slatted-sloped drain boards, soap dish impressions, integral or under-mount kitchen or bathroom sinks . The options are only limited by your budget, ideas and creativity.
The facts about concrete countertops, they are one hundred percent completely customizable to your tastes, wants, needs and desires. They actually have their own unique DNA so to speak. You won’t come across another one like your anywhere.
Check with your local fabricator to get more facts about how they would fabricate, design, install and warrant your cement countertops. These are sturdy, customizable, durable and highly unique options for kitchen or bathroom countertops.