Concrete countertop in the interior: stylish, simple and durable

Tabletops made of MDF and chipboard have gained great popularity. This is due to their low cost, external attractiveness and ease of installation. However, they are not durable.

That's why a concrete countertop is much more practical. They are more durable and you can make such a structure yourself.

A concrete countertop is durable, pricey and unique. If you follow the recommendations during the construction, you will get a reliable and durable product. Concrete is a material that is practically not affected by external negative influences.

Financial costs are small. Externally, the product is similar to a marble countertop. And if it is necessary to implement an original interior, it is recommended to make a similar design. It will be a single copy, made taking into account individual parameters.

DIY Concrete Countertop — A DIY concrete countertop is an original, inexpensive, stylish product that will decorate your kitchen

Various elements are suitable for decorating a concrete slab, including coins, glass, and social tape with LEDs. When the material hardens, all decorative details will be exposed to liquid. Therefore, choose moisture-resistant elements.

You can add decorative elements to your taste. — During the process of making concrete mortar, you can add decorative elements to your taste.

If you plan to decode with photographs, they are first sealed in a special film. Therefore, the key advantages of a concrete countertop are:

long service life;
practicality, reliability;
the ability to select an individual design;
low financial costs;
You can do it yourself.

Kitchen countertop made of concrete is subject to restoration — Kitchen countertops made of concrete can be restored, they can be sanded and coated with a fresh layer of protective agent, after which the concrete work surface will look like new.

We decide on the design and construction: (what types of products there are, what to choose depending on needs, what is easier and what is more difficult to manufacture, etc.)

Kitchen design using concrete — This type of kitchen arrangement solves a number of problems at once: durability, price and uniqueness

There are several methods of working with concrete design. They are reflected in the table.

Methods	Description
Method 1	Using white ingredients to obtain a snow-white material. There are various pigments that allow you to achieve a certain shade. The range of the palette is not wide, but you can turn the design into a product of a beautiful tone.
Method 2	Add a filler such as natural stones, shells, glass to the solution. This option allows you to show your imagination. It is recommended to consult with a designer so that the desired idea turns out beautiful and fits into the interior.
Method 3	Inlay of the product with valuable wood species. Concrete and wood are a perfect match.

The described options for decorating a concrete countertop will allow you to create an original and high-quality ensemble.

When designing a product, it is important to consider the dimensions — When designing a product, it is important to take into account the dimensions of the future tabletop; if the weight in finished form is quite large, it is worth dividing the product into several parts.

The completion of the design can be achieved in several ways.

Milk of cement. On the vertical part there are streaks and spots of a whitish shade.
Deep grinding to sand. The surface structure is granular. Quartz grains are visible.

The main advantage of a concrete countertop is that it will be a fairly powerful, durable, long-lasting work surface with a fairly unique appearance.

Content

Necessary materials
Necessary tools
Manufacturing process: step-by-step instructions
The final stage is decoration
Video: Concrete Countertop
50 Best Concrete Countertop Ideas for Kitchens:

Necessary materials

To increase the strength of the structure, it is recommended to place a metal reinforcing frame in the solution. Therefore, you should prepare a steel wire with a diameter of 3 mm. The mesh will be made from it later. Knitting wire is used for this. To secure the frame, take self-tapping screws.

The solution is poured into the formwork. It will require a sheet of moisture-resistant plywood with a thickness of at least 12 cm. It will become the base. Laminated chipboard will do.

You can use ready-made building mixtures to fill the countertop. — To fill the countertop, you can use ready-made building mixtures or make the mixture yourself.

Choose only materials with high strength. Even the slightest distortion will affect the concrete structure.

To make a concrete countertop of the required thickness, you need to use boards with a cross-section of 50x30 mm. And several wooden beams with dimensions of 50x50 mm. If you plan to install a sink in the product, then you should make a hole for the mixer. Be sure to buy a suitable plastic pipe.

Pre-fired broken glass can be used — To give the tabletop a spectacular appearance, you can also use pre-fired broken glass, including multi-colored ones.

Necessary tools

For making concrete countertops — To make a concrete countertop you will need tools and equipment

To make a concrete structure with your own hands, you should prepare the required tools:

shovel;
spatula;
buckets;
trowel;
a special mixer if you plan to mix a small volume, or a concrete mixer for large-sized work.

To assemble the formwork, you need to use a screwdriver and a saw. Place pliers, a pencil, a special level and a ruler nearby. To measure the parameters of the future product, you will need a tape measure.

Manufacturing process: step-by-step instructions

Instructions for making a table top — Detailed photo instructions for making a tabletop

Making a concrete countertop involves following these steps:

Creating a drawing. This is a must. It will help you make the structure accurately. Therefore, it is important to carefully measure the space where you plan to install the product with the tabletop. If you plan to place it in a corner, you need to align it at 90 degrees. Then it will be easier to install the structure, and the work itself will be of higher quality. Use a tape measure to measure the space.
Example of a concrete kitchen countertop drawing with a built-in sink and hob
Preparing the formwork. You need to install a sheet of plywood on a horizontal surface, it must be level. Transfer the data applied to the drawing to the plywood surface. At the edges, install the boards on the edge. The concrete solution will exert strong pressure on the walls of the formwork. Therefore, it is important to secure it tightly. To do this, use bars or metal corners. The first option is secured at the corners of the product.
Formwork for pouring concrete countertops
Making a hole for the sink. If required. The workflow depends on the sink model. If it is an overhead version, then you should take the sink and place it upside down on the sheet and draw a line along the edge. Then measure the width of the edge. With a built-in model, you should draw an outline along the edge. The bars are installed along the resulting lines, subsequently secured with screws.
Erection of the reinforcing frame. It looks like a grid, the cells of which are 25x25 mm in size. You need to step back 25 mm from the sheet and from the edges. Place a polyethylene film in the formwork. Wrap its edges onto the board. Remove all folds. The film should lie in an even layer.
Increasing load-bearing capacity with a steel frame
Installation work with a supporting structure. The frame is made separately, then inserted in place or assembled directly in the formwork. For fastening, choose self-tapping screws. The installation height is 25 mm. Self-tapping screws must be screwed into the plywood sheet over the entire area, keeping a distance of 25 mm. To align the caps, use a ruler and a level. Afterwards, you can screw pieces of wire to the self-tapping screws. At the intersections, everything is fastened with knitting wire material.
The installation of the supporting structure can be done separately and then installed on site.
Processing of joints. For this, a sealant is used. Carefully process everything so that the cracks and gaps are filled.
Processing joints between formwork elements with sealant
Concreting. There are several methods for pouring concrete mixture. In the first case, the formwork is completely covered. In the second method, concreting occurs layer by layer. If you choose the first option, you need to mix cement with clean river sand, large aggregate such as marble chips and water in the ratio of 1:2:4:0.5, respectively. First, the liquid and cement are combined until the so-called milk is formed. Then the remaining components are mixed in. It is important to mix everything thoroughly.
Pouring and uniform distribution of concrete over the entire area of the formwork
Preparing the solution for the face layer. You will need a solution containing fine sand without fillers. Add a little less water than in the previous version. If you are not sure that you will get a high-quality solution, it is better to buy a ready-made mixture. The resulting mass is poured to half or a third of the total height of the formwork. Do not wait for it to dry.
The main layer. After half an hour, you can proceed to this stage. After pouring, the surface is covered with a film. Leave it for a day. Then remove it and place several pieces of wet fabric on top. After 2 days, the formwork is dismantled.
The pouring itself can be done in two ways: layer by layer and as a single monolith.
If no decor was used, then the front side is sanded. Instead of a grinder, take a grinding machine. First take a coarse-grained circle, then change to a fine-grained one. You can polish the surface with a felt circle.
Grinding a concrete slab for the kitchen

The final stage is decoration

A special pigment is added to the mixture — To make the countertop look like marble, granite or any other shade other than gray, a special pigment (colorant) is added to the mixture.

To increase the originality of the product, the concrete surface can be decorated. This should be done at the stage of pouring the mixture. The front part should be designed correctly and harmoniously.

Giving a marble spill — To create a marble spill, the dye must be mixed with water and then added to the solution.

Most often, broken glass and beads are used for decoration. You can make a pattern out of wire. All this is laid on a polyethylene film.

Decorative elements in the form of coins, shells, pebbles must be placed on the bottom of the formwork before pouring the solution into the mold and secured with transparent glue.

The decor is fixed with glue. This will allow the elements to stay in place. You can use photographs that are pre-wrapped in a special moisture-resistant film.