How to Build Custom Concrete Countertops | Ask This Old House
Vložit
- čas přidán 10. 02. 2016
- This Old House host Kevin O'Connor learns how to create concrete kitchen counters. (See below for a shopping list and tools.)
SUBSCRIBE to This Old House: bit.ly/SubscribeThisOldHouse
Shopping List for How to Build Custom Concrete Countertops:
- Latex gloves [amzn.to/2ZVP0rG], worn while mixing and working concrete
- 1/4-inch plywood [amzn.to/2vDvFgS], for making template of counters
- Hot-melt glue sticks [amzn.to/2VH9Sng], for glue gun [amzn.to/2VJe85E]
- Melamine-faced particleboard [amzn.to/2LojMpO], for building the concrete form
- Silicone sealant [amzn.to/2J0DwxF], to seal inside corner joints on the form
- Beeswax [amzn.to/2vyeopw], for lubricating the inside of the form
- 3/8-inch-diameter plastic dowel [amzn.to/2LiP816], used to smooth the silicone
- Sand [amzn.to/2Wktc6M], cement [amzn.to/2WniWKW], polymer [amzn.to/2H0aJqW], and powdered pigment [amzn.to/2H2Bxag], mixed to create concrete
- Acetone [amzn.to/2ZU2R1J] and clean rags [amzn.to/2IVcs35], for cleaning the form
- Stone aggregate, used to add bits of color to the countertop
- Glass fibers [amzn.to/2GUINn9], added to strengthen the concrete
- 1-inch-thick polystyrene foam [amzn.to/2PK1L3X], used to fill concrete form
- 1x3 furring strips [amzn.to/2VaZZia] and 1 5/8-inch screws [amzn.to/2VLBk3d], for holding down the polystyrene foam
- 80-, 100- and 220-grit abrasive disks [amzn.to/2GYhKse], for random-orbit sander [amzn.to/2vAaJaC]
- Concrete sealer [amzn.to/2vCFSuc], to seal countertop
- Steel wool [amzn.to/2VdbiGO], for applying concrete sealer
- Construction adhesive [amzn.to/2vEYrO5], to adhere counter to cabinets
Tools List for How to Build Custom Concrete Countertops:
- Hot-melt glue gun [amzn.to/2VJe85E], to assemble plywood template
- Table saw [amzn.to/2VIf1LJ] and miter saw [amzn.to/2ZW835e], for ripping and crosscutting melamine-faced particleboard
- Caulking gun [amzn.to/2JaUh8T], to apply silicone sealant [amzn.to/2J0DwxF]
- Dust mask [amzn.to/2UYRQID] and safety goggles [amzn.to/2H00tiv], to wear when mixing and dry-sanding concrete
- 1/2-inch electric drill [amzn.to/2UR4vxf] with mixing paddle [amzn.to/2GVN6yE], to blend concrete
- Wet/dry vacuum [amzn.to/2IXGhQq], for removing dust and dirt
- Air sprayer [amzn.to/2GTVcaZ] and compressor [amzn.to/2VdpDTD], to spray concrete into the form
- Hand roller [amzn.to/2YasPMN], for compacting concrete
- Utility knife [amzn.to/2PJvJVz], to cut polystyrene foam
- Cordless drill [amzn.to/2UR4vxf]
- Right-angle grinder [amzn.to/2VKgEse] with diamond-impregnated cut wheel [amzn.to/2ZVPrlG], to smooth the cured concrete
- Pry bar [amzn.to/2USuhBl], for removing the polystyrene foam
- Hammer [amzn.to/2ZTYvYy] and chisel [amzn.to/2IZ6xd7], to tap apart the particleboard form
- Sanding block [amzn.to/2LvaAzU], for rounding over sharp corners on the countertop
- Wide-blade putty knife [amzn.to/2Y6dUmy], to free countertop from form
- Wet grinder with pad [amzn.to/2H1hS9s], for smoothing countertop surface
- Random-orbit sander [amzn.to/2vAaJaC], to smooth the countertop
Looking for more step by step guidance on how to complete projects around the house? Join This Old House INSIDER to stream over 1,000 episodes commercial-free: bit.ly/2GPiYbH
Plus, download our FREE app for full-episode streaming to your connected TV, phone or tablet:
bit.ly/34RYEP5
Follow This Old House and Ask This Old House:
Facebook: bit.ly/ThisOldHouseFB
Twitter: bit.ly/ThisOldHouseTwitter
bit.ly/AskTOHTwitter
Pinterest: bit.ly/ThisOldHousePinterest
Instagram: bit.ly/ThisOldHouseIG
bit.ly/AskTOHIG
For more on This Old House and Ask This Old House, visit us at: bit.ly/ThisOldHouseWebsite
How to Build Custom Concrete Countertops | Ask This Old House
/ thisoldhouse - Jak na to + styl
Such a gorgeous book - each shed is unique and inspiring, and I love all the tiny details Kotite features to help readers imagine how to create their own She Sheds czcams.com/users/postUgkxe9yi0sulKgsp0VJJCIrLWWkvVqcU7LFR . The feature on Dinah's Rustic Retreat is like something from a fairy tale. It's really inspiring to see how creative all these ordinary people are in making beautiful and useful spaces on a modest scale.
Kevin: This guy put some sea shells in his counter top
Richard: From the seashore
lol
What a fantastic show. I’ve watched this on PBS since I was about 10 years old. Still top notch.
Really loved that. Reminds me a lot of the terrazzo floors laid in supermarkets while I worked in the refrigeration industry. Super tough like complexly textured marble.
Who'd knew you'd be an TOH fan!
Heck I know this guy from Friday nights.
Very cool to see the old way of doing this. I am so glad modern process is done easier and in place on the cabinets. but it is always nice to see the old way of doing things.
Can you link the updated technique?
@@Herr2Cents Absolutely. use modern supplies and do it in place. Tons of videos on youtube with how to do it the modern way. Nobody does it this way anymore as casting in place is so much easier. Search for DIY concrete countertops and start watching.
This gave me so much validation to the process that I do. So many videos of people making countertops skip the finishing part with filling air bubbles. I slurry the surface the same way. Typically I wet the surface first before I slurry to make sure I get a good bond of the slurry to the existing piece. I do float my pours... yes heavier but so much easier and faster but I don't have issues with the fiberglass showing through.
This is a pretty advanced diy with all the special tools.
Good vid...... Hmmmmm.... I did one....years ago. Still looks sharp as can be. I used less, paid less and I did it with a person who had 55 years (give or take) of experience + my 5 months (give or take). A lil thicker, polished and personalised it. Thanks Dad for the help, ideas and everything else you brought to the table.
When dry grinding concrete, you should use a positive pressure HEPA filtered respirator. A standard dust mask will not stop the respirable particles between 0.1 and 5 microns that cause silicosis. Wet cutting/grinding eliminated respirable crystalline silica and is the best way to cut/grind concrete. The insidious nature of silicosis makes it particularly problematic. Symptoms may not become noticeable for 30 years after exposure. Even "accelerated silicosis" takes up to 10 years before symptoms require medical care. If you can see abrasively cut concrete dust in the air, you are being exposed to respirable crystalline silica. Crystalline silica was moved to the Group 1 Carcinogen list (same as asbestos) back in 1997 but has gotten very little attention. Legislation to improve OSHA regulations have been blocked by the concrete industry.
Thanks for the info.
whooa thats some scary shit
ill need to double check all my ppe so it meets all standards
OSHA is cracking down, we had to get our silica certificate.
Ron Reiserer thanks mom
Ron Reiserer
Thanks for the reminder Ron. Someone I know has this. He was in the concrete construction industry for 73 years and the symptoms/health issues came out of nowhere last year....
It would have been nice to see how they laid out the sink and took care of the sink hole in the counter top.
Thanks for your time making this vid. I agree with some of the comments about fiberglass in the top layer but for the most part I learned a lot and I am grateful to people who share their time and experience for the benefit of others. For everyone with negative comments, where are your vids? I would like to critique them as well...
This was some of the most hilarious concrete work ive ever seen. Thx
To everyone complaining about pouring in layers and rolling...The MOST important part of rolling the layers is actually to help the fibers lay flat. It's not mentioned in the video. If you just pour in one shot, fibers will be oriented all over the place, where the vertical ones won't do much. Like rebar, it's the horizontal fibers that are adding most of the strength.
Good call!
Concreto
Read this article from a certified engineer. www.concretedecor.net/decorativeconcretearticles/vol-11-no-8-novdec-2011/success-with-concrete-countertops-how-should-you-reinforce-your-countertop/
Its not even concrete by definition it has no aggregate other than what he sprinkled in.. Its a mortar counter top
So you would not use FRC in footing or foundation pours?
No beer, no BBQ, no nachos. I would not accept any invitation from this guy.
The the last minutes of the show 13:45 are much more inspirational, than all previous.
messy preparation.. but worth it in the end... i like this.. thanks for sharing my friend.. i will make one like this...
14:30 "sment" -I was waiting the whole episode for that.
13:13 Memorized the hell out of that script.
metallitech he did it on purpose. I know him personally and that old guy was annoying them
Audra Clementine how was he at all annoying?
metallitech "And I'll take care of the sink and backsplash later off!"
"CUT! Dammit Leto, it's later ON for the fifth and final time!"
"Sorry guys, I had a bad day. My beard hair isn't in symbiosis with my head hair today. I have to visit the sound healer again tomorrow."
Luke Robin really? give us a story, was he constantly saying cut or something lmao
lmao funny
I like the glass and sea shells! awesome!
These are so cool. I could watch all day
8:30 "Sometimes I leave rigid foam in, but I think it's a cleaner look if we take it out." Even though nobody is going to look at the bottom of the countertop when it's installed. lol.
Not sure I could put that much labor into a countertop that is virtually impossible to keep stain free even with sealers applied on a continual basis but it is intriguing.
Wax around the edges, fiberglass peels, paint rolling, all new steps for me, so I was thinking that I knew everything about concrete counters....🤓 thanks for sharing.
Looks amazing
Amazing video. For the DIY guy, or gal, you could have a sweet counter top that is a cool, chic and very modern at a fraction of the cost of anything else since it's all labor. Additionally, you get bragging rights when your guests are amazed at your handy work. Win/win situation in my opinion. Besides, who's afraid of a little work?
A lot of people on here are. I think they look good.
Fred Flinstone would be happy with this counter top ;)
Unfortunately, Fred never had an inkling of any of the tools used here, except maybe his hands!
Good work and very nice result! Best regards Frank
Just a word of advice: I have done concrete restoration (decorative overlay over repaired and ground, or new concrete)... If you're going to grind concrete dry, those painter's masks are less than useless. Lose the beard, go to Lowes, and get a proper, tight fitting face mask. That is, if you wish to continue breathing afterward. I know. That dust is deadly. Now, for the actual job done above, I'd like to try that. The initial spray keeps bubbles to a minimum, and the layers with the fiber reminds me of how they make surfboards, in laminated layers. here's something we tried: Go to the pet department, fish stuff. Get that colored gravel. Use that for the aggregate sprinkled onto the initial layer. Another idea: embedded fiber optic , ends against the melimine, in organized bundles, to a light source. Polish the top. Flip the switch, and... the sky is the limit.
9:53 lol hits the side of the countertop with the hammer when he misses the shim and leaves a mark.
Shouldn't matter because that side goes against the wall.
dang I missed that! lol
Pastor Erez Talshahar / Altar at Bethel Church yes. But I’d always know...
This is one of if not the best GFRC instruction videos I've seen on youtube. Very simple and easy to follow. And all of the steps were clear. Very good job.now I'm gonna do my kitchen tops lol
I am looking for that look of a thick overhang, an appearance of having a 5inch thick countertop for a firepit table. This is the best video I have seen to make it look like that without actually using all that cement. Now just trying to figure out all the cuts I need to make to have a rectangular in the center where the fire will be coming out. Thanks for a great video
Good video. A lot of good decisions there. You make a good team. Keep it up!!
seems a bit redundant to worry about the spray finish only to cover it up with a thin layer at the end.
There's a huuuuge difference when you spray vs when you don't.
A plant really? I didnt spray mines but came out looking better than his
The "thin layer" was to fill small holes created by air bubbles. It eventually gets sanded off.
This is nothing more than a way for them to relive kinder garden hand painting without anyone dissing them for it.
😂🤣😂😎
That's why you're poor.
11:33 Why not use a finishing trowel. You need less material and you have to sand a lot less.
excellent job. True artisan. I build custom furniture, next kitchen i do which might be my own will have concrete tops.
8:42 What a beautiful sound!!!!
“Still a do it yourself project or not?”
“Well it’s a lot of work but it looks great”
“.. ok. So still a do it yourself project or not?”
"Thanks guys"
Rob Luke
Yes, still a do it yourself project.
Imagine accidently dropping it after all that work.
Ron H everything is a do it yourself project, if you’re brave enough. But you clearly didn’t get the joke.
I've seen this done with a vibrating table. It gets all the air bubbles out without having to use the slurry after.
I was wondering about that, even if they didn't have a vibrating table some use the side of a drill, the knobbly chuck bit, all around the form.
they like to things the long way, but it did look pretty cool, just way to labour intensive.
+Maxid1 pro shops do use vibrating tables....too costly for the DIYer, but far superior results with less effort and superior strength. Locally a professionally-made concrete counter can easily cost $10-15k+. However, folks who complain that $300 is too much for a DIY version aren't the target market.
Joe Martins
All you need is a motor with a cam attached to it. It doesn't cost much. You can use an electric sander.
+Maxid1 Or just use self vibrating concrete with glasfiber reinforcements.
You could even tap the form with a hammer or like above, use a drill with a wobbly ting. If you have a powerful vibrating dildo that works too :)
All in all it was a great video, i got inspiration from it :D
+Maxid1 i've thought about vibrating either!
Incredible job
Enjoyed this video so much!
I love this video!! I plan on making my own exposed glass counter top. This video will help me out a lot!! Thanks.
how bout use the release agent on ALL contacting surfaces, specifically the foam form? Vibration to remove air bubbles prevents fill labor.
Wow this is a lot of work
Love this show, you are the best!!!!!!!!
This is quite a nice technique - but I might have used foam a few mm shallower than the final thickness and then done a final screed layer so it looked neater from the bottom and didnt need grinding flat
Great video! What kind of concrete sealer was used in this video??
This was very helpful, thanks.
I've done similar work with liquid resin plastic constructing accent furniture pieces. it can be fun, but takes patience and experience.
Hi, pls what kind of sealer exactly is that you are using?
7:58 Kevin picks up hammer to test strength. Hahah!
I flinched at that moment. No, Kevin no! 🤣
Awesome look
Terrific craftsmen!
these guys making this job alot harder than it needs to be 😒
lorry geewhizzbang Just you.
They made it much more complicated. It is usually done with less steps. Still, it's not worth it.
@@tombryan1 Care to explain? Why I'm asking: I was thinking of a concrete countertop for myself.
You are correct, that was actually a embarrassing pour. Way to much work afterwords to make it decent.
It seems like extra steps but it’s actually way better quality.
Really cool I wish these guys would come and do my counter tops.
Did a small sample this, now to do the whole kitchen!!!!!
Now that is smart , going to do it thanks
Lol @7:59 Kevin just picks up a hammer and starts hitting it...
Yeah, that was funny. I could feel the contractor puckering his sphincter.
I almost died
No mold release on the foam? and no vibration or vacuum to pull the air bubbles out?
Mike Guitar - They didn't do enough prep work with the foam... even just letting waste concrete set on top of it. Even the glass fibres being so close to the surface is just wrong. Better to just use concrete and finish with an epoxy coating.
Sounds right. It's 'been too long since I watched this so I don't remember what's going on, lol, but thanks for the reply!
Mike Guitar. if you was listening instead of planning to write your rediculas comment you would have known that the rollers was compacting and getting the air bubbles out
I's so rediculas!
Mike Guitar you look mahvulous
Best TOH tutorial to date. Thanks for posting!
+Pete Brown
good to see you here, pete...away from computers :)
8:01 Thats what she said
looks like grave in kitchen
Good idea. I`m off to make some Popcorn and watch the Goldbergs. Thanks for sharing.
Cory's a real go-getter!
Being this labor-intensive, it had to be an expensive counter-top, then they leave some cheapo $50 stove in place from the second-hand store!
My parents had the same range that they got as a wedding present in 1968 until they passed in 16' and 17'.
The same 1960's dryer that came with the house too. They're simple machines so he just fixed it when it broke. I have had the same dryer for 15 years. It was free and broken when I got it.
@@MMGJ10 yeah, the guy's going for a certain look here. Not sure if concrete is needed, but it certainly doesn't hurt. Most people would have gutted that kitchen and replaced it all with crappy modern looking plastic and particle board with space-age appliances and dramatic lighting. I appreciate this guy's aesthetic. That stove can be kept going forever.
neat video, the mid running advert ruined it though
I do like that peel method for cleaning up the silicon. That's seems better than taping.
Thanks guys
Well, I think these would be great as a workshop countertop or something like that, but NONE of these materials are rated for food contact I'm sure, and who knows what the "sealer" is. The only advantage these countertops seem to offer vs. marble, quartz, or granite is that they can be made perfectly seamless. Otherwise they seem like a whole lot more work.
Respectfully, what do you think is in granite, quartz and various natural stones that makes it much more food safe?
When the guy was handling all that glass flake with his bare hands I cringed
wou, que video para mas genial, en serio, ahora veo los multiples usos del microcemento, espero poder aplicarlo pronto en alguna construccion, de hecho es un acabado muy organico y sencillo con gran resultado :)
Loved the video. Thank you :)
I've seen armatures on youtube do it more easily and efficiently and get a better result with waaaay less work.
What's an armature?
Mark OnTheBlueRidge perfect reply...
Mark OnTheBlueRidge You’re awesome
I don't like that the glass fiber shows through on this... eeeww.
dequinox But who doesn’t like fiberglass in their food?! Lol
The fiberglass is re-fi reinforcement-fiber. Instead, the other option is re-bar; reinforcement iron bars and that won't show cuz it's buried in the slab.
They sprayed the concrete first so this wouldn't happen but obviously didn't do a thick enough layer or pushed the "lifts"(lol he kept calling layers of concrete "lifts" it's nonsense) too hard into the first layer without the fiber. It shouldn't have showed.
Luckily, it's not yours! I would probably use re-bar or something similar, myself.
@@Allbbrz The glass fibres are not supposed to show, that's the whole point of spraying a face coat with NO fibres in it, but they screwed it up...
Vibrating the mold would save so much time!
Awesome video guys. Well done 😉✅
Noooooo! Why ruin the beautiful smooth surface exposing ugly aggregate! 😫😫 Ah well, to each is own I guess. Great job, guys!
would it be easier to use a putty knife and scrape off the excess cement before it dries to eliminate so much grinding?
M Malsam ...yes. yes it would. they are novice
Yes. I just did this myself first time. So much grinding cause I forgot to do this. duh.
True. Thats why there is more sanding then necessary lol.
Corey's ponytail is fantastic
Wow! Amazing!!
Note:
Counter top "thickness" or edge can be 1.25" 1.5" and even 2" like in the video. BE SURE TO CHECK THIS! If you try and replace a countertop that's 1.25" with a 2" edge you will not be able to open your top drawers or doors on the cabinets because of the lip that normally hides the contact point between the countertop and the cabinets. However in this video the countertop did not have this because it was compensated with the overhang to the countertop. The standard for most cabinets have an overall depth of 24" with an overhang of 1" leaving most people with a 25" deep countertop in most cases THIS CAN EFFECT HOW YOUR APPLIANCES OPEN, so be sure to check that as well. If there is no overhang on your countertop it will look bad because then you can see the countertop meeting with the cabinets.
Your welcome.
All that work to replace the beautiful wood butcher block counter. SMH.... Shame
Exactly what I was thinking.
Joe Arrowood it's actually marlite I seen this episode when it aired
great painting
Looks great! I might have used silicone spray lubricant or even cooking spray on the forms/ foam to get it apart easier. Also I wonder if they added a curb afterwards since it wasn't scribed to the wall.
There are much easier ways with better results.
+jay west now would be the perfect time to point out the "easier ways" with "better results". For a DIYer with minimal experience, equipment and budget, the advice in the video is spot on. It doesn't get much easier than that.
I do think they should have taken another 30 seconds to show that molding available at any lumber supply shop attached to the inside of the form can be used to create professional-looking edge contours.
+jay west yeah like not doing it yourself and buying one instead, right..
+Joe Martins keep a foam form inside between two layers of concrete to make it lighter. it's multiple inches thick concrete, don't need fiber glass reinforcement. take your orbital sander to the side of the form and use it to vibrate your form to remove air bubbles.
mine was only 3ft by 6 ft square but still, seems a lot easier then what they did.....
@@heehaw316 The reinforcement is to help mitigate future cracking if I am not mistaken. That is how I have seen it explained in other videos.
those counters look great but it's so labour intensive it must cost a fortune for a concrete counter instead of granite or something you just buy does anyone agree?
that pure white concrete countertop looks sheek. I will work on that. if you really want to make one..first work on a small square concrete countertop. get an idea what it takes to make one. the only issue is the waiting game..for it to completely dry and harden
+adrian bourke Concrete is cheaper than Granite and gives a much more consistent pattern. We just finished our Kitchen and were quoted $75/ft2 for Concrete and the cheapest Granite was $90/ft2 not a huge savings. 90% of the cost is pure labor, so if you make it yourself it's super cheap
+linkinprk1981 hi I really like the job but here in ireland you can buy faux granite or other type counters for smaller money again I'm not knocking the job just thought it was quite labour intensive thanks for the feedback it's ten years since I done any work in the States hope to come back soon
+linkinprk1981 well congrats on the kitchen. and yeah labor is where all the money is. that's where they get your hard earned money
+faheemthedream2007 Way to much labor. Agree
I will go at Lowe’s ASAP
Awsome job 👍
'We did such a terrible job we're now going to cover the entire counter with a coat of cement to hide it all'...lol..
🤣
Wow nothing like adding 3 extra steps to a job that should be straight forward!
Nice work, turned out really nice.
I don't consider this method to be a DIY project.
Has the show ever done a pour-in-place countertop?
Fantastic
This Old House features a lot of people who spend a great deal of time fixing their own mistakes. Grinding two days too late rather than screeding on time, Patching honeycombs rather than vibrating, etc. Fiber mesh visible on the exposed surface? Not a good idea in the long term.
I agree. Ive done concrete work all my life, talk about working two times harder then you need to, also grinding back down so far that you see the fiber mesh, well that is just stupid. and these guys you have rolling the air out and scaping the side walls of your form kinda defeat the purpose of the top coat, and then adding the agg on top of a spray coat is also a wast of time, add you agg first, then your slurey mix, use a vibrator to get rid or the air pockets. and why are you leaving so much excess concrete on the form then grinding it down flush, use a trowel and level it down.
You don't screed, or vibrate, when you do GFRC with sprayed face coat. The roller gets bubbles out instead (vibrating would cause face coat to fall off vertical walls). That said, I found that if you wait about 2 hours after pouring, you can scrape the excess concrete off the bottom in a similar way to screeding, so its even with the walls, which eliminates most of the grinding after the fact.
As a DYI and an initial investment of a few things, I would have been happy with this end result if I did it myself; I'm not experienced with this type of work by any means. That being said, it does a great deal to get further advice and opinions from people who work with concrete and such because I hate unnecessary work, using wrong materials and making pointless mistake because of lack of research. If I needed one small top, I wouldn't bother and go with marble. This would work investment wise If you needed lots. There are some smart people on here.
I agree
doing it by hand, you would never get the top as straight as that melamine board ...ever, I don't care who you are
Interesting, but I don't envy this guys neighbors with his workshop at home .
jsilence418 I was wondering the same thing but then I figured it's probably the homeowner's garage.
Excellent!
genius template
sweet.... but those tools? where the hell do i find a wet orbital sander?
Well you start with a orbital sander and TURN it ON.
Manish Kumar I meant the kind with a water attachment as in the video
Ahh nevermind. You didn't get the joke. Try once more and then I will dumb it down if you are still unable to get it.
you can get them online they run about 250.00 and up. you can usually find them with the diamond sanding discs.
Nigel Ponsonby Smythe who?
Watched the whole video and they don't show the finished product!!
This is great
excellent work, resulting perfect I vote 100% quality
Looks like a complete bodge job to me!
It's all going a bit pear shaped, innit?