F'n brilliant! Perfectly edited, very informative, no useless talk. I give this a Siskel and Ebert two thumbs up! THIS SHOULD BE THE TEMPLATE FOR ALL UA-cam HOW TO'S!!
You have the best overlay tutorial out there. I've never seen anyone reinforce the overlay or add any type of resin/epoxy. I've always had a feeling that was the reason they've experienced crack's. You've done what I've thought about. Great to see it work. One day I'll be doing this for sure. People fail to realize your method may be better for those who aren't sure if their counters can support a pour in place slab's weight.
Professionals that do this can turn out mindblowing stuff. Forming and pouring is also very labor intensive, especially after it is poured. To get the right finished look, it pretty much takes about the same time. A lot of hand seeded aggregates can be added - glass, etc, but these types of counters take tons of time to grind down to get the right finish. After the right training, overlays can be done pretty efficiently, like anything else, and the looks are endless. Look at some of the I-Coat stuff. Very good job for a novice. As long as you like it, that is all that matters.
You've given me ideas on how to go about my own project. I'm thinking of using your method to create some counters in the bathroom. The genius of this method is the weight savings and the ability to create odd shapes without molds. I've read through the comments and I have to disagree with anyone that says it is easier to pour the tops. If you don't have a cement mixer and a few friends to help, pouring is a nightmare! Kudos on the counters. Cheers. BTW, I like the video without talking! Can't tell you how many I've watched with rambling! Your's is a very creative and helpful video. Thanks for the great idea.At least in the end you have a couple extra hands to help! :)
Nice job and video. With this system there are loads of advantages android perspectives, as well on the top side as the downside of the countertop, the edges and so on. Thanks for sharing.
You're welcome. My main concern was to reduce weight and allow for flexibility since our house flexes quite a bit over the seasons. It's been almost four years and there are no cracks. It cost about $200 in materials and took two weekends.
Thanks for the video. Ive never done an overlay with portland myself. I do overlays on concrete with a pre made polymer blend and you dont need the wire mesh, and you can stain and seal in the following days. But i thought this was a pretty cool way to do it too and i could definatley see a good use for this technique for putting concrete onto a plywood subfloor. So thanks for some good ideas!
I'm finishing my bathroom vanity today. Thanks for the video, it's was really helpful. The job was easy to do and inexpensive. My vanity is 60" and I spent about $50 on materials.
Great video, I was ready to make my own, but wouldn't have help in flipping a traditional top. I'm headed to the store now!! Gave me a whole different outlook
I watched this 3 times and read your description carefully. I’d like to get some clarification on a few areas. I don’t have anyone else to ask so I would be grateful to leverage off your knowledge. 1. You applied thinset directly over plywood with no moisture barrier between. What about wood warpage? 2. Did you use thinset to ‘glue’ the sandwiched boards at the beginning? 3. Why is wire mesh called metal ‘lathe’? I could not bring it up when googled. Isn’t lathe a machine? 4. Do you know a good way to make the plywood base water resistant (membrane, coating)? 5. Why did you make your own mixture of raw cement, lime, and fancier cementitious materials? Why not already use thinset mortar, was it much cheaper? I would love to know your recipe for my larger projects. 6. Could you please confirm these steps: Layer 1 is Thinset is over wire mesh. Cures overnight. Layer 2 is Thinset (not sanded grout) with Alkali Resistant Fiberglass Mesh Tape or Wire Mesh strips on counter edges to build up and reinforce. Cures overnight. After major sanding, you applied Sanded Grout, let dry, then Unsanded Grout? Not sure about this. Bigger sander looked awesome! Would love to know this tool as it was not fully visible? 7. Do know anything about acid stains - what is the acid, and why do people use acid stain instead of water stain? 8. What brand of sealer did you use for your counters? Will this work for acid stains too? 9. Can I assume that all sealers allow for a Beeswax/ Tung Oil final coating? 10. Could you please share your Wax/Oil recipe, which would save me a lot of time researching? Many thanks for your excellent video, for the golden silence, and showing us every step in such a clear way! Very much appreciated!!
Nice job. It came out very good. I would have used some kind of design (flowers?) and used redish or a lighter color. it was a lot of work and effort, but it's a good finished job. Cement countertops are just for certain types of kitchens.
Interesting concept, but I would stain them. Too bland and gray for me.I would probably high polish them too. But good video, might try it on an outdoor table I have that needs a new top. Will use hardibacker tho, since it will be outside
Thank you for taking the time do explain this through a video. How do the corners hold up to impact ? I'm looking to create a concrete fireplace and was thinking about this technique.
Podrias por favor, describir todos los materiales que has utilizado para hacer el mueble y principalmente lo que has pasado sobre la pieza para ella ganar esta textura. ¿Al final pasas aceite sobre la pieza? Muchas gracias
wow these look beautiful! You have a lot more skills than the average person doing diy home improvements ...do you think if I put the mesh down over my existing counter tops that I could use this method ..also is it important to sand in between layers or coats?Thanks for the great tutorial!
Turned out great, naysayers must have been expecting it to turn out looking like marble? Anyway, seems pretty time consuming and not sure I could get it leveled just right, but overall great video and nice alternative. Silence was a little spooky, especially with all the extra body parts that ended up lying around. Ha!
Sorry about the spooky silence. I didn't want to over explain, or possibly say things that were not true - decided to just show what was done and the results - with a little humor along the way.
I love this approach. It seems like a lot less hassle then setting up forms around the edges and pouring cement (which can be very messy) you can work at your own pace . I think it looks amazing. The reason for using cement is to See the cement. Job well done. I would give you a hand- but you seem to have plenty already.
Yes, much lighter than the other methods. My wife and I can easily lift and move them around if we need to. Also nice feeling to know you don't have hundreds of pounds of concrete on top of the cabinets.
I liked the finished job, but I was wondering if you could do an inverted mold to generate a smooth surface and then add the wood with the metal lath over the bottom (or finished) top layer. That would reduce the amount of sanding and also allow for bull nosing and other top surface features.
+jardipe That's absolutely possible and I've done that for other stuff around the house like bathroom vanity tops. This was fun for me to try and do and the advantage with this method is that the counter tops are very light weight. Most of the sanding was just for the humor.
I prefer the substantial feel of a 2" thick concrete top. I even prefer a thick top even to the thinner fiber reinforced tops. Obviously you can do things molds you can't do with poured concrete.
It's a good question. The base layer is polymer modified cement and acts as a moisture barrier. The plywood is sealed, as well as the top layers of concrete. It's been about a year and we haven't tried to pamper the countertop. So far so good.
The base layer is a high polymer modified mortar type of mixture. Top layers are a basic mix of portland cement and sand with some polymer additives. Self leveling products may have too fine an aggregate, but maybe worth an experiment. I experimented with quite a few mixes on test surfaces that ended up being gardening tables.
Nice vid...... looks like you put a lot of work into this and I think it looks great.... I quite like the slight imperfections in the final finish, giving the whole thing an industrial feel..... after all, if you wanted a perfect, perfect finish then you may as well have used a made to fit polished granite work top, right? Good job.
Probably quicker to use cement board, but I was trying to keep the weight to absolute minimum. Another nice thing about plywood in combination with high-polymer cement mixture is that the counter stays very flexible. Our house is on clay and shifts around a lot. No cracks so far...
Hi, love this artistically done tutorial. Love your supplies list, thanx so much. Why did you do layers of grout instead of just more thinset, Also did you ever work with Ardell Feather Finish? It seems to work to lather over existing surface and sand in between a few layers. I am wanting to put concrete over a kitchen counter that used to be formica, and 10 years ago I covered in in natural slate and hand made tiles. I am now tired of this and would like to cover over with concrete or faux concrete such as Ardell. Any suggestions. thanx again for a beautiful job.
+BarbaraL Lowell you could go the epoxy route,for your floor and worktops,it looks easy to do try searching for epoxy flooring and worktops,hope this helps
Nice job! Can you use existing formica countertops? I'm thinking they can be sanded and somehow prepared to hold the applied concrete. What do you think?
I don't see why not, although to be perfectly honest, I've haven't tried it. The screwed-down metal lath combined with high polymer mortar fill gives you the strength. I used plywood for structure, but you can probably use existing formica, as you say, if scarified and roughened up.
If it makes you happy, that's great. If you are still happy with it in 5 years, that's great. If not, it seems this would be easier to rip out than the heavier version. Another thing, if you know concrete, you can do the same thing many different ways is what I'm finding out as I look at these countertop videos. This options was good to see. I think for the skilled concrete guy, this wouldn't be any more work than cast in place or offsite.
Surely it would have been much easier to make molds out of wood and then pour around weight saving pieces of ply with the mesh screwed ont. Like putting rebar in concrete to strengthen it, on using plywood to get the weight saving effect without having to hand apply layer after layer, leveling and sanding everything.
Your comment here thinfilmboy answered my questions but nice lookin work and cool idea, has to have a weigh of 1/3 the weight of real concrete pour. Nice idea for a motorhome even. lol
Mechanically it has not changed one bit from the day I finished, however it does want to stain and develop a kind of patina (if we can call it that). For me that's OK, since it's the look I was going for.
Total cost was about $200 all told, but the real savings and the reason I did it this way was in total weight. The counters can be picked up and moved around with me and my wife. If they were poured in concrete, they would weigh somewhere between 800 and 900 pounds.
My point wasn't that we will move them regularly, but that they are many hundreds of pounds lighter than poured-in concrete. To me that is an advantage.
What was that tape you applied at 2:44 on edge of counter? Is this flexible mesh tape like the one you use on backer board? Instead of stiff wire mesh, would it also work to use a flexible plastic mesh to reinforce the thinset mortar?
+Lass-in Angeles used Alkali-Resistant fiberglass tape to build bulk when trying to make it flat. I think plastic should work too. Ordinary wallboard fiberglass tape is not recommended for cement work.
+thinfilmboy Thank you!! Good technical info. I'm sorry I bugged you with more questions above, but I have no understanding of working with concrete, and limited funds, so have to make it work the first time. Products like sealers and polymers are expensive. Also, this is for an RV countertop so will be subjected to some shaking and flexing, so have to do it right.
No hollow sound. Lots of polymer admix in polymer enriched mixtures makes for a very tough material that is quite shock absorbing and waterproof as well.
Curious as to why you need to put mortar between the plywood sheets at the start of the process. Also is the wire mesh absolutely required ? You seem to use another type of mesh for the corners ?
mortar between the plywood gives the base some rigidity and with the help of the screws constrains it from warping. Without mesh the top layer mortar has a tendency to peel off of the plywood. Corners get the same mesh. At times i used alkali resistant fiberglass mesh to build up material.
Greetings! Have you run into any problems with splitting/cracking on the exterior edges? I'm considering a similar project and I'm worried the wood expansion in varying humidity will cause the concrete to crack.
No problems with the edges after about five years of use. looks exactly the same as when finished. It is remarkably shock absorbing and flexible... The trick of course is to use high polymer mortar in addition to polymer admix.
I played with some gardening tables to get the hang of it. The kitchen took me two weekends at about $200. Using a lot of polymer admix with the secured metal lathe on plywood sandwich has been quite strong - flexible with the seasons and no cracks after about three years.
Hi Lawrence. I used a four-foot level across all the surfaces to look for areas that were too low. Then using alkali resistant fiberglass tape (the kind used to tape cement board joints) I built up those areas - using different colored dyes in the mix as location markers before the top coat.
I used ample amounts of polymer in the various mixes and the cement thickness is on the order of about 1/4 inch. We have dropped heavy cutting boards, tenderized abalone, I've stood on them to get to light fixtures, etc. They have not cracked anywhere, even though our house flexes quite a bit over the seasons. It's been close to four years.
Could you please more thoroughly list the ingredients that you used for each layer? Why the different ingredients for each layer? I am in the middle of making a large "waterfall" table out of plywood covered in a concrete-looking product. Thus far, I've used Ardex Feather Finish but went through a $35 bag in no time and would like to switch to something else. Not so much because of the price but I'm not happy with how rough the surface looks--almost porous looking. I'm interested in using your recipes because you, wisely, include plastics which will be important to sustaining a thin (~1/8") layer. Thanks for any guidance you can provide. -Susan
+SL Solarz I used Quickcrete commercial grade countertop mix (much more cost effective) and added some anti crack fibers. I have done a wide variety of cement projects from 8ft hypertufa columns to countertops and I found the biggest and easiest mistake is not allowing for proper curing/ hydration. Even if everything else is done perfectly if the object is not allowed to cure properly it will sooner or later show compromised strength and end up with flaws or major cracks. In big projects I always cover with plastic in between coats and at finish, I leave the plastic on for at least a week even with supposed "quick setting products". The item needs to have moisture to allow the crystals in the cement to grow and strengthen so I check daily and if it looks to dry I mist with water, also the temperature needs to be mid point not too cold or too hot to allow for curing. If I want a nice smooth finish with some sheen, I lay the plastic on top then smooth over it with my hands. As odd as it sounds it makes a huge difference in the finish. Maybe you could do a sample to see if that is the look you are wanting.
+Tiffany Rodriguez Thank you Tiffany! I'm surprised that Quikrete Countertop Mix worked so well because it is designed for casting. I stayed away from such products because I wanted to use only a thin overlay. Wish I'd learned that Quikrete works as an overlay before I started my project. You're right, it would've been much more cost effective! I ended up switching from Ardex to Henry's Feather Finish. It's half the price and gave a much smoother finish.
That's really a time consuming job! rather I would used an inverted mould, pour mix and 48hs later unmould and fix on site. this way you could the entire labour job in less than 3hs. Cheers Mate.
+Enrique de Ezcurra I've done pour-in and in this case overlay and between the two I prefer the overlay. Pour-in sounds a lot easier and faster, but at the end you don't save much time. In addition with pour-in you have close to a thousand pounds of dead weight on your floors, it is far messier, and it is prone to cracking unless you use rebar etc. This method took two weekends, flexes with our house w/o cracking and weighs very little.
I agree with Thinfilmboy here, you can make shapes that are either going to be impossible to create a form for, or too heavy to support or move into place if made with concrete. Marine ply topped in microcement I feel is the way to go.
thinfilmboy I enjoyed your tequnique. you have very fluid hands. I enjoy doing all sorts of home improvement and I am currently doing most of the remodel on my farm house myself. it can be a bit daunting but what the hell. I own the joint. it's not like anyone can fire me.:)
The lathe on the flat surface is unnecessary. I do this process on wood floors and countertops. I use an acrylic bonding liquid in place of water. Never had any problems.
Thanks for the kind comment Ken. Having done some pour-in other places, for the kitchen counter I still prefer this method. The generous use of polymer in the mortar makes for a very flexible and impact resistant surface. It took two weekends at about $200. You can go at your own pace, and they are light-weight. Next time I would play with the finish color though...
Thanks so much for your kind reply! Please make more videos as you get the chance! PS: You keep stuffing your gloves with the mix, but we never see them and shake their hands! lol!
know whats even easier? pouring real concrete counters that will actually hold up over time. no inside mess, dust or adding layer after layer and waiting to dry before you add another. your finished product will be 10x nicer by pouring into forms.
I updated the video description (directly under the video itself) to include a basic summary of the products and/or ingredients that can be used in each major step.
?How well has this top held up over time. The expansion rate of wood and cement is not compatible, the screws you used are going to rust, (black sheet rock screws) metal expands 7 times it size while it rusts. If it lasts over 2 years I will be surprised.
RANDOLPH TORRES It's been two and half years and no problems - still looks the same as in the video. A lot of polymer was used in the mixes so no issues with rusty screws or cracks due to expansion etc. I repeated the process for a fireplace and no problems there either - not yet anyway.
Maybe if the concrete is sealed moisture will not penetrate on the countertop, the fireplace will never see water. Hope all works well over the long run. ?the fireplace was that a top mounted mantle. That sounds like a fun project.
That's a whole lotta work there, and not something anyone can do. I'd be concerned about the durability of that concrete too. Drop something on it and chip it and it won't be pretty.
F'n brilliant! Perfectly edited, very informative, no useless talk. I give this a Siskel and Ebert two thumbs up! THIS SHOULD BE THE TEMPLATE FOR ALL UA-cam HOW TO'S!!
You have the best overlay tutorial out there. I've never seen anyone reinforce the overlay or add any type of resin/epoxy. I've always had a feeling that was the reason they've experienced crack's. You've done what I've thought about. Great to see it work. One day I'll be doing this for sure. People fail to realize your method may be better for those who aren't sure if their counters can support a pour in place slab's weight.
Professionals that do this can turn out mindblowing stuff. Forming and pouring is also very labor intensive, especially after it is poured. To get the right finished look, it pretty much takes about the same time. A lot of hand seeded aggregates can be added - glass, etc, but these types of counters take tons of time to grind down to get the right finish. After the right training, overlays can be done pretty efficiently, like anything else, and the looks are endless. Look at some of the I-Coat stuff. Very good job for a novice. As long as you like it, that is all that matters.
Man, that was fantastic. Thank you very much. I was in advertising/photography for the first 20 years of "work". Really nice job...story line, etc.
Thanx for the video. I specially liked the quick to the point editing. I appreciate that very much. Great job by the way!
You've given me ideas on how to go about my own project. I'm thinking of using your method to create some counters in the bathroom. The genius of this method is the weight savings and the ability to create odd shapes without molds. I've read through the comments and I have to disagree with anyone that says it is easier to pour the tops. If you don't have a cement mixer and a few friends to help, pouring is a nightmare! Kudos on the counters. Cheers.
BTW, I like the video without talking! Can't tell you how many I've watched with rambling! Your's is a very creative and helpful video. Thanks for the great idea.At least in the end you have a couple extra hands to help! :)
Nice job and video.
With this system there are loads of advantages android perspectives, as well on the top side as the downside of the countertop, the edges and so on.
Thanks for sharing.
You're welcome. My main concern was to reduce weight and allow for flexibility since our house flexes quite a bit over the seasons. It's been almost four years and there are no cracks. It cost about $200 in materials and took two weekends.
lol, I get so annoyed when people talk too much in their videos. This was perfect.
Thanks for the video. Ive never done an overlay with portland myself. I do overlays on concrete with a pre made polymer blend and you dont need the wire mesh, and you can stain and seal in the following days. But i thought this was a pretty cool way to do it too and i could definatley see a good use for this technique for putting concrete onto a plywood subfloor. So thanks for some good ideas!
I'm finishing my bathroom vanity today. Thanks for the video, it's was really helpful. The job was easy to do and inexpensive. My vanity is 60" and I spent about $50 on materials.
terry quinley Did you make a video of it? Love how little it costs to do this kind of thing. I also did a fireplace mantle the same way. Cheers!
Awesome video! I'm like you, some of these people talk for an hour and work for 5 minutes argh! This is for serious DIYers, I loved it.
Great video, I was ready to make my own, but wouldn't have help in flipping a traditional top. I'm headed to the store now!! Gave me a whole different outlook
this is kind of neat it is a lot lighter than concrete counter tops but it look like a lot more labor. great looking end product.
AWESOME!!! Thank you for taking the time to share.
I have to admit it was entertaining. Funny video . Thumbs up for that.
Nice job, text or voice over would be helpful but the details in the description are very helpful. Keep up the good work.
well, i like it (the concept)... never thought of it or seen it before. very interesting, indeed and i thank you for sharing, too! many thanks!
they look great!! i hope all is good with them as they have had time to be used
I watched this 3 times and read your description carefully. I’d like to get some clarification on a few areas. I don’t have anyone else to ask so I would be grateful to leverage off your knowledge.
1. You applied thinset directly over plywood with no moisture barrier between. What about wood warpage?
2. Did you use thinset to ‘glue’ the sandwiched boards at the beginning?
3. Why is wire mesh called metal ‘lathe’? I could not bring it up when googled. Isn’t lathe a machine?
4. Do you know a good way to make the plywood base water resistant (membrane, coating)?
5. Why did you make your own mixture of raw cement, lime, and fancier cementitious materials? Why not already use thinset mortar, was it much cheaper? I would love to know your recipe for my larger projects.
6. Could you please confirm these steps:
Layer 1 is Thinset is over wire mesh. Cures overnight.
Layer 2 is Thinset (not sanded grout) with Alkali Resistant Fiberglass Mesh Tape or Wire Mesh strips on counter edges to build up and reinforce. Cures overnight.
After major sanding, you applied Sanded Grout, let dry, then Unsanded Grout? Not sure about this.
Bigger sander looked awesome! Would love to know this tool as it was not fully visible?
7. Do know anything about acid stains - what is the acid, and why do people use acid stain instead of water stain?
8. What brand of sealer did you use for your counters? Will this work for acid stains too?
9. Can I assume that all sealers allow for a Beeswax/ Tung Oil final coating?
10. Could you please share your Wax/Oil recipe, which would save me a lot of time researching?
Many thanks for your excellent video, for the golden silence, and showing us every step in such a clear way! Very much appreciated!!
I like it, the extra hands too...thanks!!
Nice job. It came out very good. I would have used some kind of design (flowers?) and used redish or a lighter color. it was a lot of work and effort, but it's a good finished job. Cement countertops are just for certain types of kitchens.
I love it. Thanks for sharing .....now I want that look in my Kitchen:) You got my thumbs up. Love all the hands lol
Nice Job, thanks for taking the time to show this. Always looking to get good ideas like your.
Interesting concept, but I would stain them. Too bland and gray for me.I would probably high polish them too. But good video, might try it on an outdoor table I have that needs a new top. Will use hardibacker tho, since it will be outside
Thank you for taking the time do explain this through a video. How do the corners hold up to impact ? I'm looking to create a concrete fireplace and was thinking about this technique.
Podrias por favor, describir todos los materiales que has utilizado para hacer el mueble y principalmente lo que has pasado sobre la pieza para ella ganar esta textura. ¿Al final pasas aceite sobre la pieza? Muchas gracias
wow these look beautiful! You have a lot more skills than the average person doing diy home improvements ...do you think if I put the mesh down over my existing counter tops that I could use this method ..also is it important to sand in between layers or coats?Thanks for the great tutorial!
Great video and sense of humor. Lmbo at all the helping hands! Loved it.
Turned out great, naysayers must have been expecting it to turn out looking like marble? Anyway, seems pretty time consuming and not sure I could get it leveled just right, but overall great video and nice alternative. Silence was a little spooky, especially with all the extra body parts that ended up lying around. Ha!
Sorry about the spooky silence. I didn't want to over explain, or possibly say things that were not true - decided to just show what was done and the results - with a little humor along the way.
I love this approach. It seems like a lot less hassle then setting up forms around the edges and pouring cement (which can be very messy) you can work at your own pace . I think it looks amazing. The reason for using cement is to See the cement. Job well done. I would give you a hand- but you seem to have plenty already.
LOL - many thanks!
Your very welcome.
Yes, much lighter than the other methods. My wife and I can easily lift and move them around if we need to. Also nice feeling to know you don't have hundreds of pounds of concrete on top of the cabinets.
Keep up the good job sir. Its beautiful
I liked the finished job, but I was wondering if you could do an inverted mold to generate a smooth surface and then add the wood with the metal lath over the bottom (or finished) top layer. That would reduce the amount of sanding and also allow for bull nosing and other top surface features.
+jardipe That's absolutely possible and I've done that for other stuff around the house like bathroom vanity tops. This was fun for me to try and do and the advantage with this method is that the counter tops are very light weight. Most of the sanding was just for the humor.
I prefer the substantial feel of a 2" thick concrete top. I even prefer a thick top even to the thinner fiber reinforced tops. Obviously you can do things molds you can't do with poured concrete.
It's a good question. The base layer is polymer modified cement and acts as a moisture barrier. The plywood is sealed, as well as the top layers of concrete. It's been about a year and we haven't tried to pamper the countertop. So far so good.
The base layer is a high polymer modified mortar type of mixture. Top layers are a basic mix of portland cement and sand with some polymer additives. Self leveling products may have too fine an aggregate, but maybe worth an experiment. I experimented with quite a few mixes on test surfaces that ended up being gardening tables.
Nice vid...... looks like you put a lot of work into this and I think it looks great.... I quite like the slight imperfections in the final finish, giving the whole thing an industrial feel..... after all, if you wanted a perfect, perfect finish then you may as well have used a made to fit polished granite work top, right? Good job.
Probably quicker to use cement board, but I was trying to keep the weight to absolute minimum. Another nice thing about plywood in combination with high-polymer cement mixture is that the counter stays very flexible. Our house is on clay and shifts around a lot. No cracks so far...
You did a great job. It looks nice too. It's time consuming, yes, but don't listen to all the keyword warriors on here.
very awesome! gonna try this with an outdoor bar and a little bit of stain.
Hi, love this artistically done tutorial. Love your supplies list, thanx so much. Why did you do layers of grout instead of just more thinset, Also did you ever work with Ardell Feather Finish? It seems to work to lather over existing surface and sand in between a few layers. I am wanting to put concrete over a kitchen counter that used to be formica, and 10 years ago I covered in in natural slate and hand made tiles. I am now tired of this and would like to cover over with concrete or faux concrete such as Ardell. Any suggestions. thanx again for a beautiful job.
+BarbaraL Lowell you could go the epoxy route,for your floor and worktops,it looks easy to do try searching for epoxy flooring and worktops,hope this helps
Hi I wanna do a white cement countertop, which materials would you prefer/recommend? (I live in California) And I am using plywood as the base.
Nice job! Can you use existing formica countertops? I'm thinking
they can be sanded and somehow prepared to hold the applied
concrete. What do you think?
I don't see why not, although to be perfectly honest, I've haven't tried it. The screwed-down metal lath combined with high polymer mortar fill gives you the strength. I used plywood for structure, but you can probably use existing formica, as you say, if scarified and roughened up.
If it makes you happy, that's great. If you are still happy with it in 5 years, that's great. If not, it seems this would be easier to rip out than the heavier version.
Another thing, if you know concrete, you can do the same thing many different ways is what I'm finding out as I look at these countertop videos. This options was good to see. I think for the skilled concrete guy, this wouldn't be any more work than cast in place or offsite.
Surely it would have been much easier to make molds out of wood and then pour around weight saving pieces of ply with the mesh screwed ont. Like putting rebar in concrete to strengthen it, on using plywood to get the weight saving effect without having to hand apply layer after layer, leveling and sanding everything.
Great work ethic! Great job!
Thanks, we especially like the cement in the rubber glove technique.
Amazing filming
Your comment here thinfilmboy answered my questions but nice lookin work and cool idea, has to have a weigh of 1/3 the weight of real concrete pour. Nice idea for a motorhome even. lol
Loved the Credits..
And A special Thanks to the Helping hands.. What is their Role now??!
Do you think this technique would work for a single step leading into a sunken livingroom?
Thanks, I still think this methods has great merit; thanks for the information.
Great method!
wonderful job 👍
Good work!
thats good to hear, glad its working well.
I'm glad you found it helpful. Cheers!
I think it is smart kind of like a stucco concrete countertops. cuts way down on weight how well is it holding up sir.
Mechanically it has not changed one bit from the day I finished, however it does want to stain and develop a kind of patina (if we can call it that). For me that's OK, since it's the look I was going for.
That looks like it takes a whole lot longer than pouring the counter tops. Is it cheaper after you add up all the materials costs?
Total cost was about $200 all told, but the real savings and the reason I did it this way was in total weight. The counters can be picked up and moved around with me and my wife. If they were poured in concrete, they would weigh somewhere between 800 and 900 pounds.
thinfilmboy That's a good thing to consider. I hadn't thought about that yet for my own project. Thanks.
why would you pick them up and move them? seems to me if you were gonna replace them, for some reason, then you wouldn't need to keep them intact.
My point wasn't that we will move them regularly, but that they are many hundreds of pounds lighter than poured-in concrete. To me that is an advantage.
To get them into place
What was that tape you applied at 2:44 on edge of counter? Is this flexible mesh tape like the one you use on backer board?
Instead of stiff wire mesh, would it also work to use a flexible plastic mesh to reinforce the thinset mortar?
+Lass-in Angeles used Alkali-Resistant fiberglass tape to build bulk when trying to make it flat. I think plastic should work too. Ordinary wallboard fiberglass tape is not recommended for cement work.
+thinfilmboy Thank you!! Good technical info. I'm sorry I bugged you with more questions above, but I have no understanding of working with concrete, and limited funds, so have to make it work the first time. Products like sealers and polymers are expensive. Also, this is for an RV countertop so will be subjected to some shaking and flexing, so have to do it right.
thanks for the video . great job
I understand the appearance is pretty subjective... But doesn't it sound "hollow" every time you set a glass down or tap on it?
No hollow sound. Lots of polymer admix in polymer enriched mixtures makes for a very tough material that is quite shock absorbing and waterproof as well.
Curious as to why you need to put mortar between the plywood sheets at the start of the process. Also is the wire mesh absolutely required ? You seem to use another type of mesh for the corners ?
mortar between the plywood gives the base some rigidity and with the help of the screws constrains it from warping. Without mesh the top layer mortar has a tendency to peel off of the plywood. Corners get the same mesh. At times i used alkali resistant fiberglass mesh to build up material.
Thanks
This is how they built the pyramids..
Looks good but, damn thats a lot of work.
Greetings! Have you run into any problems with splitting/cracking on the exterior edges? I'm considering a similar project and I'm worried the wood expansion in varying humidity will cause the concrete to crack.
No problems with the edges after about five years of use. looks exactly the same as when finished. It is remarkably shock absorbing and flexible... The trick of course is to use high polymer mortar in addition to polymer admix.
Interesting. How durable is it due to the thin layers being applied?
Seems like a multi-week project as well. My wife might not like that! :)
I played with some gardening tables to get the hang of it. The kitchen took me two weekends at about $200. Using a lot of polymer admix with the secured metal lathe on plywood sandwich has been quite strong - flexible with the seasons and no cracks after about three years.
Why did you use the metal mesh? Its not necessary with the skim coat material.
great job....! thanks 4 sharing.
Could you explain why more layers of cement were built up on the edges, as shown just before the first glove was made?
Hi Lawrence. I used a four-foot level across all the surfaces to look for areas that were too low. Then using alkali resistant fiberglass tape (the kind used to tape cement board joints) I built up those areas - using different colored dyes in the mix as location markers before the top coat.
Why you don't tell what products are you using, how are we going to do it, please give us the list
are these prone to cracking? Say i used a wooden meat tenderizer on a chicken breast, could i do it on the counter?
I used ample amounts of polymer in the various mixes and the cement thickness is on the order of about 1/4 inch. We have dropped heavy cutting boards, tenderized abalone, I've stood on them to get to light fixtures, etc. They have not cracked anywhere, even though our house flexes quite a bit over the seasons. It's been close to four years.
Could you please more thoroughly list the ingredients that you used for each layer? Why the different ingredients for each layer? I am in the middle of making a large "waterfall" table out of plywood covered in a concrete-looking product. Thus far, I've used Ardex Feather Finish but went through a $35 bag in no time and would like to switch to something else. Not so much because of the price but I'm not happy with how rough the surface looks--almost porous looking. I'm interested in using your recipes because you, wisely, include plastics which will be important to sustaining a thin (~1/8") layer. Thanks for any guidance you can provide. -Susan
+SL Solarz I used Quickcrete commercial grade countertop mix (much more cost effective) and added some anti crack fibers. I have done a wide variety of cement projects from 8ft hypertufa columns to countertops and I found the biggest and easiest mistake is not allowing for proper curing/ hydration. Even if everything else is done perfectly if the object is not allowed to cure properly it will sooner or later show compromised strength and end up with flaws or major cracks. In big projects I always cover with plastic in between coats and at finish, I leave the plastic on for at least a week even with supposed "quick setting products". The item needs to have moisture to allow the crystals in the cement to grow and strengthen so I check daily and if it looks to dry I mist with water, also the temperature needs to be mid point not too cold or too hot to allow for curing. If I want a nice smooth finish with some sheen, I lay the plastic on top then smooth over it with my hands. As odd as it sounds it makes a huge difference in the finish. Maybe you could do a sample to see if that is the look you are wanting.
+Tiffany Rodriguez Thank you Tiffany! I'm surprised that Quikrete Countertop Mix worked so well because it is designed for casting. I stayed away from such products because I wanted to use only a thin overlay. Wish I'd learned that Quikrete works as an overlay before I started my project. You're right, it would've been much more cost effective! I ended up switching from Ardex to Henry's Feather Finish. It's half the price and gave a much smoother finish.
So this is a stucco countertop?
what type of concrete do you use? Self leveling?
Can you share what products you used?
You can just pour the whole thing out of concrete and it will be a lost faster and less labor :)
Very NICE
looks great tks 4 the vid
That's really a time consuming job! rather I would used an inverted mould, pour mix and 48hs later unmould and fix on site. this way you could the entire labour job in less than 3hs. Cheers Mate.
+Enrique de Ezcurra I've done pour-in and in this case overlay and between the two I prefer the overlay. Pour-in sounds a lot easier and faster, but at the end you don't save much time. In addition with pour-in you have close to a thousand pounds of dead weight on your floors, it is far messier, and it is prone to cracking unless you use rebar etc. This method took two weekends, flexes with our house w/o cracking and weighs very little.
I agree with Thinfilmboy here, you can make shapes that are either going to be impossible to create a form for, or too heavy to support or move into place if made with concrete. Marine ply topped in microcement I feel is the way to go.
thinfilmboy I enjoyed your tequnique. you have very fluid hands. I enjoy doing all sorts of home improvement and I am currently doing most of the remodel on my farm house myself. it can be a bit daunting but what the hell. I own the joint. it's not like anyone can fire me.:)
No talking is good sometimes,but would be nice to know what products was being used.
Lol good video, good method thanks
dont understand why it wouldn't make more sense to use self leveling concrete for top coat?
The lathe on the flat surface is unnecessary. I do this process on wood floors and countertops. I use an acrylic bonding liquid in place of water. Never had any problems.
Good method if weight is an issue only prob i see bsides the amount of time it takes is he used drywall screws...
Verry v nice
Like the video.... well done but I'll stick to Granite
Brilliant! Great job and video! Thank you. So, if you did another one... this method or pour-in mold method?
Thanks for the kind comment Ken. Having done some pour-in other places, for the kitchen counter I still prefer this method. The generous use of polymer in the mortar makes for a very flexible and impact resistant surface. It took two weekends at about $200. You can go at your own pace, and they are light-weight. Next time I would play with the finish color though...
Thanks so much for your kind reply! Please make more videos as you get the chance! PS: You keep stuffing your gloves with the mix, but we never see them and shake their hands! lol!
know whats even easier? pouring real concrete counters that will actually hold up over time. no inside mess, dust or adding layer after layer and waiting to dry before you add another. your finished product will be 10x nicer by pouring into forms.
Know what's expensive? MDF molds.
A great, unique method and quite technical too, but i feel the finnish has let it down.
easier to build a mold and do it from scratch.
exactly. it's so much easier that way.
can you tell me what are the ingredients used hear ?
I updated the video description (directly under the video itself) to include a basic summary of the products and/or ingredients that can be used in each major step.
is it just me or the finished product looks really coarse. air pocket holes are clearly visible, edges look really sharp.
Looks like a lot of extra work for no better (or poorer) finish
lol bro I just have to laugh at the weekend warriors. Please share what it looks like in 2016
nice shade of....gray
?How well has this top held up over time. The expansion rate of wood and cement is not compatible, the screws you used are going to rust, (black sheet rock screws) metal expands 7 times it size while it rusts. If it lasts over 2 years I will be surprised.
RANDOLPH TORRES It's been two and half years and no problems - still looks the same as in the video. A lot of polymer was used in the mixes so no issues with rusty screws or cracks due to expansion etc. I repeated the process for a fireplace and no problems there either - not yet anyway.
Maybe if the concrete is sealed moisture will not penetrate on the countertop, the fireplace will never see water. Hope all works well over the long run. ?the fireplace was that a top mounted mantle. That sounds like a fun project.
RANDOLPH TORRES the metal expands 7 times its size while it rusts?
kkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk
If your statement is true, then explain how everything else made with re-bar, etc., holds together just nicely.
That's a whole lotta work there, and not something anyone can do. I'd be concerned about the durability of that concrete too. Drop something on it and chip it and it won't be pretty.
Don't understand how it can be called concrete there doesn't to be any aggregate
I don't get it. Why would one do it this way?