How to Form Concrete Countertops
Concrete countertops are durable and the concrete can be manipulated to form many different colors and textures. The base of any concrete countertop is a good form, and all the materials needed to build one are commonly available at most neighborhood home improvement stores. Plan on spending a week or so on the project, as the concrete will need several days to cure before it can be removed from the form. Does this Spark an idea?
Things You'll Need
- Melamine sheets
- Drill and screws
- Caulking gun and caulk
- Wire mesh
- #5 rebar
- Tie wire
Instructions
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1
Cut a sheet of melamine to the desired shape and size of the countertop. The concrete that touches this melamine will actually form the top of the counter, so any blemishes on the melamine will show up on the surface of the countertop.
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2
Rip the sides of the form out of melamine. They should be equal to the desired thickness of the concrete countertops plus the thickness of the sheet of melamine that forms the bottom of the mold.
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3
Screw the sides onto the form. The sides should be flush with the bottom of the form.
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4
Caulk the joints where the sides meet the bottom, remembering that the concrete that touches these joints will be visible in the finished product.
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5
Insert wire mesh, designed for concrete reinforcement. The mesh needs to be held off of the bottom of the form by at least 3/4 inch. Do this by placing pieces of #5 rebar across the top of the form and use tie wire to suspend the mesh from it so that it has the required clearance.
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6
Pour the concrete and stop often to run a vibrating sander over the top of the concrete to help it fill any voids.
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7
Use a board to level the concrete at the top of the mold by placing it across the form and moving it back and forth. Since the top of the form is actually the bottom of the counter top, it only needs to be level and not pretty, so don't waste too much time doing this.
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