Something new is constantly appearing in the creation of interior design, and the latest novelty is the elements of concrete present in various furniture, especially true in the kitchen or in the country. However, do not limit yourself to kitchen set, a coffee table in the living room with a concrete top will look very original and interesting.
And to make such a tabletop is quite simple with your own hands, and you do not need to create it. great experience, almost anyone can make it, the main thing would be desire.
- These tables are simply irreplaceable. for country furniture : do not get wet, do not deteriorate!
- , it is enough to cover a worn-out table with it - and you will get a super modern thing.
- For the kitchen - they do not deteriorate and are very durable!
Instruments
To make a coffee table with a concrete top rectangular shape, we need:
- Wooden boards.
- Wire mesh for strengthening concrete.
- A piece of 1/2-inch chipboard or plywood to make the desired shape.
- Drywall.
- screws.
- Pneumatic nailer to attach the sides to the bottom panel.
- Big plastic container for cement mixing.
Instructions for making countertops
Step 1: Making the box
No matter what size and shape the countertop will be, wire mesh should be two inches smaller in width and height than chipboard or plywood panels.
We make a box of the shape and size we need from panels and drywall. After the workpiece is completely ready, you can start mixing concrete.
Step 2: Pouring Concrete
- AT plastic container knead the cement, for this you can use an ordinary shovel, which you need to mix the mixture thoroughly.
- After that, carefully pour the concrete into the mold to half, distributing it in the corners.
- We cover wire mesh mix, and then fill the form to the top so that the mixture protrudes slightly from above. This is done so that it is easier to level the surface and make it smooth, for this purpose it is best to use a spatula.
TIP: After this, you need to leave the mold for a few days for the cement to dry completely.
Step 3: Sanding
After that, you need to remove mold and sand from the surface. Great for flattening countertops sandpaper with 120 grit.
Then you need to wipe the surface well with a sponge, roller brush or soft cloth.
If you want to cover the surface with nothing coffee table, then the best seal the countertop with concrete sealant, then it will look very beautiful and be more practical.
Step 4: attach the tabletop to the legs
- After top part coffee table will be completely ready, you can use absolutely any base.
- Very beautiful and practical option will be like this table on wooden legs on wheels so that it can be easily moved.
- Attaching the table top to the legs liquid nails or silicone adhesive.
Such an original concrete table will become a real decoration of home decor and will make the interior irresistible.
Ideas and photos of concrete countertops and tables
With a flower bed in the middle
For giving great option- when pouring concrete, leave a chute where flowers can be planted. Looks very amazing. 
How to lighten the design
- Ideal option and great idea leave a hole in the middle make a glass tab. To do this, you need to cut a gutter for a glass tab.
- Also put a concrete countertop on legs with wheels- this is especially true for coffee tables which often have to be moved.
Attractive and original interior kitchen area is the dream of every homeowner. Someone tries to create it with the help of designers and expensive exclusive materials, others focus on their own imagination and skill. For example, you can make a concrete countertop with your own hands, which will not differ in any way from an elite marble part.
A concrete countertop will not differ from an elite piece of marble.
This solution is ideal for those owners who cannot allocate extra funds for finishing the kitchen and are accustomed to approaching the arrangement of life creatively. Minimum costs will allow you to make the interior of the kitchen room individual.
Preparing to create a countertop
Before you make a tabletop, you need to complete a series preparatory work, which will allow the new element to organically and harmoniously fit into the existing interior. So, you should determine what dimensions the table will have and how it will look.
Usually a countertop made of natural or artificial stone needed to create working surface located next to the sink or stove. It can also be used in the corner of the kitchen. In any case, the sides of the element must completely repeat the relief of the walls, which will create the most snug fit.
Before starting work, it is necessary to carefully measure all dimensions, check the angle and draw up a drawing, on the basis of which a concrete countertop will be made. Since the weight of the finished countertop will be large enough, it is recommended to include in the drawing its division into several parts. This will make the manufacturing and processing process simpler and easier and will protect the countertop from cracking during operation.
Besides, big weight concrete also determines the creation of an additional structure that reinforces the support of the table. So, the joints of the tabletop parts must be strengthened with the help of transverse boards made of hard rock wood. In addition, the entire frame of the cabinet should also consist of this wood.
When the drawing is ready, you should purchase the materials that will be required to make a concrete countertop with your own hands:
- sand and cement in a ratio of 3: 2;
- hardwood boards;
- timber 40x40 or 50x50;
- plywood;
- sheets of plastic with a thickness of at least 1.8 cm;
- reinforcing mesh with small cells;
- polymer concrete on acrylic resin;
- silicone sealant;
- spray glue;
- decorative elements: shells, small pebbles, broken glass;
- drying oil or machine oil;
- dye pigments.
In addition, all the necessary tools must be available:
- putty knife;
- grinder with polishing wheels;
- building level;
- screwdriver and screws;
- polyethylene film;
- hacksaw.
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Table top manufacturing process
The quality of a do-it-yourself concrete countertop largely depends on compliance with dimensions when creating a mold for casting. For the basis of the form, it is necessary to take plastic sheets, the size of which corresponds to the size of the future countertop. Along the perimeter of the sheets of timber, a rim with a height of about 5-6 cm is mounted. The height of the rim will determine the thickness of the element.
To seal the form, all joints and seams are coated silicone sealant. If there is a sink in the countertop, the place for it should be left free, enclosing right space board partitions. In addition, the countertop can be rounded using silicone inserts installed at the corners and removed after the concrete mortar has dried.
The next step is the laying of decorative elements, if they will be used in the manufacture of countertops. Shells, glass and other decor must be carefully distributed along the bottom of the mold and secured by spraying with spray glue. After that, at a height of 2.5-3 cm from the bottom of the mold is mounted metal grid with small cells, which will play the role of reinforcement.
Then, in order to make a countertop, you need to knead concrete mortar. 3 parts clean river sand are added to a container with 2 parts of M500 cement. After that, 1 part of polymer plasticizer for concrete is added. Lastly, water is added. Its amount should be such that the mixture looks like a cream or paste.
If the tabletop should have any specific color, pigment dyes are added to the mixture. To give the concrete a uniform color, the substances are added to the dry mix. If it is necessary to get stains, as on granite, the pigment is dissolved in a small amount of liquid and mixed with the ready-made concrete mix.
In order for the countertop to have exactly the same parameters, the concrete solution is poured into a mold set in a horizontal position. Before pouring, the mold should be thoroughly smeared with drying oil or machine oil, which will allow you to easily remove the concrete part. The horizontality of the form is checked using the building level.
When all the concrete mixture is poured, the mold is covered with a plastic sheet smeared with drying oil. Then the entire structure is covered with polyethylene from above and left for a period of at least 10 days. After this time, the polyethylene is removed and the formwork is removed. The concrete is left to dry for another 7-8 days.
Every hostess dreams of a spacious working area in the kitchen. The main surface on which culinary processes take place is the countertop. Its choice is subject to increased requirements for strength, reliability and safety. One of the most popular trends in the world is a loft countertop made of decorative concrete and be used as . These smooth and durable concrete countertops feature unique design. Thickness, shape, texture and color - all these parameters are determined individually in each case. A concrete or kitchen countertop can be polished concrete, polished concrete or painted concrete, and a concrete countertop can have inclusions (from shells to pebbles) or various inserts. - practical and functional furniture, which will become an additional place for eating or for placing the necessary items at hand (TV remote control, magazines). More often, such concrete furniture is installed in the living room, so it should complement overall design rooms. practical solution for home becomes .
By technical specifications, such concrete countertops show exemplary performance. Concrete kitchen - perfect solution for your interior.
Benefits of concrete countertops
Thanks to the unique recipe developed by the masters of the Bershovo company, concrete mix included environmentally friendly impurities with enhanced mechanical properties. Due to this set of ingredients, decorative concrete countertops have the following advantages:
- strength, due to which there are no chips and cracks when hit by heavy objects,
- resistance to moisture and temperature changes, which is important for the kitchen area,
- mold and fungus does not appear on the surface,
- durability, the table will last for a dozen years without any complaints.
Advantages of decorative concrete products over artificial stone
- More complex designs
- Heat resistance
- feels like stone, not plastic
A decorative concrete product may have:
- any colour
- any form
- any texture or pattern
Match with any design
The unlimited design possibilities of concrete countertops make it possible to produce essentially art objects from concrete, such as:
- unique shapes of concrete sinks
- integrated drain surfaces
- various inserts in polished concrete countertops
- add various elements such as glass, wood, metal, etc.
High Performance
Expressed in excellent aging
- high temperatures
- constant exposure to moisture
- blows
- scratches
- caustic liquids
Design
If you no longer want to see ordinary ones in your kitchen or in any other room of the house, you can order an expensive marble counterpart. However, you can make such a product yourself using concrete. As practice shows, the design looks very attractive. And you can decorate it with different elements, including glass. After the completion of the work, it will be possible to get a unique table, which will cost very cheaply.
Preparation of materials
If you will be making a concrete countertop, it is important to prepare necessary set materials. Among them, boards, plywood, cement, fiberglass, acrylic-based polymer concrete, guides, broken glass, as well as fiber optic cable. You will need a canvas laminated plywood, two sheets of plastic, sand, sealant, drawer handles (if any are supposed to be made), as well as decorative items.
Boards must be made of solid wood. And their total length should be 6 meters. Plywood can be the most common. There is no need to use moisture-repellent material at all. When preparing plastic, remember that its thickness can be approximately 18 millimeters. You will need two of these sheets. The volume of cement will depend on the specific dimensions of the future countertop. However, this article considers an example that involves the use of two 50 kg bags. Therefore, we will give the figures characteristic of this model. As for the sand, it will need six bags, each of which should be 25 kilograms. Silicone sealant will be enough to purchase in the amount of one tube. But for decoration you can use different elements and not just glass.
Design
The concrete worktop will be made using some tools, namely: a set of polishers, a woodworking tool, an electric grinder, and a device for working with concrete. Initially, it will be necessary to create an action plan that provides for the creation of a drawing future design. You must clearly imagine how the table will look like. It is necessary to measure the room where it is planned to place the product.
You will waste your energy in vain if, after completing the work, you find that the countertop does not fit in size. It is not recommended to pour a solid monolith. The process should be divided into several stages. This will prevent the formation of cracks. In addition, moving and installing individual parts will be much easier than a solid product, the weight of which is quite impressive. When a concrete countertop is made, the master must take into account the features of the interior. This will allow you to make a design, the design of which will match the decoration.
Frame construction
Each table design is unique. Therefore, it makes no sense to describe in detail the technology for constructing the frame. It is worth considering, however, that the fronts of the table will be made of a table top, while it can be supported by two pipes. In the central parts, it is possible to provide for the presence drawer. load-bearing elements the frame is recommended to be made of solid wood. In order to create boxes and a facade, it is recommended to cut a sheet of plywood.
Create a fill shape
If you will be making a concrete countertop, you must first create a form, the parts of which will be 18 mm plastic sheets. Along the perimeter, it is necessary to install boards. Their height will be 50 millimeters. Thanks to these parameters, it will be possible to pour the required layer of concrete to ensure high strength. It is important to complete the forms, given the dimensions of the frame. Already at this stage, it is recommended to do everything as accurately as possible, since after pouring the concrete it will be impossible to correct the situation. The joints obtained between the plastic sheets and the sides must be filled with silicone sealant. It will prevent leakage beyond the liquid concrete.
Laying decorative elements and frame systems
A concrete countertop should not only be aesthetically pleasing, but also as durable as possible. To do this, use a wire mesh as it can be used. Decorative elements should be laid at the bottom. Broken glass can act in their role. After surface treatment, the decor will show through and become visible on the base.
The concrete countertop may have holes for laying communications. If so, then their presence must be indicated at this stage. To do this, you can use a ring made of pvc pipes. The blank is wrapped in polyethylene and placed in the designated place. After the concrete has hardened, the pipe is pushed out, and the polyethylene will be easy to dispose of.
Work methodology
The grid rises above the surface of the base of the form by 25 millimeters. The easiest way to do this is with wire. Should be given great importance decor. For attractiveness, it is necessary to prepare transparent, brown and green glass, which breaks into fragments. If you wish, you can use coins, pebbles and other items.
The tabletop will look original with plastic sheet holes need to be drilled. They have a cable installed. Gaps should be filled with sealant. The ends of the cable will hang down under the mold. They need to be collected in bundles. Later, light elements are inserted into them, which will create an effect. starry sky. Glass shards can easily be dislodged when pouring mortar. To eliminate this, you should fix them with glue in the form of a spray.
Pouring concrete
The manufacture of countertops in the next step involves pouring the solution. To do this, mix cement and sand using a ratio of 1 to 3. Water must be added until the mixture resembles thick sour cream. It is necessary to pour the composition into the mold as carefully as possible. After it is half filled, the mass must be distributed throughout the form. The formwork is shaken to get rid of air bubbles. Then you can start mixing another portion of concrete, applying the same proportion.
However, in this case, fiberglass should be added. The composition is poured into the mold, and the surface is drawn by the rule. In this state, the structure is left for 24 hours. After that, the base can be covered with a damp towel, which will slow down the hardening process and have a positive effect on strength. The manufacture of countertops provides for the removal of the finished product from the mold after two days. However, experts recommend waiting another day. If it turned out to be problematic to get rid of the form, then you need to pry off the edge with a spatula. Brick can be used as a support.
Grinding
The surface of the slab after the concrete has hardened must be sanded. This is necessary so that fragments of broken glass and other decorative elements that were used during pouring show through on it. Sanding will smooth out bumps and get rid of glue residue. To carry out these works, the master should use clothes that will not be a pity to get dirty. After grinding, the plate is again left to dry.
Kitchen countertops are usually very smooth. In order to achieve a similar effect, the next step is to mix the cement with an acrylic fixative. The mass should not be too thick. Its application is best done in three stages. It is important to remember that when drying, the material shrinks. It must be distributed over the surface, filling all the cracks and voids. Excess should be removed from the surface, leaving the structure to dry.
What to do next?
At the time of the second application of the composition, you must try to fill in all the voids that you missed the first time. When kitchen countertops covered with a third layer, it is not necessary to get rid of the remnants of the mixture. One night will be enough for the slab to dry. Then you can surface grinder, providing it with a coarse-grained polishing pad. If during sanding you notice voids and holes that could not be filled with acrylic cement composition, then the process can be repeated by applying another layer.
Carrying out polishing
After completing all the above work, you will get a dark countertop, the shade of which will be slightly different from concrete. At the final stage, you will need to polish. In this case, the working element must be constantly wet. You shouldn't rush. Movements should be uniform and slow. If you are thinking about how to cover a concrete countertop, you can find out by reading the article. Gradually grinders change in grit. This is done until 1500 units can be reached. You can find polishing pads, the grain size of which is 3 thousand units. But in order to cover the surface with a primer varnish, you should make the base as smooth as possible.
The manufacture of concrete countertops ends with the application of a primer varnish. It should be allowed to dry well. To achieve positive result, varnish can be applied in several layers. And then the surface must be cleaned wax composition, after hardening of which the countertop is wiped with a clean rag.
Conclusion
If you are interested in the question of what is the minimum thickness of a concrete countertop, then this parameter should be equal to 5 centimeters. But even in this case, it is recommended to use a reinforcing mesh, which will increase strength. Many masters neglect the step of creating a template. However, these manipulations are very important to create a design of ideal proportions.
To do this, you can use fiberboard and cardboard scraps, interconnected with glue. Do not forget that a sink can be embedded in the countertop. This should be provided before the pouring stage, so that after that you do not have to cut the material. The cost of a factory-made countertop can reach 20 thousand rubles. However, if you want to do the work yourself, then the costs will be limited to the price of sand and cement.
