See more ideas about diy concrete counter, concrete and concrete countertops. Today we look at the pros and cons of concrete countertops. Feather finish concrete is applied in thin coats, as the name suggests. Ardex ardifix is a twopart polyurethane repair compound for cracks, control joints, spalls and popouts on interior or exterior applications.
The straight story on concrete cracks concrete decor. To avoid the appearance of a sidewalk, concrete countertops can have any color added to them, and must be sealed to make them nonporous and heat and stain resistant. Cami tidbits cami redid her countertops about a year ago, using the ardex feather finish concrete method over plywood countertops that she and her husband built over the existing countertops. There are two basic ways concrete countertops are made.
Check out how we built our 114 concrete waterfall countertops in our kitchen using ardex feather finish concrete on top of plywood. The ardex sands really well, and you can keep as much or as little of the concrete texture as you want. To add to it, several cracks had developed as the concrete cured particularly where the dishwasher was i believe it was from the heat structurally, it was fine, but because it was also still uneven, we decided to do another round of concrete to level things out and fill the cracks. Thats a risk that comes along with concrete countertops, most commonly when poured in place rather than precast. Depending on your style and taste, you can leave it slightly more rough or keep sanding and apply until that. Ardex feather finish countertops the second try seeking. The ardex line expanded to include ardex pct, a polished concrete topping in white, gray and light gray, and, more recently, a product with specialty aggregate.
Concrete countertops offer versatility in color and design. If and how a crack gets repaired prior to a decorative concrete application depends both on the nature of the topping to be applied and on the nature of the crack. Diy concrete countertops are not the type of project that you can dive. It seems to go all the way through i can see it on the edge it has not been sealed, and has been about 10 days since it was poured, and the formbrace hasnt been removed. Highflow formula minimizes the need for mechanical vibration. Why concrete cracks cracks in concrete are extremely common but often misunderstood. Still, cracks happen, whether because of pressure or the natural settling of the house. I created a concrete countertop that impressed the next tenants enough they asked to purchase the property.
While it may seem that concrete countertops are not as stylish and glamorous as marble, granite or ceramic countertops, the truth is, concrete is a chameleon that can imitate any high quality countertop available. I have a crack that appeared just after we poured our countertop. After kitchen and ardex feather finish concrete countertops tip do not go back on a surface as it starts to dry. Id be really interested to see how these counters hold up if there is any cracking or chipping.
My experience installing ardex concrete countertops. Ardex is committed to matching the right products with your next installation to minimize time, cost and risk at every job site. Fixing concrete countertop problems the concrete network. Of course, you can prevent cracks to a certain extent by adding fiber reinforcement, rebar, andor wire mesh.
Homeowners love concrete for its beauty, versatility, and strength. Ardex americas ardex academy training schedule announced august ardex polished concrete systems. They come in a box and are found in the flooring aisle because they are used to level subfloors for tile installation. Since then weve done dozens of projects with this product and gotten great results. Patch all cracks, crevices, and holes in the old concrete surface. There are two different processes for creating concrete countertops slab and overlay. Diy concrete countertops another version kara paslay. For this particular project, we sanded the wood and marble surfaces and opted to remove the laminate layer from the main countertop.
In many cases, priming and crack joint repair is the first step to a successful installation. The best sealer for concrete countertops lovely imperfection. Being that ardex is a modified product it may not be as receptiveconsistent to stain as normal concrete, most concrete stains also work as a chemical reaction. If youre using mixed concrete patch, mix according to the manufacturers direction and then trowel the patch into the crack image 2. Acid in the stain opens the surface pours on the concrete and minerals in the stain react with the lime and minerals in the cement. Sep 22, 2016 this concrete countertops how to repair guide is intended to provide simple procedures on how to repair chips and cracks in concrete countertops. My search was on for the best sealer for concrete countertopsand i finally found one. One of its many uses is as functional, elegant countertops for kitchens and baths.
When an owner sees a crack in his slab or wall, especially if the concrete is relatively new, he automatically assumes theres something wrong. Im not an expert, this is simply my personal experience. More on the sealer in the next post completion photos posted here as well. It dries quickly to a standard light gray concrete color white option also available and can be easily colored to match your countertop surface. We carry ready mix concretes, standard concrete mixes, cement mixes and other masonry mixes.
We built a solid wood base to shape our countertops and spread on feather finish concrete underlayment, to create a faux. Diy feather finish concrete countertops blesser house. I really wanted to replace our builder grade, 1980s formica countertops with concrete until i talked to a neighbor who had actually done this. Edgy and modern, concrete now plays a starring role inside the most stylish homes. I did not know about feather weight concrete, it may not have existed. Concrete countertops photo gallery, countertop design options, available colors, how concrete counters are made, cracking and maintenance issues, pricing, tips for concrete countertops in the kitchen.
Using the putty knife we started to layer the concrete on as smooth as possible, then allowed the first coat to dry for 812 hours. I removed the old countertops, replaced them with wood. Concrete countertops why concrete cracks, reinforcement methods, and more. Superplasticizer additive provides a flowable mix at low watercement ratio. It offers the very best blend of white sand and marble aggregates, white portland cement and proprietary admixtures to. That doesnt include the sealer though, which is next on our list. Substrate preparation is key to success and ardex primers, crack joint repair and additives cover every situation prior to installing moisture control, selfleveling underlayments or finished surfaces. Diy concrete countertops over laminate surfaces lovely. They also added some nonsanded grout to alter the color of the concrete. Selfleveling concrete toppings provide a shortcut to a. What kind of concrete do you use for concrete overlay countertops. He explained how they built molds, rented a concrete mixer.
Ardex ardifix low viscosity rigid polyurethane crack and. How to create a faux marble countertop using concrete one of the most obvious places to get a major bangforyourbuck in a bathroom update is the countertop. The sealer is called stonelock e3 2k and it is offered by the concrete countertop institute. You pretty much have one chance to smooth out or else you have to wait until it dries to sand over and apply a new layer. Its not easy to come by, but you can hunt for a local distributor on their site or just. The concrete material is not expensive, but one con is that the fabrication and installation can drive up the price due to the time intensive nature of the process and the weight of concrete slabs. You can even use our concrete calculator to find the perfect concrete mix ratio and ensure theres no waste. Ardex feather finish countertops the second try lets make this clear. Ardex crack repair how to repair cracks and spalls in. Im finally sharing my experience installing ardex concrete countertops in our new kitchen. Black concrete countertops black concrete counter tops with ardex, tint. Trying our hand at diy ardex concrete counters young.
Now the diy concrete countertops will dry overnight and they will be ready for the sealer. I put it directly over the existing counter surface and havent had any cracking like what you showed. Diy feather finish concrete countertops and how they failed. A smooth, flat base is essential for every kind of wall design. How to create a faux marble countertop using concrete. It is a rapid curing concrete repair material used when minimal down time is crucial. Diy ardex concrete countertops kara paslay design kara. Decorative concrete expert, jeff girard, provides indepth answers to common problems associated with concrete countertops. Check the cracks in a few minutes to see whether the filler has settled. Concrete countertop mix high strength white 50 lbs. However, this can also be an expensive upgrade, particularly if you love luxurious options such as carrera marble. Concrete feather finish countertops a beautiful mess.
The cracks tend to be nonstructural and are a result of the natural shrinkage of the concrete. Instead of using the ardex brand feather finish which had to be ordered, i used the henrys brand feather finish found at our local hardware store. Ardex smoothing compounds offer the ideal substrate. My rule was that it had to feel smooth to the touch. New innovations in the way concrete is formulated means that modern concrete countertops are relatively light and can be produced in an array of colors. A follow up post in a few months or so would be great. Designer floors july delta, bc aug stockton, ca oct 16.
Once youve got as many layers as it takes to get the look you want, its time to seal. Repair concrete countertop crack everything about concrete. For hairline cracks up to 18 inch wide, mix four parts of ardex concrete dressing to one part water. Please practice handwashing and social distancing, and check out our resources for adapting to these times.
For larger cracks up to 12 inch wide, use concreterepair caulk. It is a rapid curing concrete repair material used when. Force the thick paste into the cracks with a putty knife. Ardex crack repair how to repair cracks and spalls in concrete. Fine and fortified, z counterpatch is the quickest and easiest way to fill the voids that occasionally appear in your countertop edges. Ardex cp outdoor concrete patch description ardex cp is a trowelgrade cementitious topping for filling and repairing small areas of outdoor and indoor concrete above, on or below grade. Ardex americas ardex pct selfleveling topping base for floors that will receive a polished concrete surface. This concrete countertops how to repair guide is intended to provide simple procedures on how to repair chips and cracks in concrete countertops.
Z counterpatch is a specially formulated cement patch mix. We made our counter tops by coating plywood in ardex. We introduced k521 for the polishing market earlier this year, says tracy. Concrete countertops are one of the newest types of kitchen and bathroom countertops offered. In which i am overly optimistic about my ability to refinish our diy concrete countertops. Concrete countertops are fabricated much like driveways or walkways but in the shape of your counter space. Find answers to common questions and ask your own questions. And as it would turn out, its been a year now since weve had them. Henry feather finish we needed about 4 boxes to cover 60 square. Concrete countertops with ardex feather finish diy product.
Miniscule, or what are referred to as hairline cracks, are nearly inevitable in a concrete countertop. Ardex americas introduced the underlayment product category in the 1970s, says tracy. Once you start mixing the concrete using the directions on the ardex feather finish bag its important to mix small batches at a time and apply then directly to the countertops because the concrete dries quickly. Concrete countertops are made from a generalpurpose mortar mix. Ardex ra 56 is an ultralow viscosity, 2component hybrid polyurethane adhesive. Ardex cp is easy to apply, hardens quickly, is freezethaw resistant, and produces a surface finish that is suitable for foot and rubber tire traffic. Why concrete cracks concrete crack solutions ardex ireland. Yesus diyers do make mistakes and this one i was completely to blame. The pros and cons of concrete countertops angies list. But that still left a lot of really cool variation in color. To use the concrete filler, cut the nozzle off the bottle and slowly fill the cracks image 1.
Diy concrete countertop over existing formica hymns and. Food grade, scratch resistant, acid resistant, and heat resistant. Thanks to their low shrinkage, they do not slump and are therefore ideal for filling cracks as well as for smoothing and floating wall and ceiling areas. We were planning on the incrediably intimidating process of fabricating concrete countertops to replace the poor. At first i thought using a mudding pan would work for mixing, but i quickly switched to the temporary buckets. Most of all, i love the industrial look the diy concrete countertops add to the kitchen and especially the variation and imperfections in. They were a dull gray and felt ever so slightly rough to the touch. With the unparalleled support of technical and field experts, we provide onsite product knowhow and job site consultation expertise to architects, building engineers, construction managers, general and specialist.
It is ideally suited to fill cracks and sawcuts prior to the installation of ardex moisture control systems, underlayments and toppings. Its been a couple of years since i first posted about creating my very own concrete countertops with this amazing product call feather finish by ardex americas find the product here. Trying our hand at diy ardex concrete counters young house love. Diy concrete counters poured over laminate averie lane. Concrete countertops countertop guidescountertop guides. I tackled this project with ardex feather finish in february on my kitchen countertops and. Today i am going to discuss our kitchen countertops in detail, as many of you have been very very curious about them from our kitchen reveal post, here perhaps you have seen or heard of diy feather finish concrete countertops. If there are cracks in the surface, this indicates that movement is occurring and your concrete may crack if the problem is not addressed before hand.
Cracks are to concrete what death and taxes are to life inevitable. Concrete countertops pros, cons, and cost of concrete. Just add the materials in a concrete mixer, grab your concrete or bricklaying tools and get ready to work. Z counterform countertop mix is a preblended, all in one, high strength castable concrete mix designed for the creation of concrete countertops. If there are cracks in the surface, this indicates that movement is occurring and your concrete may crack if the problem is not addressed before. He was overly paranoid concerned that the concrete skim coat would crack if there. Diy feather finish concrete countertops and how they.
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