Polished Concrete Worktops: Snog, Marry , Avoid: and why?

[ToughButterCup]

A lifetime ago (2016), SWMBO and I had a palpitation or two ? -  Settle down , settle down, the palpitations were about polished concrete floors.  Well, that rush of blood to the withers soon died down. We posted about polishing concrete here  Too expensive.

 

But, the idea (lust?) for concrete has never died. I know they are heavy, need effort, need maintenance, need care. I've viewed endless videos about them.  Loads of German videos about them - surprising that innit?

Somewhat against my better judgement,  I'm eyeing the prospect of building some worktops in my spare time ?

 

But there's not one online resource about the practicality of a concrete worktop. For example, what happens when

• a heavy shopping bag is dumped on the worktop, and then dragged across it?
• someone chops food without using a cutting   board?
• leaves a cut lemon on the concrete surface overnight?
• someone too full of vim and vigour decides to use wire wool to get rid of a stain?
• uses a blunt knife to scrape off dried out egg stains?
• spills bleach on it?

 

Are they more maintenance trouble than they are worth?  Anyone got a concrete worktop and care to share their experience?

Give me some good reasons NOT to give it go please.

 

 

 

[SteamyTea]

Make a small sample, or 3, and do some tests.

[MikeSharp01]

45 minutes ago, AnonymousBosch said:

Loads of German videos about them - surprising that innit?

Nope  them (you) Germans were and still are good with concrete just now it is used for different purposes.

[scottishjohn]

I do not know  if it applicable to this use , but

but when our workshop was laid we specified one that was good enough for tracked  diggers to move on -

after it was laid and still softthere was a couple of men on the concrete "flymo,s " driving about for half a day and chucking in,what looked  like of tree resin  granules+polishing them in 

 

that was done 30=years ago 

it is  bullet proof --does not absorb oil split from normal garage use etc -is not affected by battery acid or brake fluid 

there was never any sign of dust from it just a very nice semi glossy finish 

 can,t remember what the stuff was called --but an addition of that to mix ,if possible will give a very closed surface to the concrete 

over the years we have dug up bits for various reasons and when  repaired the new concrete is terrible in comparsion --the original looks more like stone than concrete

 

 

 

Edited November 13, 2019 by scottishjohn

[Construction Channel]

I'm hoping to pour mine on the weekend so I can let you know in a year or two.. 

[SteamyTea]

3 minutes ago, Construction Channel said:

let you know in a year or two

Get @Onoffto have a go, then after a decade we can revisit the topic.

[ToughButterCup]

2 hours ago, SteamyTea said:

Make a small sample, or 3, and do some tests.

 

Exactly my plan, @SteamyTea ... 

I've already had a go at a pure cement and water mix: but it's soft ... scratches easily.

I'll try some 10mm stone next

[ToughButterCup]

1 hour ago, MikeSharp01 said:

Nope  them (you) Germans were and still are good with concrete just now it is used for different purposes.

 

Naaaah mate, I'll be using less re-bar ....far less re-bar. 

Ich werde viel weniger re-bar verwenden.   Vorsprung durch Beton Jungs!  Well, Technik anyway.

[Nick1c]

I looked into this for our last house, but eventually went for stainless. Whilst investigating I found this:
 https://www.ebay.co.uk/p/Concrete-Countertops-Design-Forms-and-Finishes-for-the-New-Kitchen-and-Bathroom-by-Fu-Tung-Cheng/91407949?iid=163927455314&chn=ps&norover=1&mkevt=1&mkrid=710-134428-41853-0&mkcid=2&itemid=163927455314&targetid=520884118079&device=c&mktype=pla&googleloc=1006983&poi=&campaignid=6744139833&mkgroupid=78343140446&rlsatarget=pla-520884118079&abcId=1139126&merchantid=137612025&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI2I3PloHn5QIVAuDtCh3LTQ8GEAQYAiABEgJQAvD_BwE

 

it looked like it would give you all you need to do it & would be worth £5 to learn more!

[ToughButterCup]

16 minutes ago, Construction Channel said:

I'm hoping to pour mine on the weekend so I can let you know in a year or two.. 

 

You going to video it Ed? Please would you ?

[ToughButterCup]

1 minute ago, Nick1c said:

I looked into this for our last house, but eventually went for stainless.

[....]  

it looked like it would give you all you need to do it & would be worth £5 to learn more!

 

Yer a star @Nick1c - ??

[Onoff]

It's not your regular mix for this. Something like:

 

https://concretelab.co.uk/products/gfrc-concrete-worktop-premix-kit

[SteamyTea]

3 minutes ago, Onoff said:

not your regular mix

Mix some soul in, along with your favourite breakfast cereal seeds, maybe some herbs, a chilli plant. Then place in the garden and forget all about it.

[scottishjohn]

digging deep in to my memories  --granolithic comes to mind as the system they used for the final layer

 maybe do a search on that ?

 

[ryder72]

if you have a pathological need for it to look immaculate at all times, its avoidable. It needs to be cleaned, sealed and polished regularly to keep it looking good.

 

If you can live with the organic wear/stains that will inevitaby appear, then its absolutely fine.

[ToughButterCup]

22 minutes ago, ryder72 said:

[...]

If you can live with the organic wear/stains that will inevitaby appear, then its absolutely fine.

 

Thats good to hear, John.

[AdamSee]

I vaguely remember a tv show where a guy built outdoor BBQ pits/areas for peoples gardens. On quite a regular basis he had concrete worktops made at a company that let you chose the cement colour and the stone colour. Once it was cut and polished it look pretty good....well....it had the potential to look "tastefull" except he chose pink / pale blue on a regular basis. Anyone else remember this? 

 

I guess if you were set on making it yourself, I would recommend adding a waterproofing to the mix. We have a smooth polished floor in our warehouse and water soaks in leaving a mark. It dries out pretty quick. Oils are the main pain, they eventually spreads so far that it joins up to the other stains.

[Construction Channel]

2 hours ago, AnonymousBosch said:

 

You going to video it Ed? Please would you ?

As you asked so nicely I'll consider it.

[scottishjohn]

even stone worktops need to sealed and resealed periodically --so no different than concrete really 

[SteamyTea]

Portland cement is named after Portland stone, because it looks similar.

I had a Portland stone house in Weymouth.  Was well stained and grubby. Still is by the looks of it.

 

[Oz07]

Maybe more a grano mix would be suitable. Bit of dusty granite chippings and sand with cement. Same as a drainage benching mix. Then some additives to help finish sbr or waterproofs. 

[Oz07]

[Onoff]

11 minutes ago, Oz07 said:

 

+1 Did similar with the wet room corner mix. 10mm pea shingle and heavy on the sbr PLUS added fibres. 

 

 

[Onoff]

The vids I've watch they cast the slab upside down in a shallow box with smooth faces. All internal corners are caulked to give radiussed edges. Mesh laid in halfway thru the pour.

[ToughButterCup]

10 hours ago, Oz07 said:

Maybe more a grano mix would be suitable. Bit of dusty granite chippings and sand with cement. Same as a drainage benching mix. Then some additives to help finish sbr or waterproofs. 

 

Benching mix?  Wassat then?