Concrete counters

[christo]

I'm planning on putting marbles in my concrete top along with other agregate so that they show through - I am going to try to grind the face of each marble a little so I don't have to grind so far to see a good reveal.

I plan to epoxy a tri color LED to each clear marble and wire them up to an LED controller - it was either that or fiber optics - My wife wants lights everywhere.....

[janprimus]

Originally Posted by maver

I bet it looks great. Is the aggregate showing through? Do you intend to get get it to a shine? Look forward to pics.

It does look very nice, mostly sand showing, but it is a nice speckled appearance. I am getting lots of aggregate on the sides where it didnt get trowled.. It looks neat. I am unsure if I want to go all the way to a shine or settle for very smooth. I mean the rest of the project is certainly not smooth and polished. I do like the look and feel of the polished. Hmmm any well though out design ideas from anybody? Or any not so well...
Chad

[maver]

The more polished it is the less food and outside organic material should penetrate and stain the surface, on the other hand that's also a look. Per the previous discussions about sealers, here's one that is purpose made for countertops in a small enough size to be quite affordable - it's designed not to change the surface appearance. I don't know if it is a silicone type sealer (siloxane) which penetrates and chemically binds to the concrete to permanently seal it but it looks like it might be, meaning it should wear much better than the surface sealers like acrylic (which when scratched stop sealing) or epoxy and urethane (which alter the appearance).

Sealer from Cheng Countertops website

http://www.concreteexchange.com/catalog/4/

[stuart]

Did you ever post pictures? Would love to see as I'm planning my outdoor kitchen as I speak...er, well type.

[stuart]

Originally Posted by christo

I plan to epoxy a tri color LED to each clear marble and wire them up to an LED controller - it was either that or fiber optics - My wife wants lights everywhere.....

Sweet! Hope you don't go crazy doing it! Post pictures!

[james]

Hey all,
I have moved this to outdoor kitchen design. I have used professionally made poured concrete counters, but have never done it myself. This is a good thread, and I hope we can keep it going.
James

[maver]

Originally Posted by stuart

Did you ever post pictures? Would love to see as I'm planning my outdoor kitchen as I speak...er, well type.

Here are pics from Janprimus,

http://www.fornobravo.com/forum/21/b....html#post5031 (Bellingham Bread Oven)

I have submitted pics of mine in my thread about building a neapolitan low dome oven, but they are cast concrete and have not been ground so not worth looking at until after I grind them - waiting for the grinding discs still - a questionable e-bay vendor.

[christo]

I started building my forms this week! I will post pics - especially of the marbles epoxied to LED's.....

Christo