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Concrete countertops may initially sound like the ultimate triumph of substance over style. Sure, concrete is durable and all, but who wants to visit the Island of Eyesore where it sits in the middle of the kitchen? Well, there’s good news for all you doubters: concrete kitchen countertops excel in both form and function.
Bath and Kitchen countertops have currently developed from basic styles and colors laminated to a variety of designs and materials. These days, it is not unusual to see different kitchens adorned with Corian granite or other hard surfaces.
When it comes to concrete, many people think of the bedrock house of the Flintstones. It is time to forget about the image of concrete being prehistoric since current trends bring you upscale, beautiful homes with concrete accents. You can select concrete options that will show you a whole new side of the concrete.
You can alter the color and design
One big reason that concrete is finding its way into upscale decoration themes is due to the large selection of colors and designs this material offers. Homeowners are given the opportunity to built counters specifically the way they have imagined it.
If you want subtle curves and customized angles, the only material that will be able to make this happen is concrete.
Aside from choices of color, countertops made of concrete can also be dyed in any hue that contributes to its beauty. Even the surface edges come with a wide selection from round edges to great beveling which Corian and granite tops also have.
If you think that a concrete countertop might be too urban, you will be surprised how rustic mustard or russet concrete can look very traditional or how southwestern a Mexican tile and blue combination countertop can look.
Concrete countertops can be gloriously stained
There is a multitude of concrete stains you can use to spruce up this new counter in ways you never thought possible. Stained concrete looks very elegant and even naturalistic, perfect for rustic and fancy kitchens alike. And the stain options for concrete countertops are only as limited as your imagination.
Choosing a color can be challenging enough, given the wide variety of options. But any design you want is within your grasp, whether it’s your family coat of arms or your favorite food (always good to have inspiration in the kitchen area). While color patterns will probably suffice for most people, it’s nice to know just how varied the possibilities really are.
It’s a long lasting solution
If installed and maintained properly, countertops made of concrete last forever. Coupled with a wealth of colors, designs, and styles, its practicality, and durability have caused the concrete to be at the forefront of home design. This is the new surface material currently used in most well-designed kitchens today.
Don’t believe me? A concrete countertop that has a sound structure can be reworked just like a regular concrete slab. What does this mean? You can grind the surface to stain it again or resurface it or use dyes on it. Many options.
Light structures can be achieved
Many homeowners now incorporate fiber optics as lighting for their concrete for an unexpected touch of style. It is easy to add in sinks, cutting boards, and trivets to create a high functioning kitchen.
The obvious benefit is also that with lighter countertops, there will be less strain for the cabinets. If light sinks are made, they are easier to install on the walls as the wall itself won’t have to carry such a heavy load.
You don’t have to use only rough aggregates
One more advantage that concrete countertops give you the opportunity to work other materials into the counter. Breathtakingly beautiful with colored glass pieces, stones or tiles that are incorporated into it, or broken pieces of your favorite china will give you not just a thing of beauty but a conversational piece.
Concrete countertop cost
The 5 reasons are all quite good, but a smart homeowner is probably asking now “are concrete countertops expensive?”. I’ll try to estimate here a bit as I’m no concrete countertop consumer or a manufacturer. I have enough skills to make one thought to make some educated guesses.
Concrete countertops are handcrafted with high attention to detail with many edging choices, textures, and colors. Working closely with the owner of a new concrete countertop should be a 100% artistic endeavor to produce a one of a kind top.
Sure granite may be cheaper for the material itself but it wasn’t handcrafted and high-quality granite will cost more. Have you ever looked at a granite top and wished it had more of one color or maybe liked the color but wanted less?
These concrete countertops are like building a luxurious item, from the ground up. Ok maybe I overstretched the luxurious part but these truly are a one of a kind product and fully customized.
In my opinion, concrete countertops should not be a low budget item but rather highly durable, typically installed in high end custom homes and businesses. Also the benefits of concrete countertops makes the cost reasonable for me.
Cost for fabricating concrete countertops
The price factors are material cost, fabrication, construction and installation. Like any custom item there are basic prices and there are addons.
The addons are for thickness (the basic is 3/4″), an integral sink, stenciling, drain boards, engraving and certain edging styles.
Standard prices for concrete countertops can average from $65-$135 per square foot. It is a little bit more than the average price of countertops in general. Granite can even double that at the highest.
Note, these are not drab slabs compared to a sidewalk or driveway. This product is a high architectural-grade product for an owner with a vision.
If the price got you depressed after dreaming of a thick stonelike countertop, no worries, I got you covered with this guide that is the DIY concrete countertop. You have to work a bit, but it will drop the price. I have also guides for concrete countertop staining which is no different for countertops really.
Reasonins that affect the cost
Usually, concrete countertops are custom made so they have to consult you if the concrete countertops are the right fit for a project. They discuss design and color and educate more about the products they use.
If concrete countertops are chosen there might be the production of sample pieces with edging, techniques, and colors. This process takes about four days to complete for dry time.
If the samples are good and you want to move on, there must be some sort of contract to proceed.
Now, when you have agreed on the countertop, some templating from the existing cabinetry for the concrete tops has to be done for them to make them.
Creating and fabrication of the concrete countertops in these situations are pre-fabrications meaning made off-site. 1-2 weeks should be reserved for the fabrication as it may not start on the day of completion of templating. Depending on the workload they should be able to give an estimation of course.
Installation of the concrete countertops takes less than 1 day as everything is already measured and done, they just remove old countertops and install the new ones.
Still, there is lots of work so it explains the price if you’re not doing this yourself. For anyone who has bit of skills at crafting, it’s easy to do this yourself as well.
Conclusion
The advantages of concrete countertops are the versatility in colors, textures, and the custom design that granite can not provide. A concrete countertop artisan can add more color or take the color out for a custom unique piece.
When creating a countertop, the home owner, general contractor, home builder gets the opportunity to own a one of a kind surface that can’t be duplicated.
Choosing colors and textures for a customer’s needs are at the top of the priority list for anyone producing them. This will ensure a customer gets exactly what they want.
When it comes to concrete countertops the sky’s the limit from textures and colors. Marble can be imitated with realistic veining, terrazzo, and travertine or a smooth solid color.
