The Advantages and disadvantages of Concrete Kitchen Countertops

1. Few cooking area counter top materials are trendier at the moment than high-end concrete. Rock solid and hard as granite or slate, concrete can be a much better fit in modern kitchen area designs than any of those natural stones considering that it radiates a modern industrial aesthetic. Contributing to the mystique is the truth that concrete can now be etched, acid-stained, stamped, and sealed to develop a counter top surface area that is unlike practically any other offered product. Modern concrete kitchen area counter tops are no longer cold slabs of gray concrete (unless you want that)-- more often, they are warm and gleaming surfaces that are absolutely functional and likewise incredibly stylish. Setup of Concrete Countertops Concrete counter tops might appear like huge pieces, but in reality, they are generally just 1 1/2 to 2 inches thick. The impression that they are much thicker slabs is usually the outcome of a drop-front edging on the counter top. Still, these are really heavy countertops, weighing 19 to 25 pounds per square foot. Installers often need to enhance cabinets and often even the floors in order to bear the substantial weight. While concrete counter tops are in some cases formed and put on-site, regularly they are fabricated in shops after a technician takes exact measurements of your kitchen area area and goes over all finish alternatives with you. In the shop, kinds are built and the countertop is poured, complete with whatever sink cutouts, pigmentation, or ingredients are asked for. During fabrication, the counter top slabs are normally strengthened with fiber or metal mesh of some type to give them strength and rigidness. After fabrication, the counter top is allowed to cure completely, and the surface may be ground and polished to whatever finish the client has actually an asked for. Some sort of sealant is used, often a very difficult epoxy. As soon as curing and ending up is complete, a setup team carefully delivers the counter top to the work website and quartz countertop looks like carrara marble installs it. As part of the installation, the crew may develop or install assistance frames for sinks, since it is essential that the counter top itself not carry the weight of the sink. If the sink is an under-mount design, it is set in location initially, then the counter top is installed over it. The counter top is usually stuck to the cabinets with construction adhesives after being carefully leveled and shimmed. Advantages and Drawbacks of Concrete Countertops Concrete countertops have many virtues, particularly its ability to be formed and formed to precisely match your kitchen measurements and completed specifically to your preference. With other counter top products, you are typically restricted to whatever colors and styles are readily available, however concrete deals you a wider range of alternatives. Just ceramic tile comes close to providing a similar range of options. On the other hand, if you are conditioned to think about concrete as an utilitarian building product utilized for slabs and structures, you might envision that concrete counter tops are cheap and easy to install. Absolutely nothing could be further from the truth. Concrete is a high-end, exceptional product when used in kitchen area counter tops, and fabricating them requires a great deal of skill and experience. These are amongst the more costly of all counter top products. Pros They can be custom-sized and formed to any kitchen area configuration. Concrete does not scratch and is impervious to heat. Products such as glass pieces, stones, shells, and fiber-optic lights can be embedded.

2. Concrete produce an extremely resilient and long-lasting surface. The surface is easy clean-up and preserve, supply regular sealing is done. Concrete counter tops usually improve real estate worth as a "premium" product. Cons They are pricey, costing as much as $150 per square foot. Annual sealing is required to avoid staining. Their weight can strain cabinet frames and floorings. Repairs are almost difficult, and cracking in some cases does happen. Maintenance Presuming the counter top has actually been sealed at first with a good-quality epoxy sealant, continuous upkeep needs only the application of an excellent water-based wax sealant every 9 to 12 months. Annual sealing will guarantee the surface resists staining and will reduce the possibilities of a concrete counter top cracking with time.