Concrete Countertops: Design, Forms, and Finishes for the New Kitchen and Bath Paperback – April 1, 2004

Although I have not looked at this book in quite some time, it was very influential to me while I began the journey to build my fist concrete counters back in 2010. This book along with companion videos and the concrete exchange helped me to achieve an excellent product for a first timer. I completed 2 monolithic sinks for my bathrooms and 20 linear feet of kitchen counters in 4 sections. To do over I would reduce the thickness of the kitchen counters to 1.5" vs. 2.25" if only to lower the weight of each section in order to move them more easily. The key to precasting concrete is the table. Build yourself a solid and sturdy table that will limit deflection, this will save you the dreaded bowed affect for the finished product. Secondly, spend the time on the formwork as outlined in the procedures. Also, make sure to round the outside corners prior to pouring with a bead of sealant at the bottom corner of the formwork. This will eliminate the sharp edge which does not bode well for exposed concrete in a kitchen setting. The rest is your creative input. Inlays of polished rock, fossils, misc metal, ceramics, and wood can enhance the beauty of your concrete. Lastly, take the time to follow the rules for wet grinding the surface. Make sure to use the slurry to fill in small holes left after the first grinding. Here may be the most important part, matching the color with your slurry coat. Cheng made it easy by providing the premixed concrete color and slurry so that they match perfectly. The rest is up to you to decide the final polishing or shine you want on your counter. If you take your time and plan we'll, the final product will look great. Concrete counters have that modern craftwork appeal that fits well with any contemporary kitchen or bathroom. Photos to follow.

For the author to give the secrets away that he does in this book to his very special craft tells a lot about him as a person. Many people would love to keep unique skills such as this to themselves. This book contains every piece of information you need to create your own work of art that doubles as a kitchen counter or an end table, the possibilities are endless.The format of the book is more of a guideline on how to create from concrete than a step by step procedure on how to conjure a countertop from cement. The author shows examples (very nice photography) of work that he has done and gives details on how it all came together, so it isnt as dry as a manual on how to assemble a swingset or an entertainment center. Each part of the process is outlined by chapters, of which go into detail on how to construct a mold, mix cement, design, etc. The reason for this is there are so many ways to change each part of this process and expand on it, to me it seemed the author wanted to incite creativity upon the reader to make this art bigger and create upon the ideas that he has rather than just saying "take a mold, pour, glue it to some wood and viola". He gives multiple examples on the many unique things that can be done, things to avoid that cause problems such as sections too large (heavy), cracks, etc.I recommend this book to anyone interested in creating with concrete things that are outside of the mainstream. Concrete isnt just for sidewalks and driveways!

I have never done a concrete countertop (and still haven't) notwithstanding this well-written, well represented book! I think that MY issue is simply ignorance. I am ignorant of concrete, the consistency necessary? How long it needs to cure? Where the forms can be purchased or made? Where the dyes can be purchased? And this book, although going into sufficient detail to give the novice like me some rudimentary understanding of the artestry that concrete may be utilized for, I was left with a profound sense of ignorance of the basics of concrete and have since simply googled "concrete," to learn the "concrete 101" basics of how the chemicals of concrete mix and come together. My wife and I constructed an island that is 13 1/2 feet x 5 feet. This odd shape would have required us to build the countertop in the kitchen, on the counter, using forms we could make or purchase. It would have required not less than 10-100lb sacks of expensive countertop concrete and we would have to have been able to have poured it all at once because it cannot be poured in sections, yet we would have to have made cuts in the concrete as it dried and cured for purposes of cracking. For "fillers" we realized that we were WAY over our heads with the various bonding, hardening, curing-lengthening, you name it, and for our first project, particularly of this magnitude, we did not feel comfortable even attempting this. However, having said that, the book is a beautifully illustrated, well-written book and definitely gives people like me hope that one day maybe even I could pour a countertop or floor that shined beautifully and creatively as those in the book!