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Concrete
Countertops
Today you'll find colorful concrete used as counters, sinks,
bathtubs, furniture, fireplace surrounds, and floors.
Homeowners literally have an unlimited number of color choices
to choose from, allowing them to coordinate a surface with
other colors and materials in a room. In general performance
and cost, concrete competes with both solid-surface synthetics
(such as Corian and Avonite) and stone (granite, marble, and
limestone), but is not as limited on color, thickness or natural
patterning. Synthetic surfaces are sold in sheet form, stone
in slabs and tiles, and both are limited to standard thicknesses.
But because concrete is cast in molds, it can include subtle
texturing, decorative objects (such as pieces of metal, fossils,
glass, or even coins), changes of contour, and greater thickness;
it can even form integrally cast sinks of almost unlimited
shape.
Concrete contains natural materials - stone, silica-based
cement, and water. Like stone but unlike synthetic products,
concrete requires careful maintenance, and even when it's
properly sealed, its surface can show stains and wear over
time. (Whether that patina is desirable or not depends on
your taste.)
How
much does concrete weigh?
Concrete weighs 30-35 lbs per square foot at our standard
thickness of 2”.
How much is it going to cost?
Unlike other countertop products, we do not price by the square
foot. The range of possibilities, colors and features make
it impossible to accurately price that way. More importantly,
each of our pieces is unique and hand made to your specifications.
Pricing by the square foot works well for situations in which
each client is asking for the same thing as the last. This
is a very common practice and works well for granite, marble,
Corian and other countertops because they are all the same.
Picture
the carpet in the living room of an average home. It was undoubtedly
priced by the square foot and installed in countless numbers
of homes in which everyone paid the same price for the same
look. Now imagine a beautiful, one-of-a-kind Persian rug,
with its delicate, intricate designs and colors. No one would
ever expect this rug to be priced by the foot. It stands alone.
There isn’t another like it. It is indeed unique.This
is a major distinction between interior concrete and everything
else. That being said, our pricing is, generally speaking,
competitive with granite or marble while offering a much higher
value in a true custom product.
How
long does a project take to complete?
A
project installed in your home (cast in place) will take roughly
5 days to install.
Each
custom made piece made in our factory takes about 2 months
from the time of templating, but may vary. Concrete is a very
durable, high strength material, but takes some time to develop
that strength. Without this time, concrete can chip and crack
easily and is often too soft to polish. Add to this the time
it takes to build elaborate, custom molds, time for polishing,
sealing and waxing, and it is easy to see why it takes a little
time. Trust us, it's worth it.
Does
it get poured on site?
It is possible to install in your home if the conditions are
right. This is generally done during a remodeking project
when things are still generally roughed out. This can be a
messy process and it is best to install your countertop at
the early stages of the project.
How
durable is concrete?
Concrete is extremely strong and shouldn’t crack or
break. This does not mean, however, that you don’t have
to take care of it. As with anything finely crafted,the better
you look after it, the better it will look.
What
about cracking?
There are two kinds of cracking in concrete. One is structural
cracking. Unless an earthquake or some other catastrophic
event hits your home, you won't see any structural cracking.
Our concrete mix has a compressive strength of over six thousands
pounds per square inch. The “cracking” that you
will see is called crazing. What may appear as a defect is
actually part of the distinctive character of each piece.
Crazing does not break the surface and in no way effects the
strength of the piece.
How
do I take care of my new countertop?
Concrete is easy to own provided you spend a little time looking
after it. As with any fine countertop, it is a good idea not
to use the surface as a cutting board. Not only does it dull
your knives, it also will scratch, chip and stain the countertop.
High heat is also dangerous. Please use a trivet rather than
putting hot pots directly on the surface. Our trivet inlay
is a popular way to elegantly avoid this possible problem.
(link to page on trivets here) The inevitable spills on the
countertop just need to be wiped up. Red wine, vinegar, citrus
and oils will all stain if not wiped up. Not to worry-if staining
occurs, it can usually be buffed out. Each piece is finished
with a natural wax coat that prevents staining. Detailed care
instructions and supplies are included with each piece we
make. Much like old leather furniture, an old hardwood floor,
or antique silverware, our pieces develop a patina over time
that adds to their unique character and appearance. Many of
our customers report that their piece looks better the longer
they use it.
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