Concrete Kitchen Countertops

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DIY Concrete Kitchen Countertops

• Ardex Feather Finish
• Latex Disposable Gloves
• Stainless Steel Mud Pan
• Putty Scrapers
• Electric Sander
• 150 Grit Sandpaper
• 220 Grit Sandpaper
• Sponge
• High Gloss Sealer

Prep

• Use the electric sander to sand all of the countertops. We made sure we got the ledge and I hand sanded the corners where it is really hard to clean.  We removed the back ledge so we could make a concrete backsplash so cleaning would be easier.

Make sure to sand it to a dull finish. The rougher the better.

We wanted to create a squared look instead of the rounded countertop so we designed a jig. But you can skip this part altogether.

 Time to mix the Ardex

• Mix the Ardex Feather Finish in your chosen container. Add a cup or two and then add equal parts of water, mixing it until it is a pudding consistency. I ended up using my hand beater and mixed it and then transferred it into my metal drywall mud pan. I found using equal parts worked great. TIP: Don’t mix too much at a time. Do smaller batches so you have time to work before mix dries up.
• Then with the trowel, apply a fine layer of mud on the counter. It does not need to be thick. There will be layer upon layer applied.
• Don’t forget to apply to the backsplash.
• I also used my fingers to apply to the edges and corners.
• It took about 20 min. to dry and then I applied another layer. I think I applied approx five thinner layers.
• After each layer dried a few minutes, approx 10-15 min. I lightly wet my hands and smoothed every nook and cranny to my liking. You want the concrete to be slightly firm but not too hard. If you have too much water on your hands you will wipe concrete off and if it’s too dry you might just have to lightly sand some ridges.

Finish

• Once I got it the way I liked it I allowed it to dry overnight and then gave it a light sanding.
• I then sealed it with  High Gloss Sealer protective sealer wet look… just because we already had it and then just painted it on.
• I wanted a super shiny look so I painted about fifteen layers of sealer on it.

Now Admire Your Concrete Countertops

Check out our Cabinet makeover here.

How have our countertops held up? Read more here. 

For more ideas on concrete countertops visit our Pinterest