Outdoor kitchen in Texas

[UtahBeehiver]

Re: Outdoor kitchen in Texas

Tracy,

In my research on polished concrete countertops, I saw a YouTube video by Buddy Rhodes and it showed how he addressed fill in the edges of a poured in place concrete counter. Maybe this will help. Playing with fire blaming the SWMBO

[texman]

Re: Outdoor kitchen in Texas

yea, i watched ole Buddy on you tube also, and feng tu(cant remember the name). Not sure i am using the right stuff, but i remember Buddy had some big voids in his edges as well. So i expected them. Good thing the wife doesn't check the forum. She did great really. I think it will turn out good. I am surprised that i have already exposed some aggregate with the light sanding i did. Good news is the aggregated has lots of color and will look good, bad news is 30' sq ft of it. I don't really want a polished and gleaming surface. It wouldn't fit with the rest of my kitchen and would look odd next to the flagstone counters i think.

[texman]

Re: Outdoor kitchen in Texas

Been working on the counters and backsplash. Almost there on the bar i think.
just a few small voids on the edge to patch and i think it is ready for seal coat.
Got the flagstone backsplash in. Still trying to decide what to do for the oven finish so i left that undone for now. I had a large void in the flagstone next to the sideburner unit that i filled with mortar an i need to do some dress up around the plug. 2x cedar veneer will cover the posts and hide most of the ugly concrete. I think it will look good once the finish is on and stays looking wet.
Tracy

[Gulf]

Re: Outdoor kitchen in Texas

Been working on the counters and backsplash. Almost there on the bar i think....... I think it will look good once the finish is on and stays looking wet.
Tracy

Tracy,
It is looking great! I've seen the looking in angle, but with the behind the bar shot (looking back toward the gate and fence) Awesome . I can see my self saddling up to a bar like that . I think that you will have a blast intertaining with with that set up.

[Tscarborough]

Re: Outdoor kitchen in Texas

Looks great, seal it then wax the sealer, wax is easier to redo than sealer.

[texman]

Re: Outdoor kitchen in Texas

Thanks Gulf. I hope Isaac behaves and doesn't cause you any grief. Any time your ready, come saddle up to the bar and i will serve the beverages of your choosing. I can kinda see the light at the end of the tunnel, but trying to trudge slowly. The flashing will be here today, so back to the oven for me.

Tom
Again, Thanks for all your help on this. I think it turned out good. Only regrets is the outside exposed edge. I could spend more time on it, but i don't think it would produce any better result. The acrylic concrete patch is the right stuff i think for that. It gets hard and will polish somewhat. The dry concrete patch w/o acrylic that i bought after i ran out of the good stuff just disappeared when i tried to sand and smooth. I used my orbital sander on the top and for about 3 passes and sprayed water to keep wet with regular 80 grit sanding pads. I used 100 grit disc pad on the edge. No diamond pads on any of the sanding. I have minimal exposed aggregate from the sanding and gives it some interest to look at.

Any advice on what sealer and wax? you knew i would ask. especially wax; never thought about that.
Tracy

[texman]

Re: Outdoor kitchen in Texas

Here is the counter with a couple of coats of finish that i brushed on last night. I am very pleased with the outcome and have lots of dough left in the pocket for sure compared to granite or paying to get this done!
It isn't perfect, but i think it is almost perfect fit for my kitchen and other materials. Thanks again Tom.
Tracy

[billwil]

Re: Outdoor kitchen in Texas

Looks great, IMHO. I'll be doing my countertops, too (also 30 square feet, but deep and not as long...it'll be around the oven and BBQ countertop area). I'll also be doing the same finish for the cap and seating area of my gas firepit. Oh...did I mention I've never done it before. I've been watching yours intently, and I think it turned out great.

My delima right now is there are soooo many different options for finishes with a concrete countertop that I don't know what I want (just a general color). Exposed or not exposed aggregate, polished or not, stained or colored or both, types of concrete and additives, etc. It's a bit overwhelming.

Thanks, though, for the chronicles.
Bill~

[texman]

Re: Outdoor kitchen in Texas

Thanks Bill. That was my first rodeo too. If you don't have a cantilever, it will be easier to do. The ingredients were all HD/Lowes except for the pencil rod, which makes it nice. The color is brown and i used 1 bottle per bag. I mixed a bottle of red over the five bags, but i cant see it. Mine was really simple for the pour and finish and didn't take a huge amount of time. I wanted something that "fit" my kitchen and the polished finish would not have worked for me. That is my story or maybe i am ready to drink at the bar and be done working on it. You need to decide the color and can get the finish you want depending on the amount of grinding and polishing you are up for. I would do some test pours to decide what you really want and to get a feel for it. To me, the edges are the most difficult to form, pour and finish. So be sure and work those edges and vibrate, tap, retap vibrate. I think a slightly wetter mix there helps, (especially if it is supported underneath. Let me know if i can help. Tom Scarborough really helped me. Start a thread and you will get all the help you will need.
Tracy

[Lburou]

I have the bug!

Tracy, that counter top looks so good that I'm considering doing something similar.

[texman]

Re: Outdoor kitchen in Texas

Thanks Lee, if i can do it, anyone can. Hopefully it has cooled off in DFW. Time for a countertop??

[UtahBeehiver]

Re: Outdoor kitchen in Texas

Tscar,

I am thinking of using ladder wire for my 2" concrete counter. How do you suspend the wire at the right depth? I am going to overhang the counter from the hearth base 2", beyond ladder wire and adding polyp fibers, do you recommend any additional steel since you are the concrete guru.

[Tscarborough]

Re: Outdoor kitchen in Texas

Slice some scrap firebrick to the right depth and use them for shims under the wire. Bonding agent is always good.

[mrchipster]

Re: Outdoor kitchen in Texas

I have a related question on this topic, is it possible or am I off base.

I would like to pour a concrete prep table but really like working dough on granite.

Is it possible to combine the two? A concrete counter with a recessed granite piece embeded in the concrete at the same finish level.

If I did this would I pour the counter first and leave a void for the granite placing it in afterward with thinset and grouting around the seam, or would I pour the counter with the granite embeded in the wet concrete?

Or some other method? Thanks

Granite/Concrete counter being considered is the one on the left of photo

Chip

[Gulf]

Re: Outdoor kitchen in Texas

....I am thinking of using ladder wire for my 2" concrete counter. How do you suspend the wire at the right depth? ....

One way is to have the wire and or rebar precut, and tied. Depending on the size counter, you might need some help to place it. Fill the form to the depth that you want the reinforcement placed, insert the steel, and finish the pour.

One word of warning: If your concrete is too wet, and you pour 1/2 way up your outside bands, there will be a distinct line between the two pours (even if it is just a few minutes).

If your concrete is the perfect consistency, it will be firm enough to press into the bands to make a "wet form" to house the second pour.

For a "poured in place", the line between the two pours can easily be blended with screeding and floating. If it is an "upside down" pour, no problems .
"
Just another way to skin a cat" .