the weather, ARGH!

[Archena]

Re: the weather, ARGH!

Cool! Congratulations!

Ahh, there's nothing quite like the roar of power tools in the morning...

[Neil2]

Re: the weather, ARGH!

"I've said before that IME any countertop-size job can be finished beautifully with hand pads alone, "

Only if you have lots and lots of time (and no angle grinder).

[splatgirl]

Re: the weather, ARGH!

An angle grinder...? For what? I've never spent more than an hour or so to fully finish a molded slab by hand. That said, I do favor and have much more experience with molded objects vs. cast in place, so any detail that would require an angle grinder after the fact is more easily included as part of the formwork.
I have a couple of wet/dry diamond cup heads for my wet grinder but other than this overly aged (and cast in place) slab, I've never needed to use them.
Anyway, my point is that a little elbow grease and $50 bucks for a set of hand pads is plenty good for the average diy'er wanting to play with concrete countertop making.

[Neil2]

Re: the weather, ARGH!

"An angle grinder...? For what? "

I like the look you get when you cut down thru the cement finish layer and exposes some of the aggregate in the concrete. I cut down about 1/16 to 1/8 inch with a diamond cup on a 5 inch angle grider, then start the polishing process. By the way, the three month curing process your slab had is not all bad. I usually do the initial cutting after one week but wait at least 6 weeks before final polishing so that the slab is hard enough to take a 3000 grit polish.

[splatgirl]

Re: the weather, ARGH!

you would like this slab...exposed aggregate is definitely one of its features.
My personal preference is for little to no exposed aggregate but lots of filled voids, but I have not ever had the opportunity to really control the aggregate to the point that it wouldn't just be random rock colors.

Curious about the 3000 grit polish, as I have only ever bothered going down to about 1200 or 1500. What kind of sealer do you use on that and how does it hold up? Functionally, it seems like everything I've done ends up at about 600-800 with regular use anyway, but I have not investigated the sealer market for a few years and I know the options are much more abundant now.

This slab got a big splash of penetrating sealer, aka pork fat, by accident last winter. Thoughts on how I can mitigate that stain pre-sealer, or do I just have to live with it?

[Archena]

Re: the weather, ARGH!

I've been wanting to try a two stage pour with the first being slow drying concrete and the second plain cement. After the first settles I want to place select aggregate in a pattern then pour the cement over it. Let dry, then expose the top layer of aggregate.

The first run being a bird bath or something else small, of course.

[Neil2]

Re: the weather, ARGH!

Going down to 3000 gives it a nice shine. I think that the finer finish makes the counter top finish last longer.


I've used "ENRICH'N'SEAL" by Aqua Mix. This is not really a coating as such. It is a sealer and also "wets" the surface bringing out the colors. One of my kitchen countertops is 8 year old with heavy use and still has the shine.

[miloj]

Re: the weather, ARGH!

Hi there,
this thread has finally elicited my first post, I want to go for a poured in place countertop I'll be breaking ground any day for a 42"(until morel season opens), just a few finish details to work out before I start digging and get a thread.

Archena,

you probably want to mix the aggregate with the cement and apply that over the top, if the aggregate is larger than 3/8" then it can be sprinkled and pressed in the top. then grind it out, I think cement on top will be prone to being spotty and more difficult to work with. Make the mix wetter than drier your first attempts then use the sprinkles to tighten up chip pattern

[Archena]

Re: the weather, ARGH!

Thanks, Miloj. Looking forward to your thread!