7 years in the waiting i get to start my 42" pompeii

[Gulf]

Those forms look great! Yes, you will definately need some help flipping those chunks. They will need some good reinforcemet. It's been a few years since I did my shelves. I looked at a lot of Buddy Rhodes and Fu-Tung Chen videos back then. Are you looking at any of those videos and sites for tips? If not, it would be a good idea. I did a search this morning to see what they were recommending for a release agent these days. The Concrete Countertop Institute Blog says not to use a release agent in a melamine form. I'm not sure why?

I'm looking forward to seeing those finished counters .

[leetheldc]

Yes I've hammered Google with searching concrete counters and to be honest I've looked too much and boxed my own head in with it! So many different ways and opinions I'm now abit lost I think I need to have another search and try to stick to one method the things I have taken on board are: sharp sand for the sand mixed 2 to 1 with the cement , around 5 to 6 percent of pigment to cement. Stainless steel ladder wire for the thin counters. Superplasticizer to reduce the water amount.Slurry coat at 200 grit not before which is going to be a big point for me as I have wooden lettering to go in the landing piece form to be filled at the point with another colour naming and dating my oven. Maybe the agents react with the melamine in some way or because it's coating is so dense it doesn't adhere il try the veg oil on my test piece see how it goes

[Caliea]

I'm lurking on your thread too, Leetheldc. I'm getting close to finishing my dome, and have started to think more seriously about the concrete countertops we're planning on pouring. I know exactly what you mean about 'looking too much!' There's great advice out there, but it's hard to keep it all straight. I've been looking a lot at the Cheng concrete website, and just ordered a few bags of their "Pro Formula Concrete mix". As I understand it, it has all the plasticizers/colorant/whatever in it to make bagged concrete suitable for a countertop application. I'm going to do some test pieces in the next week or so and try to get a feel for what I'm dealing with.

Looking forward to see your results! Good luck and thanks for sharing your experiences here!

[underpendle]

Hi Lee. Ive made a couple of pieces like this. Used melamine for the mould with just bog standard rape oil to release. Worked a treat. Used a mix of silver sand with snow crete, 10mm limesone and added some coloured glass. I think quite effective. Obviously V Heavy so I made on a scaffold so I could flip them with a block and tackle.

Ive sealed using a GRP Resin that I use for roofing so far not a stain and been using as our Kitchen table for nearly year now.

I was worried about cure rate cos quite hot when I cast so I cured under water for I think about 3 days after the initial setup. Just made a visqueen pond before I poured the mix.

Cheers S

[leetheldc]

I'm lurking on your thread too, Leetheldc. I'm getting close to finishing my dome, and have started to think more seriously about the concrete countertops we're planning on pouring. I know exactly what you mean about 'looking too much!' There's great advice out there, but it's hard to keep it all straight. I've been looking a lot at the Cheng concrete website, and just ordered a few bags of their "Pro Formula Concrete mix". As I understand it, it has all the plasticizers/colorant/whatever in it to make bagged concrete suitable for a countertop application. I'm going to do some test pieces in the next week or so and try to get a feel for what I'm dealing with.

Looking forward to see your results! Good luck and thanks for sharing your experiences here!

Hi there good to see another builder going down the concrete counter route. Unfortunately here in England no one sells a counter top mix in a bag it's just not that big a thing as we are well behind the USA in so many products it's such a shame. Il be checking see how you are getting on with them at least with a bag mix it should be a consistent colour good luck!

[leetheldc]

Hi Lee. Ive made a couple of pieces like this. Used melamine for the mould with just bog standard rape oil to release. Worked a treat. Used a mix of silver sand with snow crete, 10mm limesone and added some coloured glass. I think quite effective. Obviously V Heavy so I made on a scaffold so I could flip them with a block and tackle.

Ive sealed using a GRP Resin that I use for roofing so far not a stain and been using as our Kitchen table for nearly year now.

I was worried about cure rate cos quite hot when I cast so I cured under water for I think about 3 days after the initial setup. Just made a visqueen pond before I poured the mix.

Cheers S

Would love to see a pick if you have one is the sealant food safe ? I know you don't need it to be but I need something that is for mine and if this product is il check it out cheers Lee

[leetheldc]

I made a third form as after polishing the metallic pieces it was clear they wasn't going to work so I picked up some black liquid pigment and poured another piece and I'm more than happy with it so my mind is made up and I've saved a lot of money on the metallic pigment shame it didn't work though it just ended up mixing to one colour in the concrete with no metallic effect at all I took the pieces to 3000 grit dried them and just butchers block oiled them to see if it worked no good. Just need to get some rebar ordered make some space in me garage and get my counters poured now here are the test pieces the black piece has only been taken to 300 grit il probably slurry and take it right through the grits just for the cracks

[underpendle]

Not sure how well you can see this. To be honest I'm not sure about food safe or not. As far as I know it'll be fine, its pretty inert? Anyway have a root round the net and I'd be interested to see what you find. Also used it on our staircase, not that that need any concerns for food safety.

[leetheldc]

Wow that looks great massive piece too how thick is it? The only reason I need something food safe is I plan to prep food on a part of my counters and didn't want to take any risks obviously a table or anything else wouldn't matter I hope to find something its just the outdoors bit that always makes these products hard to get. thanks for the pic also. I plan to really venture out with this polished concrete lark around the home and tables was on my mind

[underpendle]

60mm. Made the legs from a couple of Pirlings I pulled out a job.
It won't blow away:-). Took a while to get a finish I was happy with but to be honest I think you can go a bit OTT with the polishing. I plan to use the same method with some outdoor stuff If/when I ever get that far

[leetheldc]

Finally got my gutters finished just need a copper downpipe to blend in. My forms are now ready for conc hopefully get them poured this weekend not going to easy in the garage but it's just to cold outside to risk it out there. I still need to get the mesh cut to size too but that shouldn't take long

[leetheldc]

For some reason I can't post on the forum on my phone no more only upload pics so I'm having to edit them on my other half a phone to put the text in doing my nut in had this problem a while now hence no posts for abit

[UtahBeehiver]

Your build is also on my hit list to see as I travel. It has been a while since I have been to the UK so there are a couple builds I want to see in person when I venture across the pond and yours is one of the top on my list.

[leetheldc]

Your build is also on my hit list to see as I travel. It has been a while since I have been to the UK so there are a couple builds I want to see in person when I venture across the pond and yours is one of the top on my list.

It would be a honour to have you here Russell you are welcome anytime let me know when you start planning your trip and we can arrange something

[leetheldc]

So I got all the forms filled today all the mesh in place my garage floor is reading 10c so hopefully they will be fine in there if the temp drops I might have to set a heater up on a timer for the nights but the forecast looks ok for now. I picked up some poly sheets to lay over the pieces I was going to spray them with water first and keep them wet under the poly for a week I'm not really sure if this is a good idea at this temp. But il try again on google for it