A concrete worktop is quite heavy and requires the use of high-grade concrete (we discourage the use of market mixes). In addition, a concrete kitchen countertop should be reinforced with steel mesh and additionally with dispersed fibre (glass or polypropylene). First, the form for the worktop is built, poured with concrete, trowelled and then waits a minimum of 24-48 hours. The formwork is then removed and sanded to the desired effect. The final step is impregnation, which will make the surface smooth, protect it from dirt and reduce the absorbency of the concrete. You can use our ready-mixed architectural concrete, ARCHIFEST, to make a concrete worktop.
If you want a quicker result, you can cover the worktop - whether it's wooden, chipboard, OSB or MDF - with microcement. First, the surface should be primed and then two thin layers of microcement should be applied with a trowel at intervals of about 3 hours. Once dry, one layer of microcement as well as the other is sanded. If you want a uniform surface, you should do it very gently. On the other hand, if you want to achieve an effect as close as possible to natural concrete, you use abrasions and burnishes. Finally, as with the fair-faced concrete worktop, the microcement worktop must be varnished.
By the way, we must warn against the idea that sometimes comes to customers' minds when it comes to concrete countertops. Some people try to combine both techniques and instead of microcement use ordinary concrete to cover the countertop. We say straight away that such concrete will not adhere to the surface, and if it even adheres to it to some extent, it will crumble and fall off at the slightest impact. Microcement is a special mixture containing polymers that provide excellent adhesion, flexibility and water resistance and in this case cannot be replaced by sand with cement.
