The PERFECT Concrete Countertop FORMULA!!
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 28 ก.ย. 2024
- Tool & Products Lists:- H-Seal Concrete Countertop Sealer: hsealconcrete....
A142 Steel Mesh 6mm: www.builderdep...
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18mm Melamine Board: www.builderdep... USA Link www.homedepot....
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This is my video on how to make perfectly smooth concrete countertops / worktops straight out of the mould with no air bubbles.
Pigment Calculation:
High strength concrete usually has around a 3:2:1 ratio of Agregate:Sand:Cement
So to give a 4% pigmentation relative to the cement in the concrete if we have a 20kg bag of concrete for example you can use the below calculation to work out how much pigment you need:
20kg / 6 = 3.33kg
3.33kg X 0.04 (4%) = 0.133kg or 133 grams
Thank you so much for watching! If you like this video, please consider subscribing. I’ve got loads more DIY videos like and load more to come in the future.
Best regards, Matt
If using rebar, epoxy coated rebar should always be used, else it will rust within the concrete and the rust will eventually make it through to the top of the countertop. GFRC [Glass Fiber Reinforced Concrete] would be preferable to rebar, unless creating a large overhang for seating (3/8 rebar rods laid at a diagonal), as alkali resistant fiberglass mesh is inexpensive (~$0.50/sq.ft), as are alkali resistant shredded glass fibers; carbon fiber mesh could also be used (~$5.50/sq.ft). PVA [Polyvinyl Alcohol] fibers could also be used in the top/face coat, as they're smaller and reduce shrinkage cracks (examples of each can be found on websites of local GFRC suppliers)
When it will rust thru concrete, none of us will be alive by then. There is rules by witch rebar is set to concrete to prevent that, and eventual cracks. Dimension of rebar x2 and tou have your clearance.
Fantastic video, it actually fairly hard to find a UK video, where I can actually go out and buy the stuff. Spot on!!!
Hello, mate :) glad you found it useful!
Got a video coming soon on how to make the vibrating table. Would love for you to subscribe if you’d be happy.
Ah finally a UK video on this! Thank you! The rest are all just American. Have you ever tried doing a cement layer on top of laminate kitchen worktops? Just looking into that now but struggling to figure out what mixes from Screwfix/B&Q/Toolstation would be suitable!
Was there a difference between the UK and American versions other than an accent?
All the American videos use concrete countertop solutions products which aren’t available in the U.K. and also brands of cement mix which aren’t available here either so it’s hard to get links to products. Also the weights and measurements are all in lbs (which off course is a simple conversion), but it’s just easier using kg and a metric system we use here.
really professional and fun to watch
Hey Kevin, glad you liked the video. Are you going to have a go with a concrete project if your own?
@@MattHutton hey Matt! already did a concrete slab for a sink and a concrete base for a light. Thinking of a desk in a month or two.
@@kevinmcgrath9136 that’s awesome :) are you a subscriber or did you just find this video randomly?
@@MattHutton suscribed last week because i fell on another video of yours. loved your explanations and the rythm of the it.
@@kevinmcgrath9136 nice, glad to hear it and thanks for the watching :)
Nice work! Seen a dude use a cordless reciprocating saw with no blade to vibrate forms. Good if you're doing one off projects.i'm interested to see your table setup. 🤟
Great tutorial like other been looking at a lot of US based ones so nice to see a decent uk video.
How have they held up over the years ?
The camera work was good. I wish video had more details...what did you use to keep that hole clear when u poured concrete. Close up and more detail about making mold with the front edge detail to make it look thicker. Did you add any clips to the underside? How many coats of sealer etc. Thanks
This is awesome, looking forward for more concrete videos!
Thank you Matt! Very helpful
Hey, glad you found it useful :)
anyway to mold the backsplash into the counter top?? looks bad in pieces.... counter looks perfect though
I've gotta admit - most of the results of those diy concrete countertops look horrible. Yours came out great. Appreciate you took the time to film and explain. Thanks!
How thick is this Countertop? I'm torn on doing 1.5 or 2.0 inch. I really like the look of this one though. Thank you.
Hi Matt, great video. I'm going to use this process to make a concrete table top for a fire pit. I've seen loads of US clips showing all the items they use over there but this is the first one film I've seen with UK products.
It was the concrete I was stressing about as I've made the mould and got all the other stuff sitting there waiting. I''m off to source the concrete you used so I can get on with it.
Wish me luck, I'm going to need it.
Good luck mate, it’s easy enough to just make sure to vibrate it well and get the mixture to the same consistency in the video and you should be all good ;)
@@MattHutton Thanks, I'm going to need it. I'm going to use either a sander or a reciprocal saw without a blade to vibrate it from the underside. I'm a heavy duty keyboard jockey for a living so this is well outside of my comfort zone. I had already bought same colour tone you used so as long as I measure the plasticiser out correctly I SHOULD be ok.
I'll let you know the results.
@@stuartpage9138 awesome, would love to hear how it goes :)
How long did you leave your concrete in the moulds for? I poured mine yesterday and because they are only a few inches thick, I expected them to be drier than they are this morning. I did use a lot more colour tone per bag in my mixes though as I wanted a darker look. Hopefully that won’t cause an issue 🤞
@@stuartpage9138 usually 3-4 days. How much pigment did you use and how much concrete did you use?
Does the sealer work on white concrete worktops. I’ve tried 4 sealer already and none of the prevent staining.
I love the last bit of this video where I sincerely share my frustration with you turning our place into a Sh*t Hole :))
Hahahaha :)
Matt is so cute
Haha thanks 😊 subscribe for more cute content :) lol
Sus
Matt, great video. Can you tell me, what's the thinniest wortktop you have made, I made 53mm one 2.4m X 1m ( really heavy). for my outdoor kitchen about 5 years ago. However, now I want to make one for my kitchen, thinking about the weight on the units? Any ideas appreciated.
Hey Mags Martin, what sort of sizes are you looking to make and are there any thin sections?
@@MattHutton I hoping to make a one piece L-Shape this time 1600mm x 1200mm to go over some kitchen units. So I wanted to make as thin as possible maybe 22-25mm to save on weight?
Nice, what is the plasticiser that you used?
Hey George, I’m glad you liked the video. You can find the one I used in the description, I’ve just added it for you.
@@MattHutton Bangin thanks, Got the pour happening Saturday! going with this method. I have a pyshio massage gun for vibration. see if it works.
@@georgebillam4160 haha nice be interested to hear how the massage gun works out :)
Cool
Where do you get your blue circle 40N concrete from? I can’t get it anywhere!
Have you tried, Wickes, Travis Perkins & B&Q.
@@MattHutton yep, no where has any, just eBay for £27 a bag 🙈🙈🙈 I’ve got some general all purpose concrete and rang the manufacturer to see if it was 40N, the informed me that all concrete is 40N+ as long as you don’t make it too sloppy.
@@MrJamesParker I personally would not trust this information because there is a clear difference in strength with different ratios of aggregate and sand from my own experience.
But if you’re buying premixed bags of concrete they’re more more likely to have a consistent ratios of cement, sand and aggregate than mixing these ingredients by hand.
So you know that you should have consistent strength (whatever the figure) across your worktop if you’re mixing multiple batches and you keep the amount of water added the same.
What’s the brand and model of the concrete?
@@MattHutton CEM-SPEC general purpose concrete www.cemspec.co.uk
@@MattHutton I need to get this right first time as I’ve spent quite long building the former to make the inside of the basin, coating it with epoxi resin etc
You need a bigger angle grinder
what I was thinking 🤔
The best straight-to-the-point, but with right amount of detail video on this subject I've seen.
Hi Matt - Came across the video after having watched a *lot* of USA based videos about concrete work surfaces and have so glad we did! I notice that you've got the calculation for the pigment based on a 20kg bag of concrete... does this mean cement? so the ratio would be: 60kg Aggregate, 40kg sand and 20kg high strength cement? Then the pigment for colour? Sorry for all the questions!
Hey glad you like the video. Each 20kg bag of high strength concrete already has the aggregate, sand and cement premixed in approximately a 3:2:1 ratio. So there is approximately 3.33kg of cement in each bag.
You are adding a percentage of pigment relative to the cement weight, so 2% pigment for a 20kg bag of concrete will be 3.33kg X 0.02 = 0.0667kg or 66.7grams
I hope that helps
Absolutely perfect!
The tutorial as well as the countertop. Good stuff.
Thanks for sharing dude.
Can I use MDF and cover with PVA or something. Melamine is hard to obtain and stupidly expensive in UK.
Those smaller thinner trim pieces don't seem possible with that size of aggregate?
Hey Matt, great content - been watching your videos to learn up as I'm building an outdoor kitchen. Do the same ingredients work well for cast in-place worktops, I realise the troweling finishing would be different, but in terms of ingredients, and would a 40mm depth worktop work? Also, what is the ratio of plasticiser and water to the bag of concrete you use? Thanks dude
been thinking about how to do it myself , one thing i want to do is premix the dry ingredients like you did but then save some of the mix without the agregate , this to use later to make a slurry if you need to fill holes , this makes sure the colour matches with wats in there allready
Hi, emergency question. How long can these be? What if I want to do a 4160 long worktop?
And pal u do know u could make this way easier and pour it right in place like what was the point of doing it this way dude
Hi Matt, as it has been about a year since you've done this project, is there anything you would change in the making and what would it be. I'm looking at making a hearth in the next couple of weeks and want to make sure I get the thickness and colour right first time.
I'm also glad this is a UK based project as at least I know I can get all the right components easily.
Hi Justin, I’m still making them the same way. Just don’t vibrate them for too long otherwise the aggregate will all be at the surface.
How many bags on concrete did u need and does the liquid pigment work the same way
@@justincowdell5787 The liquid pigment does work but you need to figure out a different ratio to the one that I’ve got in this video. Maybe just do a couple of tests 1st to get the colour you want. The number of bags depends on the size of the worktop you’re making. What size are you making
I'm going to try make a hearth for the fire. Looking at about 60mm thick, 1350mm in length and 780mm deep
Hi Matt, love the video it’s super informative. Can you let me know how much plasticiser you used? I’ve bought the same one you used but there doesn’t seem to be any information on the bottle. Thanks in advance 👍🏻
Sure.
If you use 0.5% relative to the cement weight you should be all good.
So if you’re using the premixed bags like me. They’re approximately 1/6 cement.
So per 20kg bag you can add the following amount:
20kg / 6 = 3.33kg
3.33kg X 0.005 = 0.01667kg
0.01667kg X 1000 = 16.67grams of plasticiser per 20kg bag of premixed dry concrete.
I hope that helps.
I'm excited to see this channel grow. :)
Thank you:) did you subscribe?
Beautiful video Matt, really great. Make concrete all the things! It's an excellent material when reinforced. Actually i had some questions. For example how many times reuse you think the moulds would last? For example to make some concrete floor slabs, or walls, or other 'tile based' projects..
BTW another observation I wanted to offer here in the comments is to do with the environmental impact of most of the concrete industry, high CO2 is generated for regular concrete. But I think you doing this on a small scale gives some great opportunities on the side here to also experiment with a variety of co-called 'eco' concretes. Which can be much more difficult to get right. I remember limecrete is one such material. Which was showcased on Grand Designs. But there are also other ones. For example there was also a TED presentation on carbon negative concrete. Anyhow neverrmind which specific one(s). My main point is that this process, this method seems like a really good proving ground to do this research into the practicality of them. And to get the chance to properly learn them, and evaluate them. Since otherwise 99% nearly all of concrete is used in buildings where nobody can afford to experiment or take such risks. The cost of failure usually being too high in those other typical construction scenarios. So if you can find sufficient time to do this on the side, it is a useful pathway / route towards developing a knowledge that can be transferred to other larger scale building projects later on. Well it would be great if they invented an eco concrete that behaved just exactly like regular concrete. With all the same exact properties. But it doesn't seem that is happening as things stand right now. It can be tricky those eco concretes. You wouldn't want to bet the house on it! Is a much shorter / more concise way of saying all that ^^.
Anyhow great video thank you so much with all these important little details, and steps like the mould release etc. Looking forwards to seeing how you made the vibrating table. Good day.
Great thank you very much for the message. I’m glad you liked the video. To honest I’d never even heard of of eco concrete. I’ll have a look into it.
A mould made from melamine will probably last 2 - 3 as the moisture in the concrete starts to seep into the mdf after a while. You make be able to increase the number of uses, by spraying a polyurethane lacquer over the top to further waterproof it.
Thank you very much for watching the video. :)
Make sure to subscribe and turn notifications on to get notified for the concrete vibrating table video. :)
@@MattHutton Thanks, that is a great advice. To make the mould last longer. BTW just to be clear: there is no such thing as 'eco concrete' as a brand name or a specific product. It's just a generic term to mean concrete alternatives / other formulations. But the specific ones can in fact be very different to one another.
@@dreamcat4 no worries, okay good to know :)
Hey @Dreamcat 4 here is the video on how to make a vibrating table for you :) th-cam.com/video/8P63Zxk_Uys/w-d-xo.html
Hi matt. You said not to vibrate for too long, what's too long?
Hi Dave, it really depends on the size of the piece I don’t have a formula for you but somewhere between 2-4 minute for each piece should be enough to consolidate the concrete with all the stones sinking to the bottom of the mould.
Thanks Matt
@@davebeesley4096 no worries 😉
Great video, I'm making two small tops for my garden, either side of a BBQ grill. Before I watched your video I was going to buy the blue circle concrete but was put off by the amount of stones. Now I see they're not a problem. Is it a case that they rise up to the underside leaving the top smooth?
Hi Lee, they do sink to the bottom, but the trick is to vibrate just enough to remove the air bubbles but not so much that the stones ghost through on the surface. If you make a fairly sloppy mixture like the mix in this video and vibrate for 2-3 minutes on the vibration table you should get a similar finish.
Brilliant! thanks for the tip. I’ll be giving that a go.
@@leejerrard no worries
Hey Matt, this is Rodrigo, I"m about to build a Kitchen Countertop just like the one you did, do you mind if I feature you on a video?
Hey Dajungleboy, sure why not 😊where are you based?
I’m currently based in Panama 🇵🇦 but we could face time and I add your channel on our video description if that’s ok
Hi. I’m wondering if it would be ok to screw the melamine to the sides as when cutting I forgot to allow for melamine sides( I cut to exact size) 🙄would it still hold & not leak out 🙏
Superb! Would love to make a giant outdoor dinner table like this for my backyard.
Why not give kit a go :)
@@MattHutton I need 3 separate worktops for an outdoor kitchen, they add up to 0.226m3, how many bags of 40N do you think i'd need please mate ? about 25 ?
Great vid!! Cant wait for that vibrating table tutorial !
Hey Kevin, here is that video for you on how to make a vibrating table:) th-cam.com/video/8P63Zxk_Uys/w-d-xo.html
Nice video Matt, im looking to make a concrete worktop for my kitchen island 2m x 1.2m. Im cautious of weight on the cupboards and strain on the floor overtime. Have you had any issues? Also what's the minimum thickness you'd recommend as i was thinking approx 30mm.
Finally I assume the pigment is down to personal preference? it would be good to see a comparison of samples in one of your videos using different ratios.
Cheers
Thanks this video has been really helpful.
Glad you liked it. Got a few more concrete videos on my channel you might like
How big can a 2 inch concrete countertop be with only the support from 4 sides? Meaning how big can the span be without it breaking in the center.
you dont mention any dimensions - how thick is the wood you are using? how deep are the moulds? pour video? poor more like.
Read up about concrete, this amount of water gives you in a very weak result
How didn’t you get any ghosting coming thought when you vibrated it ??
What size is the work top and how many bags of Crete did you use mate ?
Hey man, what concrete sealer would you recommend for a coffee table?
Best concrete tutorial on youtube. All steps correct
Well thank you very much :) subscribe for more correct concrete content haha
@@MattHutton i have mate. I'm going to be making my own for my new kitchen. I used to work in the industry and I'm surprised at how many people use a dry mix and dont vibrate
They also dont weight their pigment or use any additives.
@@scottrobinson5594 I think most people are only doing it just the once, so they won’t know the benefits of proper vibration and accuracy of ingredients, until they’ve done their first couple of projects.
Finally a U.K. video. Brilliant. I was totally unsure on what type cement to get as I have only seen American brands.
I am building my countertops ontop of the actual frame itself on my outdoor kitchen by pouring the cement directly onto hardie backer board fixed down onto a frame with noggins every 400mm apart. The Hardi backer boards are supposed to take a weight of 1000kg to every 1 square metre. So I’m hoping they will support the weight due to the spacing on the noggins. So I can’t use a vibrating table. Is a resip saw or electric sander fine for the vibrating process??? I also bought the mesh stuff of concrete countertops solutions. Thanks
Resip, orbital, jigsaw, hell even a cheap massage gun if you have to. In a pinch you can resort to elbow grease, just grab a mallet or two and drum your way around the edges - not quite as effective but it'll still improve your results.
Nicely done
Love this video Matt, i have a question i just moved into a new place and i have a concrete countertop it is very nice but the previous tenants put a few knife marks and deep scratches in the counter you can tell that it came from not having a cutting board do you have a remedy for these cuts or can just sand them?
It depends how deep they are. You could fill them with a bit of sand, cement, and acrylic bonding agent mix together. With a small amount of pigment to colour match it.
Or if the are quite small you could used some car body filler and add some pigment to colour match.
The issue with sanding depending on how it was made is that you might expose some aggregate which might change the look of the area. Then you’ll need to sand the whole thing to match. Up to you.
Epic mate !
Great video
Excellent work my man!
How hard would that be to sand back to expose the aggregate in the mix
You could use 120 grit on it and expose the aggregate in about 30 minutes wet polishing.
Hi. Why the different colour pigment ratio for inside and out
Hi Dave, they were two different jobs
Love the end bits 😂😂 Love boys being told off by their girlfriends lol
Haha she refused me putting it in at first and then saw it was funny so she agreed :)
Quality work! Do you use silicone to join the worktop to the cabinets/frame? I am hoping to make a table and would be interested to learn which would be the best way to secure the concrete to the base. Great videos 👌
Yes, you can use silicone or epoxy. Epoxy will have more bonding strength of the two choices.
@@MattHutton thanks for your help. Take care
@@jacobcarton3961 no worries and you :)
Great video, how long did the worktops take to dry?
It’s best to leave it for about 5-7 days before polishing it. But you can take it out of the mould after around 3 days.
Love this channel. Really given me confidence to do my outdoor kitchen worktops in concrete. Do you think there is a maximum tolerance for length? I was thinking of doing one about 4m. Cheers and thanks again for the content.
Glad you liked the video. Not necessarily. But you got to be able to lift it somehow afterwards.
If for example your pieces is, 4000mm X 600mm X 50mm it will weigh approx 288kg.
Calculation:
(4m X 0.6m X 0.05m) X 2400kg/m3 = 288kg
I hope that helps.
I would go for something like 50mm thick with 10mm steel re-bar throughout for a 4m worktop. And give it at least 7 days to cure.
@@MattHutton thanks so much for advice. Greatly appreciated
Awesome vid! Need to see how you made the vibrating table 👍🏼
Thank you :) and thanks for watching! Be sure to subscribe and I’ll show you in the next video :)
yep! waiting for it too!
Hi Matt Great video. Looking at making a concrete work top for my BBQ cart. what is the minimum melamine board thickness for the Mould is safe to use? What is the minimum concrete work top thickness is safe to make without breaking when lifting? I will have a big circle cut out in the middle for the webber BBQ to sit in. What is the minimum safe distance from work to edge to the edge of the BBQ cut out? I won't hold it against you if it does not work, this will be my first time challenge and with your experience I hoping you maybe able to give some guestimates. Any advice would be much appreciated Cheers.
Hey Emmet, what size of worktop are you looking to make and what sort of size and position will the hole be in? Then I can make a recommendation for you. :)
@@MattHutton . Hi Thanks for getting back to me. Overall top size is 1700mm x 770mm. Dia of hole is 620mm located centrally across the width of the top, and 460mm in from the end of the top to the centre of the hole. cheers.
@@emmetswinburn4612 you want at least 100mm on either side of the hole. For that size of worktops, and to be safe you could go with 50mm thickness with 2 X 10mm steel re-bars going the full length of the worktops down each side to reinforce the thin section.
Thickness of melamine board is up to you. If you’ve got a completely flat and level surface to cast the worktops you can go thinner. But it’s easier to go with something thicker like 18mm as you’re less likely to get warping and bending of the worktop, but you should still put it on a level surface.
@@MattHutton thats great I will adjust my design. What volume of concrete do you usually get out of one of those Concrete bag?
@@emmetswinburn4612 (1.77m x 0.77m x 0.05m) x 2400kg/m3 = 163.55kg of concrete required.
Minus your hole.
I hope that helps
Hi, looked at your other videos but can't find one showing what type of sand and size and type of aggregate? and to what Cement/sand/gravel ratio? Thanks.
Hey Gaz, the concrete comes in premixed bags. It’s called Blue Circle High Strength 40N Concrete :)
@@MattHutton Thanks for the swift reply.
Hi Matt, many thanks for posting this! I've been looking at dozens of videos about concrete worktops and this is one of the most informative.
Two questions though. Most other videos seem to use a MUCH dryer mix. This corroborates with advice I've read about not adding too much water. How did you decide on your consistency?
Also, you appear not to have added any sand or aggregate in your mix. Did you just use pure cement?
Love your videos! You have inspired me to attempt to cast a basin for my vanity unit!
Hey James, I’m so glad this inspired you to do your own :) let me n ow how it goes. I also have a another video on casting a concrete sink here: th-cam.com/video/RVkgiPFcAf8/w-d-xo.html