Epoxy resin: we make a beautiful countertop with our own hands. Making a concrete countertop with your own hands How to fill a table with epoxy

29.08.2019

In order to buy a countertop for the kitchen that will fully meet your needs in terms of aesthetics and functionality, you need to prepare a significant amount of money. It is much more economical to make it yourself, especially since it is completely possible to do it at home. Your idea can be carried out with the help of concrete, due to the availability of the material and the relative ease of working with it.

How to make a concrete countertop with your own hands? Understanding the basic manufacturing technologies and knowing the instructions for concreting, you can not only make new surface in the kitchen, but also to restore the old one, which makes it possible to save even more money.

Tabletop drawing development

First of all, you should decide how your table will look and what its dimensions will be. In the production of your countertop for the kitchen, the edges of the plane must certainly clearly adjoin the walls.

Making a clear drawing of a concrete countertop is the main step of the work, since the quality of the finished product will depend on its development. During the drawing process, calculate the creation of countertops from parts. The weight of the finished product in the whole version is large, therefore, dividing it into parts during production makes it easier to move and process them, and in addition, it will protect against cracks.

When making the frame of a concrete countertop with your own hands, it is necessary to calculate the strengthening of its main part with transverse boards, and in addition, its connection in separate parts with the countertop. Wooden boards are used for the frame. When striving, you can use finished cabinets with drawers. It all depends on the imagination of the home specialist.

Materials and tools for work

Calculating the required number of substances, from which the countertop for the kitchen will be made, add a little so that there is a margin.

The following materials are required for the countertop:

cement not lower than grade M500;
river sand;
water;
plasticizer.

To make a cement base, you need to build a formwork - a form to fill. For her, smooth, strong materials are selected and made according to technology.

You will also need:

Creation of formwork and preparation of concrete mortar

We lay a sheet of plywood or chipboard on a smooth plane, after which we transfer the previously organized drawing with a ruler and a pencil. On each line we put wooden beam 50x30 millimeters, so that as a result the thickness of its countertop is 50 millimeters. It is this parameter that is suitable for a concrete product: a decrease in thickness makes the structure fragile, an increase makes it very heavy.

The fastening of the formwork walls must be sufficiently reliable to withstand the load formed by the concrete during its curing. It is more correct to combine the joints of two walls with the help of corners or long screws (from 60 millimeters). The place in front of the sink is located depending on the type and size of the plumbing fixture.

There are 2 types of sinks:

Embedded.
Overhead.

The 2nd type has a horizontal side with a width of about 30 millimeters, which must be taken into account when drawing up the drawing. If you decide to produce countertop for the kitchen made of concrete, in this case it is more correct to use an overhead sink. Firstly, built-in modifications have a landing side, which is not so easy to make. Secondly, the presence of a rim makes it possible to allow a small inaccuracy in the formation of a hole for the sink. In addition, you should definitely calculate the passage for the mixer. For this, it is allowed to use a plastic pipe with a diameter of 35 mm.

After preparing the form with your own hands you can mix the solution. First of all, 1 part of cement and 3 parts of sand are mixed. Further, a plasticizer and water are added to the acquired composition. The prepared composition should be in the form of a paste.

To obtain colored concrete or marble countertops, it is necessary to add a special coloring pigment or a special crumb to it. If a measured color is needed, in this case the pigment is added to the dry mix, and to obtain the characteristic granite stains, the pigment is diluted with water and added to the prepared concrete composition.

Before moving on to pouring the concrete solution, the form is placed in an exactly horizontal position with a level control. Prepared, carefully blended composition, carefully poured into the prepared form several times. The surface of the mold for a concrete countertop is covered with a film and aged for at least 10 days. Next, the film is removed, and the form is disassembled into parts. Subsequent processing of the product can be carried out after a week. During this period, the concrete blank, created by one's own hands, will completely dry out.

Grinding and polishing of the product

The grinding process takes place in several steps. At first, a coarse grinding disc is used, cultivating all the edges of the workpiece with it. However, more attention is paid to the outside, previously located at the bottom of the countertop mold.

Grinding the tabletop plane is carried out in the following way:

The final step in the production of countertops with your own hands is polishing the product. When polishing, grinding discs are used in turn, having an abrasiveness from 400 up to 1500 units. The plane is polished at a slow pace and carefully; during work, the polishing layers should be continuously moistened.

After finishing the polishing process the plane of the tabletop created by one's own hands looks even and radiant. At first glance, it will be difficult to distinguish from natural stone. The final step of the work is the processing of the plane to protect it from contamination with a special sealant and the installation of the finished countertop in a place specialized for it.

To purchase a finished countertop for the kitchen that will fully meet your needs in terms of aesthetics, reliability and functionality, you need to prepare a considerable amount of money. It is much cheaper to make it yourself, especially since it is quite possible to do it at home. This idea can be implemented using wood, chipboard, liquid stone or concrete. Among these options, perhaps the most interesting is the concrete countertop, due to the availability of the material and the relative ease of working with it. Knowing the basics of concreting, you can not only make a new work surface in the kitchen, but also restore the old one, which will make it possible to save even more.

Concrete in its structure is a solid and durable material that can withstand high temperatures. In this regard, it is practically not inferior to granite, although it costs an order of magnitude cheaper. However, the concrete surface has one feature that must be taken into account when making a kitchen worktop. The fact is that concrete consists of pores that can be clogged with various organic matter, which complicates the care of the kitchen. In addition, this material must be protected from acid-containing agents, since they can destroy calcium, which is the main binding element in concrete.

Note! Even a drop of lemon juice can have a negative impact on the concrete surface, leaving a stain behind.

This disadvantage is easily eliminated with the help of a protective polymer layer, which is applied to the concrete after it hardens. A concrete countertop with such protection is easy to clean and retains its appearance over a long period. However, it is not recommended to use such a surface as a cutting board or put a hot frying pan on it, because, unlike concrete, the polymer coating is less resistant to such loads.

Uncoated concrete countertop can be used in a living room, bedroom or office where there are no stringent performance requirements

Production of a monolithic concrete countertop

The basis for the manufacture of concrete furniture is a standard technology that is used in construction. To make a concrete countertop with your own hands, you need to complete several steps, each of which is important in its own way.

Preparation of materials

Since the kitchen countertop in our case is made of concrete, you need to prepare the main components for its production:

cement;
sand (preferably river sand);
crushed stone or marble chips;
water.

Advice! To make the countertop look like marble, granite, or have any other shade other than gray, a special pigment (color) is added to the mixture, which can be purchased at any hardware store.

For the manufacture of formwork, you will need a wooden beam 50x30 mm and moisture-resistant plywood 12 mm thick. As a base, instead of plywood, you can use a sheet of laminated chipboard of the appropriate thickness. The main thing is that the base is perfectly flat and does not succumb to deformation under the load of the plate.

Considering that the manufacture of the countertop will be done by hand, we will need the following set of tools:

shovel;

bucket or other container;

construction mixer or concrete mixer;

Master OK;

jigsaw;

screwdriver;

grinder;

tape measure, level, pencil.

Product drawing

The value of a quality sketch is difficult to overestimate. Correct drawing work is greatly simplified, and the wrong one adds headaches during the installation of the countertop. It is very important to accurately measure the parameters of the kitchen, the location of cabinets and plumbing fixtures. If you need to place a sink or hob, then the place for their installation must be calculated down to the millimeter.

An example of a drawing of a concrete countertop

Advice! If the overall structure has significant dimensions, then it is better to divide it into several parts in order to simplify the process of installing the plate.

Formwork creation

A sheet of plywood or chipboard is laid on flat surface, after which we transfer the previously prepared drawing with a ruler and a pencil. On each line we install a wooden beam 50x30 mm, so that in the end the thickness of our countertop is 50 mm. Exactly given parameter considered optimal for a concrete product: reducing the thickness will make the structure fragile, increasing it will make it too heavy.

The fastening of the formwork walls must be strong enough to withstand the load created by the concrete during its curing. It is better to connect the joints of two walls using corners or long screws (from 60 mm).

The place under the sink is located depending on the type and dimensions of the plumbing fixture. There are two types of sinks: built-in and overhead. The second option has a horizontal side about 30 mm wide, which must be taken into account when drawing up the drawing.

Advice! If you decide to make a concrete countertop for the kitchen, then it is better to use an overhead sink. Firstly, embedded models have a landing chamfer, which is not so easy to make. Secondly, the presence of a side allows you to make a small error when creating a hole for the sink.

It is also necessary to provide a hole for the mixer. To do this, you can use a plastic pipe with a diameter of 35 mm ( standard size mixer mounting pipe).

Formwork for pouring concrete countertops

Installation of the reinforcing frame

The frame is a steel mesh with a mesh size of 25x25 mm. This structure must be placed inside the formwork so that it is at a distance of 25 mm from plywood and walls.

Before mounting the reinforcing frame, a polyethylene film is laid on the base. Its edges must be brought to the side boards. At the same time, it is very important that the film lies without wrinkles, if you do not want to observe their imprint on the concrete slab.

Increasing the bearing capacity with steel frame

Pouring concrete

Do-it-yourself concrete for making countertops is done according to classic recipe:

1 share of cement;

2 shares of sand;

4 shares of filler;

0.5 parts of water.

At the first stage, cement is mixed with water until a homogeneous mass is obtained, after which the remaining ingredients are added to the mixture. The process of concrete preparation itself must be carried out at low speeds, thoroughly mixing the solution.

Important! Do not increase the amount of water in order to fast food mixtures. Excessive moisture content in the solution will cause many pores to appear after it dries.

After pouring and uniform distribution of concrete over the entire area of the formwork, it is covered with a film and left in this state for a day. After 24 hours, the film is removed and a wet cloth is placed in its place to prevent cracking. Formwork can be dismantled after 48 hours.

Surface treatment

The countertop for the kitchen should be perfectly smooth, so front side is being polished. For such purposes, it is better to use a grinder, since manual surface treatment with sandpaper will take a lot of time and effort.

First, the slab is ground with a coarse-grained wheel. After receiving smooth surface processing is carried out with fine-grained emery. Even though a polished concrete countertop already looks great, it still needs to be opened with a water-repellent polymer impregnation.

The last stage is grinding with a felt wheel using a special paste, after which the plate acquires “marble” characteristics.

Grinding concrete slab for kitchen

Restoring an old countertop with concrete

Concrete can be used for more than just making monolithic slab. With its help, it is quite possible to restore the old surface. In this case, the costs in this case will be much less. Below we will consider how the restoration of the old countertop for the kitchen with our own hands is carried out.

Necessary materials

Since a too thick layer is not required in this case, we will use a concrete mixture for floor screed instead of the usual solution. For work we need the following materials:

concrete mix for screed (finish);

acrylic sealant;

varnish for concrete;

a container for preparing the mixture;

2 spatulas (20 mm and 10 mm);

sandpaper;

industrial mixer;

Sander.

Note! The amount of concrete mix must be determined based on the coverage area. Usually, the material consumption is indicated on the packaging and averages 1.2-1.5 kg per 1 m² with a layer thickness of 1 mm.

Cement-based floor leveling mixes

Surface preparation

Countertops for the kitchen are often made of MDF, on which scratches, chips, temperature defects and grease stains appear during operation. Before applying concrete, the surface must be cleaned of all contaminants. Pay special attention to the remnants of fat - they can be removed using kitchen detergents. If silicone sealant is present on the surface, then this should also be removed, since concrete has poor adhesion to such materials.

Once the surface is completely clean, it should be abraded with 25-H or 20-H coarse sanding paper. The purpose of this process is to improve the adhesion of the concrete to the old surface by creating many scratches. After processing with sandpaper, the countertop must be washed and allowed to dry well.

Applying the concrete mix

The technology for the manufacture of concrete mix can be read on the packaging. Usually it is diluted with water in a ratio of 2 to 1. The main thing is that the consistency is not too liquid or thick, since in this case the process of applying the solution to the plate will become more complicated.

Advice! To begin with, prepare a small portion of the mixture to determine the amount of water to obtain the optimal viscosity. In the future, strictly observe this proportion. Even slight discrepancies can affect the shade of the dried concrete.

The application of concrete on the plane of the countertop is carried out using a wide spatula, while the ends are processed with a narrow spatula. Spread the mixture over the surface using slow and smooth movements to reduce the likelihood of bubbles. The thickness of the applied layer should not be large - 1-2 mm is enough.

Spreading the concrete mix on the countertop

concrete grinding

After the layer has completely dried (about 24 hours), the concrete countertop is sanded, for which coarse-grained emery is used. Pay special attention to the smoothness of the surface - no unevenness should be felt when holding the hand.

Note! Grinding concrete is quite a dirty job. You must be prepared for the fact that the dust in the kitchen will be everywhere. Therefore, it is better not to do such work without a mask.

To make a reliable kitchen worktop with your own hands, you need to apply 3-4 layers of concrete, each of which is sanded after drying. If coarse-grained sandpaper is used to process the first layers, then last layer, in addition to roughing, is subjected to fine grinding with fine-grained emery.

Sanded concrete countertop

Waterproofing and varnishing

To protect concrete from moisture, a special acrylic-based sealant liquid is used. It is applied with an ordinary paint brush and, after drying, creates a reliable waterproofing layer. This material is very quickly absorbed and dries completely within a day, after which the second and last layer of sealant can be applied.

In order for the tabletop to have a glossy finish, after waterproofing, a layer of concrete varnish is applied, which, depending on the temperature in the room, takes from 4 to 8 hours to dry. After the varnish has dried, the plate is polished, for which fine-grained M14 sandpaper is used.

Do-it-yourself concrete countertop for the kitchen

In conclusion, we add that although the manufacturing technology of such a countertop is not particularly difficult, for its implementation it is necessary to have the skills to work with concrete. Therefore, in the absence of such construction experience, it is better to use professional help.

Video tutorial on making concrete countertops:

Detailed master class from the pros:

Concrete in the kitchen interior - inspired by design:

In modern interior design, extraordinary and exclusive interior items are increasingly being used, capable of focusing on themselves all the attention of the people present in the room. Such an original interior solution includes tables decorated with epoxy resin.

This interesting thing you can do it yourself, turning an ordinary piece of furniture into a genuine work of art.

Properties

In the furniture industry, epoxy resins are not used in their pure form, since the magical qualities of epoxy are manifested as a result of its contact with a special hardener. By changing the ratio of these two connected parts, you can get a composition of different consistency. Depending on the purpose for which it will be used, it can be:

liquid essence,
viscous or rubbery substance;
solid;
high strength base.

The manufacturing process of any furniture with decor using epoxy resin involves coating the wooden base with this polymer and carefully polishing the product after the resin has hardened, as a result, a product with high wear resistance will be obtained. The general properties of the entire composition will depend on the correct ratio of ingredients. The wrong amount of hardener can significantly reduce the strength of the finished product, as well as its resistance to impact. environment And household products. Therefore, it is so important when preparing a mixture for work to observe the ratios recommended by the polymer manufacturer, most often these ratios are 1: 1.

According to the method of use, epoxy resin can be hot cured or cold cured. When creating pieces of furniture at home, the second type is most often used.

Advantages and disadvantages

Compared to conventional tables natural wood, tables with epoxy resin treatment have whole line advantages:

the composition of the resin, when dried, has practically no shrinkage, keeps its shape well, retains its original color, does not deform and is not subject to mechanical damage;
exclusivity of each product and unlimited design options;
the ability to use various additional materials for decor (coins, tree cuts, shells, stones, starfish, etc.);
the possibility of adding multi-colored dyes to the mixture, including phosphorescent paints;

impermeability to moisture and dampness;
excellent tolerance chemicals cleaning.

The main disadvantage of these tables is the very high cost of the product. To cover one copy, depending on the size and shape of the product, it can take up to several tens of liters of a polymer substance. Another possible unpleasant drawback is the presence of air bubbles that form in the epoxy mixture as a result of non-compliance with instructions and technologies during production.

Manufacturing process

The very first and one of the most important stages in the preparation wooden structure to pouring with epoxy resin - thorough removal of dust and all other contaminants from the surface of the tree. After that, the surface of the table, which will be poured, must be primed. If this is not done, then the resin, absorbed into the porous wood, forms air bubbles that will spoil the appearance of the product.

Only after the preparation stage is completed is the required amount of mixture of epoxy resin and hardener prepared. At this stage, the most important thing is strict observance of the proportions specified in the instructions for use. Depending on the chosen design, dyes or additives can be added to the finished mixture. decorative materials. Next, the resulting mixture is applied to the prepared wooden surface.

If a certain design is conceived on the tabletop from additional materials, then they must be placed on the surface of the table even before pouring. Moreover, light materials, such as wine corks or shells, must first be glued to the surface in accordance with the intended pattern. It is necessary, so that during the pouring of the mixture they do not surface, thereby turning a well-thought-out composition into a disorderly and uninteresting structure. If unwanted air bubbles appear during the pouring process, they can be removed with a building hair dryer by directing a jet of hot air to the problem area.

The mixture will begin to set after fifteen minutes, but the final stage, namely the grinding of the product, can only be started after the resin has completely hardened. It is advisable to withstand the product for a week, since after this period it will have completely settled down and will be ready for use.

After grinding, it is desirable to cover the product with several layers of protective varnish. This will prevent the release of toxic substances into the atmosphere, which in small quantities may be contained in resin compositions.

Variety of options

To create a table with an original tabletop decorated with epoxy resin, you can take absolutely any type of tree, including a variety of fragments, cuts, chips and even sawdust, the main thing is that everything, even the tiniest particles of the future tabletop, be thoroughly dried. In epoxy resin, old and rough wood looks amazing. For decoration, you can also successfully use sea and river shells, pebbles, dry herbs and flowers, coins, and other inclusions that can give the product a special originality or a certain theme. And by mixing luminescent dyes with epoxy resin, you will create magic effect glow.

Something new is constantly appearing in the creation of interior design, and the latest novelty is the elements of concrete present in various furniture, especially in the kitchen or in the country. However, do not limit yourself to kitchen set, a coffee table in the living room with a concrete top will look very original and interesting.

And to make such a tabletop is quite simple with your own hands, and you don’t need a lot of experience to create it, almost anyone can make it, the main thing would be desire.

These tables are simply irreplaceable. for country furniture : do not get wet, do not deteriorate!
, it is enough to cover a worn-out table with it - and you will get a super modern thing.
For the kitchen - they do not deteriorate and are very durable!

Instruments

To make a coffee table with a concrete top rectangular shape, we need:

Wooden boards.
Wire mesh for strengthening concrete.
A piece of 1/2-inch chipboard or plywood to make the desired shape.
Drywall.
screws.
Pneumatic nailer to attach the sides to the bottom panel.
Big plastic container for cement mixing.

Instructions for making countertops

Step 1: Making the box

No matter what size and shape the countertop will be, wire mesh should be two inches smaller in width and height than chipboard or plywood panels.

We make a box of the shape and size we need from panels and drywall. After the workpiece is completely ready, you can start mixing concrete.

Step 2: Pouring Concrete

We knead the cement in a plastic container, for this you can use an ordinary shovel, which you need to mix the mixture thoroughly.
After that, carefully pour the concrete into the mold to half, distributing it in the corners.
We cover wire mesh mix, and then fill the form to the top so that the mixture protrudes slightly from above. This is done so that it is easier to level the surface and make it smooth, for this purpose it is best to use a spatula.

TIP: After this, you need to leave the mold for a few days for the cement to dry completely.

Step 3: Sanding

After that, you need to remove mold and sand from the surface. To smooth the countertop, 120 grit sandpaper works well.

Then you need to wipe the surface well with a sponge, roller brush or soft cloth.

If you want to cover the surface of the coffee table with nothing, then it is best to seal the countertop with concrete sealant, then it will look very beautiful and be more practical.

Step 4: attach the tabletop to the legs

After the top of the coffee table is completely ready, you can use absolutely any base.
A very beautiful and practical option would be this table on wooden legs on wheels so that it can be easily moved.
Attaching the table top to the legs liquid nails or silicone adhesive.

Such an original concrete table will become a real decoration of home decor and will make the interior irresistible.

Ideas and photos of concrete countertops and tables

With a flower bed in the middle

For giving a great option - when pouring concrete, leave a gutter where you can plant flowers. Looks very amazing.

How to lighten the design

The ideal option and a great idea is to leave a hole in the middle and make a glass tab. To do this, you need to cut a gutter for a glass tab.
Also put a concrete countertop on legs with wheels- this is especially true for coffee tables which often have to be moved.

Almost every housewife dreams of a kitchen interior that is both functional and cozy. An important element any kitchen is a countertop. It is produced from a wide variety of materials, the most popular of which is concrete. You can make a product with your own hands, without involving other specialists. A concrete countertop has many advantages.

Basic moments

The technology of manufacturing concrete products is very popular in private construction. A horizontal work surface made of concrete can be described as an artificial stone obtained by molding and hardening the mixture, consisting of the following components:

high quality cement (acts as an astringent);
aggregates of various sizes, selected by color;
liquid with a low salt content;
special additives to improve the quality of concrete.

For those who are going to make a concrete countertop with their own hands, it is important to consider a few important points. The operation of the product involves a large shock load on it, for example, during the cutting of meat carcasses with cartilage, that is, reliable reinforcement is necessary.

Choosing a sink and hob, it is worth giving preference to the overhead type. Such a design does not require special accuracy in the dimensions of the opening, while the installation side has a sufficient width. Possible flaws will be hidden, and the product will receive reliable fastening. As for mortise structures, their installation requires special equipment. Such work is carried out exclusively in the workshop.

A concrete countertop weighs a lot, therefore, its base must be quite strong. To reduce weight, you must try to shorten the width without sacrificing strength. An important step is grinding, accompanied by a large amount of dust.

The tabletop is decorative element, so it is important to consider color design. If you use gray cement, then the product will turn out to be of the same color. Fortunately, today there is a wide variety of colors to add to the mixture, so you can choose the most suitable shade.

Preparatory stage

Preparation is a mandatory step. Must be purchased necessary materials and tools. First of all, prepare the components from which the concrete solution is prepared:

sand;
cement;
crushed stone;
water.

To make the horizontal surface more durable, it is necessary to lay a metal reinforcing frame in the solution. Here you can not do without steel rods with a diameter of 10-12 mm. To make a net out of them, you need a knitting wire. The frame is attached with self-tapping screws.

The tabletop is poured into a formwork made from several various materials. The main one is a sheet of moisture-resistant plywood, the thickness of which should be from 12 mm. Suitable as an alternative laminated chipboard. It is important to take high-strength materials, even a slight curvature will be reflected on the countertop.

Do not forget about the hole for the mixer. To make it, you need plastic pipe 50 mm long, 35 mm in diameter. The standard mixer fitting has a diameter of 35 mm.

Sketching and formwork preparation

You can make a drawing as before preparatory stage, and after it. It is necessary to accurately measure the place where the furniture with the countertop will be located. If you plan to put them in the corner of the room, it is important to align the angle at 90 degrees. This will not only make repairs better, but also simplify the installation of cabinets by placing them exactly on the wall planes.

The boundaries of the installation of the product are measured with a tape measure. Work zone kitchens often have a curved shape. In this case best solution will be the division of the element into parts, when under each separate part make your own table. At the same time, a single formwork is divided into elements. It is important that the boundaries of the plots are transverse. They must match the walls of the cabinets. This will prevent the occurrence of cracks. A heavy, do-it-yourself monolithic countertop is more difficult to install.

To prepare the formwork, you will need to place moisture-resistant plywood on a convenient horizontal surface, such as a table. The dimensions from the drawing are copied to the sheet. Boards of 50 × 30 mm are placed along the edges, they are needed to determine the height of the product (50 mm). This is the most suitable size. If it is increased, then the mass of the product will increase, and if it is reduced, the strength will deteriorate, which in no case should be allowed.

The walls must be securely fixed, because the concrete solution will put pressure on them. Can be used metal corners or use bars 50 × 50 mm, fixing them at the corners of the product. If the board is long, it is advisable to fix another 2-3 bars in the middle of the structure.

Hole for sink and reinforcing frame

The sink can be built-in or overhead, the latter has a horizontal rim around the perimeter. If an invoice type is placed, the product is turned over, placed on a plywood sheet, and a stroke is made along the board. Next, you need to determine the width of the side, for example, it is 3 cm, then a similar shape is deposited inside at a distance of 2.5 cm.

If a built-in type sink is intended, an outline must be drawn along the edge of the sink. Then boards of 50 × 50 mm are placed along the lines, they need to be attached to plywood using self-tapping screws.

The built-in sink has a landing chamfer, which is quite difficult to make. So, the manufacture of concrete countertops involves the use of an overhead structure. It is only necessary to fix the pipe at the installation site of the mixer.

The wire frame is a mesh, the cells of which are 25 × 25 mm in size. At the same time, it should be at a distance of 25 mm from the edges of the formwork and plywood. Therefore, it is necessary to cut the wire taking into account such nuances. Polyethylene is placed in the formwork, its edges are wound into boards. It is important to polyethylene film had no wrinkles and lay flat.

The frame is assembled in formwork or separately. If installation is required at a height of 25 mm, then The best way to do this is with self-tapping screws.. There is another installation option. Self-tapping screws are screwed into the plywood sheet along the perimeter of the formwork every 25 mm. The level and ruler allow you to level the height of the hats. Next, pieces of wire are attached to the screws. At the intersections, a knitting wire is used.

Before pouring a concrete countertop, it is necessary to process the joints. It is important to ensure that the sealant fills the cracks and gaps. When it is necessary to obtain rounded corners, a pipe is placed in the place where two boards meet. After that, the sealant is applied.

Concrete can be poured by completely filling the formwork or in layers. Choosing the first method, it is necessary to mix cement, sand and coarse aggregate in a ratio of 1:2:2. It is desirable to use marble chips as a filler. 0.5 parts of the liquid are also taken. First, water and cement should be mixed, then the remaining components are added. The solution must be mixed very carefully.

A concrete countertop can have a very original look. It is important to correctly arrange its front side. Let's say you can lay on polyethylene:

glass shards;
coins;
beads;
cable cores;
wire.

Fiberglass looks great. Such decor must be fixed with glue to prevent displacement during pouring. When creating the first layer, a solution of fine sand, not including any large fillers. For example, such as crushed stone or gravel. It is better to take liquids a little less than suggested in the classical proportion, this will prevent the formation of pores. The lack of water is also unacceptable. Because of this, cracks may appear.

If you are not sure that the solution will work out, it is better to use the purchased mixture. On the packaging of such a composition, there is usually an instruction, in it you can find information about how much water is added. It is better to mix at low speeds. Concrete mortar should be poured to a third or half of the total height. You don't need to wait for drying.

After 30 minutes, you can start pouring the main carrier layer. In this case, the mixture can be prepared according to the traditional recipe, which involves the addition of expanded clay instead of crushed stone and gravel to give the structure lightness. After pouring, the concrete horizontal surface is covered with a film, which is removed after 24 hours.

Pieces of a damp cloth are placed on top, you can use a wet towel. This slows down the hardening process and improves strength.

You can disassemble the formwork after two days, but experts still recommend waiting a few more days. If it is difficult to remove the form, carefully pry off its edge with a spatula. You can also use brick as a support.

If concrete product does not imply a decorative layer, the front side is carefully polished. The grinding procedure allows you to remove the remaining irregularities and remove excess glue. You should choose clothes for work that you won’t mind spoiling. Bulgarian for such purposes is better not to use. It is preferable to opt for an angle grinder. Such a device is very convenient in working with horizontal surfaces. You will also need to purchase several grinding wheels.

First, they work with a coarse-grained polishing pad, then they take a fine-grained one. It is preferable to polish with a felt wheel. If necessary, cut the product using a grinder with diamond discs. During grinding, be sure to use goggles and a respirator, as well as a vacuum cleaner.

If the surface cannot be polished, it is necessary to prime it by covering it with a special varnish. It is preferable to use a roller. It is important to ensure that the working element is wet. You should not rush, the movements should be neat and uniform.

If minor indentations appear, the situation can be completely corrected with a special sealing mixture that has an acrylic base. This composition fills all the remaining holes and voids. If necessary, you can cover the surface with an additional layer. At the end, the countertop is rubbed with a wax composition. After waiting for it to harden, you should wipe the surface with a clean rag.

Some masters in the manufacture of concrete countertops do not create a template, skipping this important stage, although it is of great importance and should not be neglected in any case. Creating a sketch allows you to achieve ideal product parameters. Cardboard scraps connected with glue may well be used as a template. If a sink is embedded in the countertop, this point must be taken into account before pouring. This will avoid cutting out the material.

Making a beautiful work surface for the kitchen with your own hands is not easy, but it can be done if you follow step by step instructions, having studied all the nuances of the process. The described technology can also be used for the manufacture of a kitchen set.