There’s something to be said when holding off on a project until you’ve really thought the entire thing through. We’ve lived in the 1820 for seven years now and though our projects are slow-going, they are carefully dreamed up, thought out, and executed with just a smidgeon of ADHD added in. The concrete countertops in our kitchen are no different. A do it yourself project that wasn’t slated for such, was a big one to take on and I’m happy to report that our kitchen concrete countertops look amazing.
Not a project for the faint at heart, and certainly not one that is completed in a hurry. The turtle totally beats the hare in this one. The mixing, the pouring, leveling, drying all take time. Then there’s the slurry smeared on to fill in small holes that come with the drying process. Slurry on, plus summer heat and humidity, equals another long drying time. Like two days.
Check again for another slurry application, if needed (and it was) so then another couple days of waiting. This is where I got anxious because I’m not good with things being out of sorts. Our kitchen was all over our house, it seemed. The grill was our stove, and that’s one thing I didn’t mind in the least.
The sanding. Oh, the sanding. This is what smoothes the concrete countertops, and even that was a process. Requiring six different grits of sandpaper, starting at an 80 grit and finishing with a 400 grit, there was dust everywhere. While sanding, protective eyewear and a mask were needed, but as it turns out, the fine dust was even getting underneath my glasses, so I needed to resort to a pair of Caroline’s swim goggles. I’ll spare you that picture. Still, time honors finesse and it was that finesse, that acute attention to detail that make a project, any project, sing.
The sealer was the light at the end of the tunnel. Rolled on with a 1/4 inch pile roller in smooth strokes, making sure no puddles were left behind and that every single inch of the concrete countertop surface was covered. Roll this way and that, for best results. With the fans going in the kitchen, drying time was minimal and I was ready to roll again. Three coats of sealer was recommended, but I rolled on four, for good measure.
Dreams do come true. I’ve wanted concrete countertops for as long as I can remember and though I didn’t originally bank on the DIY, now I wouldn’t want to have them any other way. Maybe it makes me appreciate them even more. Quite possibly. But with careful thought and research, building concrete countertops yourself is an achievable DIY project. A very special thank you to QUIKRETE for sponsoring this project, and helping me make my kitchen concrete countertop dream come true.
Lots of changes going on in our 1820 farmhouse kitchen. Stay tuned for the big kitchen reveal next week! You’re going to love this one!!
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