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Sunday, March 13, 2011

How to Install a Concrete Bathroom Countertop

How to Install a Concrete Bathroom Counter Top
Learn how to make and install a concrete counter top; watch a video that shows how to build a form, pour concrete and create a counter top.

Print these instructions Tools you will need
Video Link... http://www.ronhazelton.com/archives/projects/Concrete-Bathroom-Countertop-video.shtm
Concrete Bathroom                       Countertop - Jeff Kuryluk, Concrete Encounter and                       old countertop Concrete Bathroom Countertop - Building a                       template for the old countertop Concrete Bathroom Countertop - Trace template                       onto sheet of melamine
A concrete counter top can bring a lot of character to an otherwise bland room. Jeff Kuryluk of Concrete Encounter designs and creates these countertops from scratch. The first step is construction of a template that marks the dimensions of the existing counter top. These wooden strips are fixed in place with hot-melt glue. In the shop, this template is used to cut out the pieces of a frame that will hold the concrete. This frame is built using melamine, which is plywood with a stick-resistant, vinyl coating.
     
Concrete Bathroom Countertop - Template                       inside of the melamine frame Concrete Bathroom Countertop - Trace outline                       of sink template onto insulating foam Concrete Bathroom Countertop - Use a jigsaw                       to cut out the foam sink template
The pieces of the melamine frame are nailed together around the wooden template for the existing counter top. Next, a sink form measured to the dimensions of the new sink is traced onto a sheet of one-and-a-half-inch thick rigid foam insulation. This outline is cut out using a bandsaw or jigsaw.
     
Concrete Bathroom Countertop - Use pipe to                       punch out the foam inserts for the faucet                       assembly Concrete Bathroom Countertop - Packing tape                       on edges of insulating foam template to allow for                       easy removal Concrete Bathroom Countertop - Apply sealant                       to affix foam to melamine frame
Forms for the faucet assembly are punched out of the foam using a piece of 1.5" drain pipe. The edges of all of the form pieces are then covered with 1.5" clear packing tape. This will prevent pieces of the cut foam from sticking to the concrete. Finally, the forms are attached to the mold base with silicone to create what will eventually be the sink opening and holes for the faucets and spout.
     
Concrete Bathroom Countertop - Caulk the                       interior edges of the frame to prevent leakage Concrete Bathroom Countertop - Tool the                       corners of the melamine frame Concrete Bathroom Countertop - Completed                       melamine frame with foam inserts
The seams in the mold are sealed with silicone, to give the counter top edges a smooth, rounded shape. After application of a spray-on tooling liquid called Caulk-Mate, tooling the corners leaves a perfectly clean, uniform bead. The mold is finished and ready for concrete.
     
Concrete Bathroom Countertop - Mix the                       concrete with plasticizers, sand and pigment Concrete Bathroom Countertop - Add water to                       mixer to create concrete Concrete Bathroom Countertop - Pour concrete                       into melamine frame
Sand and dry concrete are combined in a concrete mixer with an oxide pigment and a special additive containing plasticizers to strengthen the counter top. When the dry ingredients are thoroughly mixed, it's time to add the water. Mixing time is critical: too much or too little can affect the strength, appearance and pliability of the concrete. Next, the mixture is poured into the form, filling it about two thirds full.
     
   

Other Bathroom Home Improvement Projects You Can Do Yourself
How to replace a bathroom counter top  
How to create an antique vanity  
How to clean and replace tile  
How to replace a toilet  

Read More...
http://www.ronhazelton.com/archives/projects/Concrete-Bathroom-Countertop.shtm

Interesting... I've seen them in Rest Rooms in Parks and such over the years. But this one looks allot nicer. Still, it seems like allot of work to me, just to end up with a rough old cold Concrete Counter Top. I think I would have gone with Granite or at least the fake stuff...

Don

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