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how to start with concrete countertops?
southern designs	01-24-2008 18:34:26
Member Posts: 38 Joined: 12-13-2007	I have been doing Decorative Concrete for about a year, with the exception of commercial Concrete Flatwork wicth ive been doing for about ten years, I love the way Concrete Countertops look with the varitions in clor , size, shape the possibilities are endless. I would really like to start to get into this field any suggestions on were to Start ( books, seminars, ..here?)

art	01-25-2008 12:47:27
Member Posts: 586 Joined: --	I would definitely recommend you go to a training seminar, videos, books, etc only give you a glimpse of what it really takes to make not only a beautiful countertop but also avoid many costly pitfalls. The learning curve is long and it can become quite bit shorter this way. There are some training schools not affiliated with product manufacturers that really give you a bang for you buck, such as the Concrete Countertop Institute, as they say, you need to not only learn the how but also the why. If you want to learn on your own, buy books and videos and make a few tops for testing purposes, do not sell ant jobs until you are absolutely sure you have the skills to do it and even then start with making some for your own, fiends, relatives etc, removing a bad counter could be a very costly experience.

southern designs	02-06-2008 18:25:27
Member Posts: 38 Joined: 12-13-2007	Thanks for the info Art, I purchased a video, and going to sine up for a class

southern designs	02-10-2008 20:05:43
Member Posts: 38 Joined: 12-13-2007	227 views and only one response, nobody else want to put their input, I would greatlly appreciate yall,s advice and insight.

suntacsys	02-10-2008 21:38:39
Member Posts: 1160 Joined: --	generally speaking, you can't make a living just doing conc c-tops,,, some can & do but their example's anecdotal in the dec conc industry. just my $.03 best [the original] i-like-soapstone yic-yac

FISHSTONE	02-11-2008 16:31:22
Member Posts: 26 Joined: 02-09-2008	I also would highly recomend an advanced class. I've attended one at the Concrete Countertop Institute and I'd have to say it was money well spent. You can learn in a week what it may take a year or more to learn on your own.

Caloute	02-13-2008 15:18:14
Member Posts: 14 Joined: 02-13-2008	QUOTE southern designs, 2008-02-10 20:05:43 227 views and only one response, nobody else want to put their input, I would greatlly appreciate yall,s advice and insight. Hi guys, I am new as well, I just came accross this very informative forum as I would like to get to do some concrete countertops and furniture. Since I am in Australia, it does look like there is no course available, thus have to learn from video and information on net it seems, unless you know of any. I'd like to move back home (small island lost in the middle of the sea), and generally do stencil concrete driveway or patio, but since it rains a lot, I'd like to be able to do something else during rainy days, I was thinking countertop and some decorative concrete furniture/garden pots etc... Southern Design, I saw your response and I was wondering if you could just elaborate on why you can't make a living out of it? Is it because too many people do it? Is it because it is too hard to do? is it because it is too timely and does not pay well? Is it because the material is too expensive? Is it because it's not reliable and you can't control if your product will last or break? I just like to know why you could not make a living out of it, I am really ionterested, as my wife is an interior designer, and it seems to complete really well as a side business to stencil concrete which would probably be main income. Thank you Cal

j parris	02-13-2008 15:52:45
Member Posts: 32 Joined: 01-18-2007	I to am curious as why one would make a generalized statement that you cant make a living doing conc c-tops? I know scores of fabricators who are doing just that, making a living, and some making a VERY good living. Sonoma cast stone and Stonesoup just to name a few. Bottom line---you can make a living doing just about anything you want if you are determined and not afraid to 1. make mistakes (and learn from them) and 2. take risk in what you believe in. Not everything is easy, but if it was, wheres the challenge? Sun Im not coming down on you, Im just curious. Are you having trouble selling your products or is the demand not there in your area? Just my .25 cents worth J Parris

suntacsys	02-13-2008 16:01:31
Member Posts: 1160 Joined: --	southern didn't post it, cal, i did & its a generalization on the whole trade as a ' craft ', not any specifics ( anecdotals ),,, there're guys in oz who can & do that work but there's a helluva lot more existing conc upon which to work. w/your lovely wife's position :-) you may just be the guy to take advantage of an existing situation & opportunity,,, there's a current ' wave ' of dec conc interest so go for it. there aren't ' too many ' doing it but, certainly, when there are, the prices'll drop,,, the true artisans'll still be able to get their $$$, tho,,, yes, its labor-intensive but mtls aren't all that significant,,, don't forget you'd be creating value, not just adding value to an existing product/item,,, what's that worth - whatever a client pays ! conc's very reliable w/proper care & fair expectations of use, cal,,, like anything else, there's a learning curve but what doesn't have 1 ?,,, if it were easy, everyone'd be doing it, right ? parris, we don't disagree,,, ' scores of fabricators ', yes, while 1,000's of other artisans do very well w/existing conc enhancements,,, i just look in other directions, parris,,, the existing conc c-top demand's not as strong as for granite c-tops but it'll grow prior to dropping back. best [the original] often-mistaken-for-other-posters yic-yac

southern designs	02-13-2008 20:02:39
Member Posts: 38 Joined: 12-13-2007	I love how the posts start out as one thing then take on a whole new life of its own..cool cal, I could not make a statement like that I think you could make a living doing anything you love and put your mind to it. I am surounded by examples of that constatly..especially on a job site. I love it when you ask the site contractor a question..he then turns around and asks the guy with a diff. color hard hat the same quest.,..they ask another guy with a diff. color hardhat .... and so on. Evently you get the answer but you realize that there can be a job in just about anything you do. I absolutly love the amazing things you can do with a medium such as concrete. It really can push your imagination, I up untill last year have been doing my drawing and painting only on canvas, little did I know that my new favorite medium i had been working with for years. concrete countertops look amazing, then you ad in the time and craftsmanship that was put into it, by a human not soepe of machine, ..... truly a work of ART

Caloute	02-14-2008 00:21:15
Member Posts: 14 Joined: 02-13-2008	Hey guys, no wories I have quoted the wrong post as both your username start with S...must have been confused. Usually when I get interested in a subject I will read everything on it and try until prefection, I am kind of obsessed. I am good with my hands and with my head in general...I always been fascinated with concrete and casting, in my younger day I melted lead from batteries on fire and poured in beer can to do dumbell...lol Anyways yeah I guess it is how passionate you are but also how knowledgeable, you really don't need to make the mistake of others, if you are willing to read and inform yourself. To me it's just like cooking, get the proper ingredients and the right amount, the right techniques and lot of passion...almost nothing is impossible if you want to put your mind into it. As for me, I am not seeing any competition where I am going, so it is a good start. Where I am from people have wooden top, or formica. they all know it does scratch and no puting hot stuff on it. Granite or marble or anything of that kind has to be imported, and no one is prepared to do it, because it cost a hell of lot of money, not even counting installation. So I though that is where I come in, just offering an alternative to wood for your top. I probably can get away with $1000 for an average kitchen installed, 3-4 meters of top. Well it all depends on how much material I need to get, coz I would have to import all the sealers and pigments. For the aggregates I could find some interesting coral stones, I am thinking with white cement would look great. Here in Australia we don't here much about Concrete counter top, but a lot oabout reconstitued stone, would this be the same thing? Hey thank guys. Cal

suntacsys	02-14-2008 04:45:55
Member Posts: 1160 Joined: --	cal, concrete's NORMALLY large aggregate ( usually natl stone ), small aggregate ( usually sand { fines } ), cement ( usually portland - gray, white, type 1, 2, & 3 ), & water,,, occasionally guys'll add plasticizers, wtr reducers, etc in the mix,,, sometimes epoxy'll be used rather'n wtr & cement,,, reconstitut'd stone'd be in the same family. cement's easily defined as lime, iron, silica, & aluminum ( LISA ) US$1,000 for 13' install'd of conc c-top seems low,,, we'd be US$2,500 & that's o-lay, not new,,, coral sound's interesting in an exposed polished surface,,, is it avail just lying on the beach ? don't mistake posts as discouraging or disheartening but, rather, an attempt to convey reality,,, starving artists use public transportation while good artisans eat very well & drive new pickups or so it seems to me,,, as to reading, when i 1st got into this craft, it rqd over 2 wks to read archives just on the ec site,,, cal, if your avocation & vocation are the same, you're in luck ! best [the original] shinning-the-light-of-reality yic-yac

Caloute	02-16-2008 18:28:00
Member Posts: 14 Joined: 02-13-2008	I've been doing lots of reading lately. Concrete countertop is something really exicting. I have to organize myself as how to go with the whole subject. I was thinking buying some DVD books, such as B Rhodes & Cheng, then I when I am confortable will try building some tops for my own furnitures and maybe stuff for friends. Yeah $1000 is just a figure I thrown, labour is pretty cheap where I am going, nevertheless while its good to know what kind of money you can get, I guess the most important thing is to learn how to do it right before even talking money. What I refer as coral stone, is simply fossilized coral, that's what they us as aggregates for most constructions there, it is kind of white-yellow. I've been looking for some tools, such as grinder & pad etc...I have seen some interesting one with dust extraction, like your advice if there as particular brand that's better, plus what's the best pads band to use, seen some interesting edging machine to do the edges...problem it seems most are 110v and wih working 220v there. Anyway I would appreciates again sharing your knowledge it is fantastic to have some people helping out. One thing I have been reading is that they are a lots of concern about sealers/sealant, I read stone loc products where the best, as other where not that good. In truth I'd like to do my own mix, coz It seems all pre mix stuff would be too expensive to import. Also need some good colors, any brand in mind? I am hoping someone is from Australia so they can share what local product or even re-distributed product is available from places in Sydney. Although our Hardwares are pretty big, some specialized stuff are only available from specialized places, bu go figure where. Anyway thank for your help once again. Cal

gtowncronie	02-18-2008 17:43:38
Member Posts: 1 Joined: 11-12-2007	Hello all- i think the best thing to do after of course training, and self education is practice. I have learned 10 times more messing things up and doing them the wrong way. Maybe I'm the only one out there that this works for but i remember how to do things the right way by knowing all the things that can go wrong and not doing them. Just start pouring, reading, and your figure it out!

solid-art	03-26-2008 20:11:31
Member Posts: 42 Joined: 03-20-2008	Cal Try www.woodworkforums.com. It is obviously a wood working site but there is a forum for concrete. It's based in Australia so you'll get good contacts for supplies. Paul

Caloute	03-30-2008 22:19:29
Member Posts: 14 Joined: 02-13-2008	Hey Paul, Thanks, I am familiar with this forum...I have been lucky to locate the stonelok sealer everybody is talking about. So that is one good thing, but still trying to locate a few other things such as water reducer, and also not too sure about what kind of steel should I use for re-inforcement...lol if it was up to me I'll get F72 or similar!!! Cal

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