I want the look of a concrete countertop

August 30, 2006 8:07 PM

Any ideas for faux concrete?

I want to paint my laminate countertops to look like concrete. What kind of paint and/or mud concoction could I use? I plan to cover the counter's edge with wood trim and do a backsplash in mosaic tiles, but where it meets with the sink, it will need to be even and clean because I don't want to lift out the sink. It also needs to be durable and practical for normal kitchen use. It's just not worth it if it chips or stains, so I need to worry about adhesion and also sealing it. Am I nuts?

posted by kgn2507 to Home & Garden (10 answers total)

Probably. Is there a reason you can't just use concrete? you could attach the wooden strip to come up higher than the current level of the surface and flood it with concrete. of course, it would be more complicated around sinks etc, and you'd need it to be deep enough not to crack...

Which is maybe why you're asking the question.

I guess you could use a textured plaster like Artex, but I think it would chip and stain, and be gross around food. Do you really want it to be textured? Or are you looking to do a flat, wipeable surface that just has the color and pattern of concrete?
posted by crabintheocean at 8:43 PM on August 30, 2006

i'd recommend looking into some tile or marble. i'm sure there are some that are concrete like in appearance. you could use some kind of workable concrete layer like crab suggests, but you would have to polish and seal it to be an effective countertop.
posted by lester's sock puppet at 9:13 PM on August 30, 2006

I guess the best thing I can think of for that kind of look would be a matt grey spray paint. Spray paints can be pretty tough if you get the right kind. I guess you could use different colors to try to get a concrete effect, but I think it would look horrible. Honestly, I think this is kind of a terrible idea, but I hope someone has a better idea than me and it works out.
posted by crabintheocean at 10:46 PM on August 30, 2006

You might try Quikrete on top of regular countertop. I don't know which mix will be the best, but possibly Heavy-Duty Waterproof Masonary Mix or Quikrete 5000 would be useful.

Since food safety is a concern, you will want to study the MSDS available for all their mixes.
posted by rajbot at 10:59 PM on August 30, 2006

I just saw a show on HGTV about something like this. Here is a link that may be helpful. There are also some things about painting laminate. I typed countertop into the search and got a long list.
posted by BoscosMom at 12:15 AM on August 31, 2006

Oops. Here's one of the ones about painting laminate.
posted by BoscosMom at 12:16 AM on August 31, 2006

After investing all the time and trouble, you might find that it was more cost-effective to have just had a new laminate top installed. And the results will probably look more like what you want. Honest.
posted by Thorzdad at 4:55 AM on August 31, 2006

You don't want to use real concrete as a countertop unless you clear-coat the hell out of it. I think even with painting the laminate that you will want to clear coat it to protect the paint from chipping and stains. Just use a gray base coat and texture with a roller and various shades of grey and then speckle it with a darker or brownish-gray..
posted by JJ86 at 6:41 AM on August 31, 2006

Response by poster: Thanks y'all! I am going to head up to my local home improvement store and see what paints they have available for laminate. Hopefully the big issue will be just one coat of primer, wouldn't gray be perfect for once! I may follow it up with a sponging of just barely a shade of gray lighter or darker. If I need to finish with a food-safe sealant, so be it. I have gorgeous multicolored glass mosaic tiles for the backsplash and the cabinets themselves are nice hard wood. The worst thing that could happen is that I need new counters, which I already do. I am going through a divorce and need a change. I want to hide the laminate that I think looks cheap. I guess the first thing you need to know is that concrete is vogue. Remember, who'd have thought stainless would be cool? The concrete is sealed and looks almost wet. It's really gorgeous and upscale, in that deconstructed kind of way.
posted by kgn2507 at 6:51 AM on August 31, 2006

Just incase you change your mind, here is a link for DIY concrete countertops....

DIY Concrete Countertops
posted by mhuckaba at 9:05 AM on August 31, 2006