Replies

1. 
   calvin | Dec 19, 2007 05:13am | #1

   Since you're this far, you might want to take a trip to the Taunton Bookstore and look for a book they offer on Concrete Counters.

   A Great Place for Information, Comraderie, and a Sucker Punch.

   Remodeling Contractor just outside the Glass City.

   http://www.quittintime.com/

    

2. 
   ZEEYA | Dec 19, 2007 05:20am | #2

   Musa

   on the fhb home page click on magazine then in the drop down box click on

   magazine extra look for FHB issue #190 there you will find an article on building concrete counter top also in breaktime type in "concrete counter top" in the search box in the upper left (don't type the quote marks you shoul find a few articles on the subject

   Zeeya 

   
   

   ---

   Edited 12/18/2007 9:25 pm ET by ZEEYA

1. 
   caseyr | Dec 19, 2007 07:05am | #3

   There was a good thread on concrete counters a few months back. Actually, there have been quite a few threads on concrete counter tops. A search on Breaktime should turn up several, some of which will probably have some good advice.OK, wrong recipient - those accidents do happen here when not paying attention. Meant for OP

   Edited 12/18/2007 11:07 pm ET by CaseyR

3. 
   Waters | Dec 19, 2007 05:48pm | #4

   Musashi was the name of the 'hardware store' in the town I lived in in Japan.. coincidence?

   On counters--there is a lot of info in the archives here.  Use the search engine and you'll find lots of posts.

   Then you want: Cheng's book on Concrete Countertops and he has another on "Concrete in the home."  The Cheng book on Counters is the bible and takes you start to finish with all info in between.

   Also search "Buddy Rhodes" another counter and casting guy with website, products, services etc...

   Have fun.

1. 
   brownbagg | Dec 21, 2007 06:41am | #11

   Use the search engine, thats a oxymoron

4. 
   ted | Dec 19, 2007 06:57pm | #5

   As others have said therehave been numerous threads in the past on this forum. Cheng and Buddy Rhoades are the best references. Since I started doing tops the industry has exploded and there are several companies out there selling supplies these days. Quikcrete even makes a concrete countertop mix (only available in some locations) that I heard has all the essential ingredients.

5. 
   musashi | Dec 20, 2007 02:43am | #6

   Thanks to all for the info.  I will go a-searchin'.

   To Waters:  I don't know your hardware store, but I have lived in Japan too. 

   Musashi

   Outside of a dog, a book is a man's best friend. Inside of a dog, it's too dark to read.
   -Groucho Marx
1. 
   Waters | Dec 21, 2007 06:42am | #12

   While I lived there in Japan I once went in to "Musashi" looking for some shock chord--like bungee cord...

   I found an attendant in one aisle full of hardware... a young man already shocked by my appearance--not many foreigners in that area of japan.

   I knew how to ask in Japanese if he had any rope but did not know how to describe the bungee part so I asked for rope that goes, "Boing, Boing."

   At this request the attendant's face grew ashen, eyes grew wide and he skipped out on me...

   Later I asked my class of high schoolers what I could possibly have said to offend him.

   In describing the conversation when I got to the "Boing Boing" part they all about spit their teeth out laughing to tears and waving their arms and shaking their heads...

   It took about 15 minutes to get it out of them that "Boing Boing" is Japanese slang onomatopoeia for "Big Busted" as in big knockers...

   Pretty funny.

1. 
   musashi | Dec 21, 2007 02:34pm | #13

   Now I've gotta go research this "boing boing" thing.

   I've probably done similar things on a number of occasions.

   I lived in Nishinomiya, in Hyogo prefecture.  Where were you?

    

    Outside of a dog, a book is a man's best friend. Inside of a dog, it's too dark to read.
   -Groucho Marx

1. 
   Waters | Dec 22, 2007 06:56pm | #15

   Niigata Pref.  Nagaoka city.

   I worked for the company that made the dashboard meters in any Honda, Subaru, etc...  even Harley Davidson. 

   Company is called NIPPON SEIKI and I taught engineers and anybody else enrolled so I had little kids, high school students and old timers alike.

   I loved it there.

1. 
   musashi | Dec 23, 2007 05:46pm | #16

   I worked for the Kobe City Board of Ed, at the junior high and high school level.  I was there from 1989-1995. 

   Had a wonderful time - great culture, great food, and being tall and blonde gave me a completely, totally unfair advantage with the ladies.

   That was then...now I am bald with an expanding middle...

    

    Outside of a dog, a book is a man's best friend. Inside of a dog, it's too dark to read.
   -Groucho Marx

2. 
   Waters | Dec 24, 2007 08:32pm | #17

   I was up in niigata-ken in '94-'95.

   Yeah, a friend and I, within a few weeks of arriving and meeting some other gaijin were (arrogantly) remarking on how understandable it was that these 'geeky star-trek guys' had it made in japan--5 weeks paid vaca-car-apartment and every woman in sight thinks you are Harrison Ford.

   It's no wonder a lot of guys stay for good!

   My friend got a job as a replacement for a teacher at a small private school.  The guy had been injured pretty badly in a car accident.  He moved right into the guy's apartment (provided by the school) and into his life!  Driving his car, watching his VHS tapes, and working his job!  While visiting the guy in the hosp. my buddy got to know the 3 girlfriends this guy had--who met each other at his bedside.

   Crazy.

   We took a trip to the Northern Island--Hokkaido for skiing.  It was incredible.  I loved it there.

6. 
   loucarabasi | Dec 21, 2007 04:52am | #7

   don't get mad at me, I just dont see the point in concrete countertops. quickretes for deck footers

   my 2 cents, Lou

7. 
   Kowboy | Dec 21, 2007 05:15am | #8

   Formica makes some solid surface that looks like concrete but outperforms it by far.

   Kowboy

1. 
   pwd | Dec 21, 2007 05:26am | #9

   I looked over their site but could find the concrete like finish, can you direct me with a link?

1. 
   Kowboy | Dec 22, 2007 02:50am | #14

   Try this:

   http://www.formica.com/publish/site/na/us/en/index/solidSurfacing/colors_collections/traditions.html

    

   Kowboy

8. 
   klhoush | Dec 21, 2007 06:39am | #10

   I made some bar tops with local jadeite added to Quickcrete 5000. Threw in some poly fibers, CementAll water reducer and color. Stirred it up in a wheelbarrow and poured it in a form with a expanded lath inserted in the center of the slab.

   Had to rent a sidewalk grinder to get down to the stones and then polish to 4000 grit with diamond pads from HF. What a mess! I'll never do that again.

   The slabs are 1 1/2" thick. no problems.

   Kurt