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Hi Guys,
Just blew back in from Vegas. Talked to some Cygnus folks, and got a newsletter. Apparently Concrete countertops will be a big feature at the next show. What are everyones thoughts on that? Id be interested to hear.
Lenny
There are trends and there are fads. Concrete seem to be the latter.
It is labor intensive, never-know-what-you’ll-get artsy and doesn’t perform all that well as a countertop.
But hey, the designers and artsy-fartsy types think it’s cool so what the heck.
I just need to learn how to repair it and I’m good.
Joe
P.S.:
Anyone remember “Shirecrete” or whatever the hell that abomnation was at one of the shows? Uglier than sin. You got money, we got a booth for you.
hahaha, I remember the shire stone folks. What happenned to those folks? Maybe they are selling in Middle earth now.
Lenny
This is a hot topic and many don’t know the facts. Concrete countertops come in two forms; precast and cast-in-place. The precast is what most of us will start using. Companies like IceStone, Vetrazzo and Urban Slabs are all precast concrete slabs that look excellent.
These slabs also allow for conventional stone fabrication techniques so no new tools to purchase.
Give the concrete a chance and you may be surprised. Having the Concrete Countertop Institute on board will really help everyone understand the new material.
I’d like to get my buddies here to join this Site. I think they could realy contribute to this intrest concrete tops.
It has my interest peeked more and more as the techniques and products get refined. This even includes the cast in place.
Posted By Andy on 08/26/2008 1:40 AM
This is a hot topic and many don’t know the facts. Concrete countertops come in two forms; precast and cast-in-place. The precast is what most of us will start using. Companies like IceStone, Vetrazzo and Urban Slabs are all precast concrete slabs that look excellent.These slabs also allow for conventional stone fabrication techniques so no new tools to purchase.
Give the concrete a chance and you may be surprised. Having the Concrete Countertop Institute on board will really help everyone understand the new material.
Andy:
I guess I never considered Vetrazzo as a concrete countertop but it probably is. I should have been more selective in my previous statement. Vetrazzo and Icestone and the like are quality products.
When I hear concrete, I think of the abomnations I’ve seen in some showrooms and the bar top done by the homeowner where I put in a butcher block lower top. It looked like he cast a curb around the bar. Truly horrific but he was so proud. It still wasn’t as bad as Shirestone.
Joe
I think the pre-cast products have a chance. From what I have heard, they fab pretty easily so that helps out a lot.
Right now the price is keeping a lot of business scared away. The cheapest Vetrazzo color group (which only includes 1 color) is about the same price as our ‘E’ granite group.
From what I have heard if you want a concrete top and are willing to pay for it, hireing fabbers instructed by the Cheng method or Buddy Rhodes method is the way to go. I have also seen some horrific work done by amatures, fine for your own home but I wouldn’t want to feel as though I was eating off my garage floor if I bought a house with a crappy looking concrete top..
A very nice lady from the Concrete Countertop Institute putting together an article for the FabNet about the differences between the two. Hope to have it up in a few weeks.
Give this material a chance. Many of the designers are very interested. As the price comes down, the popularity should go up and make it a very viable product group.
Having The concrete institute part of the show is going to be very helpful. It will bring not only more attendees. But will also help to educate us on surfaces we aren’t familiar with.I have been looking around some as I see new names and products in a couple trade mags. I get. I have ran across some that are casting in place at 2″ slabs 25.5 x 7′ to keep weight down. I see lots of ugly seams coming from a few of these guys. I mean thats like 23 to 26 pounds a sqaure foot they are talking. Man hope to find some better systems for a little whimp like me.
However in looking I can see why the designers are looking. Something new and different.
We fabricate some of the concrete counter materials. Overall its an interesting product category but, just my opinion, not really suitable for any high use kitchen. We seal three times before it leaves our shop, even then, they can be stained. Vanities, or light use areas is where I receommend these products. Perhaps in the future they will have enhancements that will help with the staining issues.
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