How to make a Concrete Countertop?

Concrete countertops can add a sleek and modern look to any room in your home. And they’re especially great for high-use areas like the laundry room. They’re relatively easy to make and can be customized to fit your space perfectly. As we were looking for cool ways to get out of our comfort zone and try new things, we thought doing a concrete countertop would be a great addition to our laundry room project. Tag along as I explain how we used Concrete Counter Solutions’ Z Form to create a beautiful and functional concrete countertop in our laundry room.

Let’s get started!

Step 1: Prepare the Surface

The first step is to prepare the surface where you want to install the concrete countertop. It means removing old countertops, cleaning the area, and ensuring it’s level and smooth. Next, cut and attached the cement board to cover the entire top except for the sink opening.

Step 2: Measure and Cut the Z Form

Now, we measure and cut the Z Form to the size of your countertop. We went with a square edge, but there are several different options. We mitered the plastic form using a chop saw to create sharp, tight corners. To ensure no gaps, we screwed the forms down into the cabinet from above with deck screws and taped any joints. At this point, we measured our faucet location and installed the rubber knockout.

Step 3: Set the webbing

To give the concrete strength and support, Concrete Countertop Solutions has fiber webbing and custom Z clips that go in the middle of the to give the concrete strength and support countertops. For this, we just cut the webbing about 2 inches short of all edges, screwed the Z clips down to the cement board and clipped the webbing into the clips.

Step 4: Mix the Concrete

After the Z Form is cut to the correct size and mounted, it’s time to mix the concrete. Mix the concrete according to the instructions on the package. We mixed a plastic 5-gallon bucket and used a paddle attachment on a drill. Be sure to mix it thoroughly to ensure that it’s the right consistency. We ended up with watery peanut butter as a consistency.

Step 5: Pour the Concrete

The next step is to pour the concrete mixture into the Z Form. Pour it evenly and use a trowel to level it out. It took us several batches of concrete to fill up the form. You need to work fast as the mixture sets up quickly. We used an oscillating saw with no blade to vibrate the edges and work the air bubbles to the surface. As the concrete dries over time, we continuedly to use finer and finer trowels to smooth the surface.

Be sure to let it dry for at least 24 hours before moving on to the next step.

Step 6: Remove the Z Form

After the concrete has dried, it’s time to remove the Z Form. Carefully remove the form by bending it down and away from the concrete. The plastic will snap cleanly. Be sure not to damage the newly formed concrete countertop using hard tools or prying too hard.

Step 7: Slurry Coat

After removing the form, we applied a slurry coat to the surface. This very watery concrete mix gets wiped onto the surface and sanded away to fill in any bubbles or imperfections.

Step 8: Sand and Seal

Once the slurry coat had dried, we used fine sandpaper (220 grit and higher) to buff the surface. And lastly, we used Concrete Countertop Solutions’ special sealer to seal the concrete. The sealer was wiped on and went in 3 coats.

And that’s it. It’s not the easiest process, but anyone can roll their sleeves and figure it out. Be sure to stay on top of maintaining the countertop by sealing it regularly and keeping it clean. Enjoy!

Here is a quick video showing you each of these steps!