Kitchen Design
Remodeling Guides
Cast Concrete Countertops With a Personal Twist
From frame making to pouring to inlays, learn how concrete counters are cast — and how an artisan embellishes them
Picking up a book about how to make concrete countertops at a used-book store was a fateful move in Jayme Guokas’ life. “This started as a DIY project … I did it once, and I was hooked,” the designer and builder says of casting custom concrete countertops. First he made them for a rental property he owned; next a friend asked him to make some for him, and it took off from there. Here he’ll lead us through the process that results in these uniquely beautiful and textural countertops.
Guokas warns his clients to be patient, as there is about a month between measuring the counters and the complete installation. “These are totally customizable to any shape, just like a material like granite is,” he says.
Once he has crafted a plywood frame from the countertop measurements, Guokas creates templates by cutting melamine into trays and pouring in the concrete — the bottoms of the trays will become the tops of the countertops. Any inlaid items (more on these later) are glued down to the bottom or sides in the proper places.
Next he places shaping pieces for things like the holes for sinks or recessed dish drains. For a sink Guokas uses rigid foam insulation to create a void. For a dish drain he uses ¼-inch plywood cut to the shape, shimmed up on one side to create the slope for the water. He adds metal rails for support.
After it’s poured, the concrete stays in the trays for about two weeks. Then it’s strong enough for him to remove it and begin the grinding and polishing process. He uses a wet sander with a diamond bit to grind the concrete.
Once the countertop pieces are placed, Goukas seals the joints with silicone caulk. At least two coats of a food-safe sealant make the countertops watertight. “Once it’s cured, the water will bead up on it but won’t penetrate the concrete,” he says.
The last step is applying a paste made of beeswax and mineral oil that he mixes himself. “This adds one more layer of protection,” he says. “While most store-bought versions will say to wax once a month, I usually recommend doing it one or two times a year.”
The last step is applying a paste made of beeswax and mineral oil that he mixes himself. “This adds one more layer of protection,” he says. “While most store-bought versions will say to wax once a month, I usually recommend doing it one or two times a year.”
Back to those inlay details. “I always call my clients over at the point when we’re ready to choose the inlays,” Guokas says. Inlays are objects that get a permanent place in the concrete, like pieces of glass, shards of china, metal and more personal items. “We talk about colors, shapes, materials, objects that resonate with them and the overall design of the inlays,” he says. “The worst thing would be to have something they didn’t like stuck in there forever!”
Some of the clients’ inlay objects are very personal; for example, this horseshoe belonged to a horse the client had as a child. Shards of glass inlaid in the concrete pick up on the glass backsplash; other flecks you see are gravel that is part of the general concrete mix. Other objects clients have chosen as inlays include coins and antique industrial gears.
A cutting board has its own recess within the countertop in this kitchen. Cores, seeds, skins and other unwanted bits can be scraped directly from the board into the sink.
When it’s removed for washing or serving, it reveals some inlaid surprises.
When it’s removed for washing or serving, it reveals some inlaid surprises.
Another way Guokas customizes the concrete is with color. The inspiration for this countertop was patinated copper. The fact that the blue concrete pigments don’t work very well worked to his advantage, helping him get these greenish-blue hues.
An artist with degrees in art history and art, Guokas enjoys being able to use his artistic background in his work. (He designed and built all of the kitchens seen in this ideabook, including building the cabinets.) “This is a really nice way to be creative in my contracting work,” he says.
More: Concrete for kitchen counters
More: Concrete for kitchen counters