Why Concrete?
Concrete tub surround, sills, and shower bench.
Concrete’s biggest virtue is versatility—through both design and serendipity, concrete can add natural beauty to any space. This ‘liquid stone’ can be cast into nearly any shape, left raw and organic, or be ground and polished. Concrete can be pigmented, stamped, or stained.
One of concrete's coolest benefits: it can be used in so many situations and still look great doing so. We've made countertops, backsplashes, tub surrounds, planters, benches, shower wall inserts, thresholds, you name it!
Design Elements
This is where concrete really starts to shine. Not only is it useful in so many different situations, but both aesthetic and utilitarian options abound! The fact that each piece is cast specifically for you affords us such opportunities as embedding meaningful objects, pigmenting to the color of your choice, or perhaps embedding a cutting board or trivet.
Custom plastic seam inlay and elevation change.
By incorporating functional details such as inset cutting boards or integral drain boards, we begin to break out of the conventional countertop slab. This versatility allows concrete to be designed to relate to the contextual space in a way unavailable with other materials.
Please see Designing with Concrete for more examples of countertop features.
Living with Concrete
Concrete is pretty easy to live with. The material is durable yet easily repaired, and today's sealers provide an easy to clean, stain-resistant finish. They are not impervious to damage--they can be damaged by a hot pan or by letting a spill linger too long--but in most cases the damage is to the sealer and can be easily retouched.
With proper maintenance, concrete countertops will stay beautiful for years to come. The maintenance is minimal: we recommend waxing once a month with carnuba wax, and resealing once every few years.
For more, please read Concrete Countertop Care