How to Make a GFRC Concrete Countertop With Our DIY Semi-Homemade Mix Using Cement, Sand & Admixes
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- Опубликовано: 28 сен 2024
- Make your own (GFRC) concrete countertop mix using locally purchased Cement & Sand with admixes from Buddy Rhodes. Download our concrete countertop mix recipe ($15) - dcva.us/themix
Download our concrete countertop mix recipe.
dcva.us/themix
We like to use one bag of face coat mix from Buddy Rhodes Concrete Products because its clean, sifted and easy to spray through a hopper gun. We use locally purchased cement & sand with Buddy Rhodes admixes for the rest of the countertop. There are a few benefits to using local products:
#1 - Shipping a bunch of 50lb. bags across the country is expensive.
#2 - Bagged mixes have a much shorter shelf life than the admixes.
#3 - It's easier to tweak the mix when you are using raw ingredients with the various Buddy Rhodes Admixes.
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#gfrc #concretecountertops #concretebenchtops
It never fails to amaze me that, what is essentially a stone, can look so warm, and so tactile.
I agree. It still amazes me every time. 🙌🏼
A small local company makes stone look concrete paving slabs. They use silicone rubber moulds and to prevent bubbles, they put them on a shaker table to shake the bubbles out before they cure. I assume the same thing could be done in this case.
Isn't there an additive which would make the concrete waterproof so that sealing was not necessary?
for a large Island countertop using GFRC no metal structure is necessary inside the concrete? I have seen other DIY concrete methods were a metal wiring is added to the core. Yours till now is the best looking countertop by far !!
Thanks! 🙏🏻😊
That’s right... the high dose of glass fiber eliminates the need to metal reinforcing in most cases.
Wow you guys are great. Thank you so much for your videos. I have a question. I'm looking to do my entire house to bring up the value and cheap because I enjoy DIY thing.
Can I just polish the foundation under the carpet?
Is it essential to grind first, dye and densify then polish? Or can I skip the grind part and just use low grit polishing pads (diamond pads)?
Thanks!
The easiest & most cost effective thing to do would be to grind the carpet glue up...and then just stain & seal it.
Great video. I noticed you used almost all water as ice and I understand that cold helps the mix a great deal. Same weight I assume? But doesn’t it take a while for the ice to melt/get into the mix?
Thanks!
We try to keep our mix around a .32 water to cement ratio by weight.
We will usually sub out about 30% of the water for ice. It’s usually melted by the time it comes out of the mixer.
I want to make a top for a work bench that measures approximately 60” x 20” and will have support at approximately every 15”. It will have a 55lb heat press so there will be occasional pressure from the operation of the press. What’s the thinnest top I can make that will be light enough but be able to withstand the weight and operation of the press?
I’m not really sure. Sorry.
Greetings from Ecuador, I do not understand much the English language but I like your video, could you give me a hand explaining the materials you use to know if in Ecuador I can find something similar to be able to do it in my house
Hola. Hay una empresa que se llama Intaco que tiene productos similares. Creo que están disponibles en toda latinoamerica.
Maxicril es la línea de resina polimero
Maxiflo es el plastificante
Fibramax son las fibras
Thank you for the suggestions. 👍🏻
Please post more videos.
Mauricio Gonzalez we’re working on it. Just posted a new one. 👍🏻
I get the admix, the melamime etc but I cannot understand the TIM marking at 2:25. I googled TIM acronyms and this is what i came up with:
Technical Interchange Meeting
Total Irradiance Monitor
Trace Identifier Mismatch
Targeted International Membership
Thermal Interface Materials
Which one? Can I get a friend?
Tim is my name. 🤪
I can’t help but to write my name whenever I’m around wet concrete. Ha.
@@TimDCVA :) - Thanks for the great video!
Lovely finish on the tops.
When using the fibres how deep do you need to make the work tops?
Thanks! We can go as thin as 3/4" in some situations if we are using a full load of glass fibers.
Hi. good job, congratulations!What is your fiber rate? I am curious about the content of your contributions.
Thanks! We load it around 3% of the dry weight of the mix.
Why Ice?
Looks good, except one of the finished counter tops has a chip right in the center on the front edge!? ouch..
Thanks! ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Hey Tim, I enjoy your videos alot. What polyurethane sealant are you using?
Hey Vincent. Thanks! This one was Omega by Concrete Countertop Institute.
Isn't the cement gray naturally? Why doe it needs some kind of black agent to color the cement?
We use white Portland cement with countertops... so we have to add pigment to make it gray.
@@TimDCVA Got it, thanks. But as far as I know, white cement is not as strong and stable.
I’ve never heard that about white before. I think our mix strength is probably overkill for a kitchen countertop... even if it isn’t as strong as gray.
I personally like white better because I think we get more consistent colors from it. Sometimes a bag of gray Portland from the same manufacturer has a slightly different color.
Also, in my experience, I think the white tends to curl less as it cures than gray.
Why to use muriatic acid? cheers from Brazil.
👋🏻 It adds a slight profile (roughness) to the concrete so that’s the topical sealer will adhere.
Can the first layer be done without a hopper??
I’ve seen some videos where they pour the first coat and trowel it…but I’ve never tried doing it that way.
@@TimDCVA Thanks for that Tim. I don't suppose you have a link to one of those videos?? Sorry to be a hopperless bother :)
Haha.
ruclips.net/video/uWrV23QwtJ4/видео.html
@@TimDCVA Appreciate the link Tim. Cheers
Why did you add resin to the mix? What is the resin used for? U did not mix any aggregate except sand.?
Resin/polymer just makes the concrete better. It increases overall strength, reduces cracks, increases the amount of bending it can tolerate without cracking and allows you to de-mold it earlier.
No we don’t use gravel. Just Portland, sand and admixes.
How did you seam your slabs together?
We use clear silicone.
What do you use to spray the face coat? Or is that just a normal paint spray gun?
We use a Kraft Hopper gun ( amzn.to/2OvrigK ) with a Kraft compressor ( amzn.to/2UfjJjw ).
Why spray the face, top coat?
The face coat has no fgrc fibers, this makes it easier to get a polished surface without the fibers sticking out and ruining the counter top. The fill concrete has the fibers to strengthen the countertop.
How thick are these?
1.25”
Do you use buddy Rhodes mix only on the face coat?
We use Buddy Rhodes mix on the face coat, and then we use locally purchased cement and sand with Buddy Rhodes resin, glass fiber and admixes on the backer coat.
@@TimDCVA where do you buy black melamine? and what would be the advantage vs white?
@@raymondswilson2012 We get black melamine from a lumber yard that supplies cabinet shops with material. I had trouble with white melamine (purchased at local hardware stores) swelling up when we poured the concrete on it. We haven't had that issue with the black.
Is it lighter in weight vs concrete ?
I don’t think so...but you can pour them a lot thinner than traditional concrete. We used to pour traditional concrete @ no less than 2”...but now we can go as thin as 3/4”.
Ahhh okay so pretty much standard thickness was hoping 3/4 or 5/4 would be possible
We have poured them 3/4” in the past.
How to make these moulds
This will show you how to make the moulds. ruclips.net/video/6dfFwagmklk/видео.html
Making these gfrc countertops requires lot of overnight time. You are looking at a week for just one countertop. With corian i would be done in just one day.
And you'd have a significantly weaker countertop that wouldn't be resistant to scratches or heat. It's also more expensive. Totally incomprable.
Seems too labor intensive to be profitable
They are labor intensive, which is why they are expensive. It’s also why we don’t sell many of them.
Great video! We are currently experimenting with a glow in the dark concrete counter top check it out on our channel
Thanks! I’ll check it out. I always enjoy your channel. 👍🏻
Why ruin it with acid AFTER polishing? The reason you gave was to "prepare it for sealer". That makes zero sense. You've already polished the surface. The acid will eat into the top cementitious layer, taking the polishing work away. I'd imagine the surface feels much rougher after soaking in acid. I can't think of any reason why you would apply acid at this later stage. Perhaps after stripping from the form, yes. Acid would remove the release agent or paste wax. Then you'd immediately neutralise it with ammonia solution. Not let it soak in. And not apply acid AFTER polishing.
We polish/grind the concrete to remove the melamine texture that is on the surface. I also like to grind it enough to remove the cream so that you can see the sand in the concrete mix.
This makes the surface too smooth for the urethane sealer to stick to it... so we lightly etch it with acid, which gives it a little texture.
@@TimDCVA ah...polyurethane. yes, it does like sticking to a 50-to-80 grit honed surface. It usually yellows over time. Not a very nice end‐result for something as tactile as a worktop. The 80 grit limit is a huge restriction in your creativity, and urethane, being a topical layer, doesn't allow you to truly feel the concrete. It's like a big condom. I'd use it on a garage floor. But certainly wouldn't acid wash it after any grinding - just make sure you don't grind above 80 grit with resin pads.
For a nice countertop, I'd like the ability to polish between 800 and 3000. Using penetrating sealers is the way to go. You're going to feel the concrete with your hands. Not a layer of plastic on top.
I disagree with literally everything you said.
Our urethane doesn’t yellow.
The urethane we use is very thin... it doesn’t look like plastic and it still feels like concrete.
We grind to whatever grit the manufacture recommends...but 50 is usually too rough because the sealer cant cover up the tool marks left behind by the grinder.
I don’t like penetrating sealers. They look nice at first... but they stain too easily if you actually cook in your kitchen.
I’m happy to answer questions if you want to know about our process.
If you want to teach me something... you should start a youtube channel or a website. Send me a link if you do. I’d love to watch.
@@TimDCVA LOL! Awesome response, I'm using this " If you want to teach me something... you should start a youtube channel or a website. Send me a link if you do. I’d love to watch."
amazing work ! it seems a LOT easier doing this flip solution than trying to get a perfectly smooth surface.
Do you have a solution for the first coat when you don't have this sprayer that you use...?
Thanks!
Some people pour and trowel the first coat.
Hi! Can I still buy the mix formula?. Thanks.
Nice video , is there a reason for not casting in one part around the sink ?
Or just ease of moving and install
Thanks!
I just thought it would be too hard to move it in one piece without it cracking at the sink.
@@TimDCVA why would it crack ? isnt that what the fibres are for??
Fibers prevent cracking… but you can only push that so far. Having two 100 lb. Slabs connected by two thin strips of concrete seems like it would cause too much tension on those strips in transit.
Maybe I’m wrong though.
@@TimDCVA yep, that’s a good point!! Not
Worth the risk.
Looks great! So you don't use any aggregate at all it looks like? I've been wondering if I can get away with that and still have enough strength because I want to do white. I'll be using the fiber mesh reinforcement netting from a popular concrete countertop website. Was thinking just white sand and white portland cement with the mesh reinforcement. Will that be strong enough you think?
Thanks!
Yes. I have a video on my channel where we did a white countertop that way. You should be fine.
I like adding glass fibers more than the mesh though.
Great videos! I’m a weekend DIY’er, never made anything with concrete, but I’m very interested in making my own WHITE countertops. Will your $15 tutorial help a beginner like me? Thanks!
Hey. Thanks for the encouragement!
It’s not really a tutorial. It’s just a recipe. If you are only going to do one project, it would just be easier to buy the mix from Buddy Rhodes or Trinic.
...but if are going to do multiple projects or you can’t afford to buy bag mix for your project then the recipe would be a good starting point for making your own mix.
Thanks for watching! 🙌🏼
TimDCVA thank you!
One more question... how much GFRC concrete is needed per Sq/ft to make countertops?
I’m not really sure. I always just guess. I think it’s around 100lbs of mix for 10 sq ft @ 1” thick. BuddyRhodes.com has a calculator if you want to figure out exactly how many bags you need.
Love your videos, real art to doing concrete right 👍
Do you find with fibre mixes that you can get a furry finish?
Thanks!
We don’t use fiber in the face coat so you don’t see any fiber in the surface.
What kind of roller covers(nap thickness and material) are you using for the sealer?
3/8” nap foam rollers.
What are you spraying the face coat with? What is that sprayer??
A hopper gun made by Kraft tools. The compressor is also made by craft. There is a link to all of the tools in the description of the video.
Thanks Tim, I chipped in $15 for your PDF on the mix. What would you call this color? Looks kind of like "Graphite"?
Thanks! I appreciate the support.
We used 1% black oxide in this one. It is a light/medium shade of gray.
Is there a way to do this with a waterfall edge?
Yes. You just form it with the taller side and make a stiffer backer mix that you can pack in by hand.
Can you do face coat without a hopper?
Yes, but I haven’t tried it. @trinicllc posted a video a few years ago showing how to apply a face coat with a trowel.
Looks good. How thick is the countertop?
Thanks. I think this was was 1.5”.
Excellent video... The black melamine (Formica?) is a subtle improvement, but it’s a GREAT idea...
Thanks Paul! I was having trouble with the white melamine bubbling up when it got wet. The black is a higher grade product than the white, so the paint on it must be thicker. Whatever the case...it never bubbles up.... so it’s great. 👍🏻👍🏻
It would have been cool to use a different shade of filler to get some speckles.
It does look cool when we can do that. This customer wanted it to be mostly monotone though.
We put mother of pearl aggregate in a countertop earlier this year to add some color. Here’s the video:
ruclips.net/video/iu8v_0HPigc/видео.html
@@TimDCVA Sweet. I saw the MOP ones you did. They look great. So many options. We are in Montana and I'd like to put agate in the surface layer. Have you calculated material costs per sq foot?
super
Thanks!
Wow! Best I have seen yet!!
Thanks! I posted a new video a few months ago that goes into a lot more detail. Here’s a link if you want to check it out: ruclips.net/video/iu8v_0HPigc/видео.html
Wouldn’t the ice melt after mixing and ruin the mix?
What’s the weight of the counter top?
Is it heat resistant?
Thanks
Good information .. i will keep supporting you
Thanks!
What is the name of the sealer?
We used a polyurethane sealer in this one. I prefer PS-1 by Buddy Rhodes though.
Best one i have seen yet..
I am having trouble getting the smooth of a look
Thank you!
@@TimDCVA looks awsome! You Dont have to necessarily use the spray technique for all applications do you? Or can you jus pour the gfrc into the form if your not trying to get the look the spraying does? Don't know if that made sense....
1 inch Thick CounterTop Gonna Get Broken As Soon As You Make Pizza Dough or Make Meat Soft With Hammer.
How much does the concrete contract after it cures? If I pour a 24"x48"x1" slab, will the dimensions change substantially once the concrete has fully dried?
The amount of water you use effects how much the concrete shrinks. We always shoot for a 0.33 water to cement ratio (by weight) and I’ve never noticed the size of the concrete changing at all.
If you use too much water you the concrete is more likely to crack as it sets up (shrinkage cracks)... but even then I’m not sure if the dimensions will be noticeably different.
Great video. I want to pour concrete interior wall panels. How thick would you go?
Thanks! I think most people do 3/4” or 1” for wall panels. I would probably pour a test panel just to see how it holds up.
TimDCVA prices are ridiculous so I’m making my own. I’m building a house with durisol and want to diy as much as I can. Timber clad the outside, concrete cladding inside. I’m going to pour a few full size test panels with different finishes. I like the boarded, shuttered effect. Your vid is the best I’ve seen.
Thanks Kevin. I appreciate the encouragement.
If you are pouring large panels, you may want to look into using AR Glass scrim as secondary reinforcement to the glass fiber.
I just posted a video on white GFRC... you should check that one out too. 👍🏻
TimDCVA I’ll take a look now mate.