Concrete Countertops! How to Pour In Place | Outdoor Kitchen Part 6

real quick i want to thank this video sponsor  which is simply safe. this week i am pouring   concrete countertops on pretty much every  flat surface there is in my outdoor kitchen   there are two log boxes on either side of the  fireplace the hearth the countertop the bar top   the bar top's footrest and the cap on all four of  the posts i told you that's a lot of surfaces this   is my first time tackling concrete countertops  but let me share my experience with you. in case   it's on your to-do list and my experience can be  helpful now my situation is a little bit unique   because you would typically make up your concrete  form directly on top of your cabinets however my   cabinets are delayed by a few weeks so instead of  halting progress i decided to make up some sort   of like temporary structure to act as the cabinets  it's tricky because this structure needs to be as   flat and level as possible i built this in  sections so that once the cabinets come in i'll   be able to remove this structure bit by bit then  slip in the cabinets one at a time then because   my cabinets come with adjustable feet the counter  top will remain in place where i pour it then i'll   be able to butt the cabinets up to the bottom this  structure is made up of 2x4 arms with an osb top   i used my crescent chalk line to pop lines on the  sheet then my triton circular saw to cut them out   this got attached to the two by fours which then  got secured from the underside into the bar's wall   framing while i did my best to hold it flush to  the back and the other sections already attached   jacob crawled under to secure it a speed square  really comes in handy when trying to make sure two   surfaces are flush to each other now in order to  make sure it's flat instead of cutting each leg to   the exact same we measured each leg individually  to compensate for any variation in the deck   so if you're a sane person and wait until you have  cabinets then this is where your job will start   first up i needed to cut a sinkhole i believe most  things come with a paper template for tracing but   mine did not so instead i had to flip my sink  over and place it on top of the osb to trace   i traced the outside lip but it's actually up  against the sink basin itself that i need so from   there i used a maschine square set to the depth  of the lip on my sink and traced an offset line   i did this by running the square along my  line and using a pencil to trace the distance   it isn't exact but it doesn't need to  be you just want a hole large enough   for the basins to pass through but small  enough for the lip of the sink to catch   i grabbed my triton jigsaw to cut this out the  unique handle orientation on this jigsaw is   definitely my favorite over traditional style  of a handle along the top in this grip i can   easily apply forward pressure regardless of the  direction of moving the solid after making the   first pass i would pop the sink in to test fit  it if it didn't sit all the way down i would see   where it was rubbing then take a little bit more  off until it fell in and sat flush to the top okay now for the cement board when you're  pouring concrete countertops you need first   to create a bottom which needs to be made up  of some sort of cement board the sink location   needs to be transferred to this purse since i  already made a hole in the osb i crawled under   and traced the opening then cut it out i did this  off the deck just because it creates so much dust   i definitely recommend a good respirator my  personal favorite being the stealth mask one   then also a good blade meant for cement i'm using the diablo diamond grip blade here  which had no problem chomping through this   now it can be set back into place and secured down well after you make sure it's in the correct  orientation it's pretty easy to tell when it's   not that makes much more sense once i got the  entire top lined with cement board i applied   a line of tape at each one of the seams this is  self-adhesive tape that just requires some light   pressure to hold it in place on mine because i  want the front visible edge to be super straight   i left the boards long then chose to cut it  in place all at once alternatively you could   cut each board to length as you're placing it i  would take a measurement on the left and right   then pop a line to connect the two i recommend  the crescent chalk line which has a locking   feature so that you can easily apply pressure to  the string to get a crisp straight line to follow   next i threw in a blade diablo specifically makes  for cutting fiber cement then made the cut you   can't see from where you're at but this triton saw  has a laser line which makes tracking on a line   super easy and yes even though i'm wearing  my stealth mask jacob thought it would be   helpful to use the greenworks blower to blow  away any of the dust as i was making it and   this actually becomes a new standard on the  job site anytime one of us makes a dusty cut   okay and that's the bottom of the form done  now we need to move on to making the side   there are several methods you can go about this  but i personally used a product made by concrete   countertop solutions it's a plastic run that gets  attached to your cement board to create the back   and side walls of your concrete form it's worth  noting this comes in several profiles some are   more decorative than others but i went with a  straight profile in a box of forums there are two   options some with the profile which  goes on any side you want an overhang   then some that are a flat run only these are  attached to any side you don't want an overhang   and i'll show you an example later honestly to  attach them it's really straightforward and easy   you'll want to miter the corners at a 45. to get  these to match perfectly you can hold two pieces   that have a square cut up to one another  then mark where the inside corners meet   this will save you from measuring and being  slightly off these runs come in eight foot   spans but are very easy to cut out a miter saw i  would cut both corner pieces before attaching but   to attach you can run in small screws i believe  they're about 5 8 of an inch long it is really   easy to strip them because of the cement board  they're going into so just be easy when driving   them in if you have a long run you just butt the  next one right up to the previous one and repeat   they make it very simple to not mess up i just  recommend pushing forward slightly when attaching   to make sure it's seated all the way against our  cabinets every seam will need to be taped together   with some duct tape so all the corners as well  as butt joints where two spans splice together and here is a level up option if you really want  to pro install if you have an overhang like i do   on this corner so instead of coming in here like  this and having this just flat and cut a small   little piece with a miter like that that will wrap  the overhang around to the back side which looks   super sharp so that's all the edges on mine that i  want the concrete overhanging my cabinets for the   back where the concrete will meet the wall a run  of the flat section goes in again just as easily   by screwing down the bottom while making sure the  top is resting against the wall the only thing you   need to know on this is when it runs into the  overhang material you can cut back a section   on the bottom lip so that they don't interfere  now i needed to prep for the hole for the faucet   i used a diablo card by teeth hole saw in the  size of the concrete countertop solution accessory   it's a rubber plug that just requires you to  drill a hole through the cement board then plug   it up the top will protrude through the concrete  slightly leaving you a clear passage to insert   the faucet later so that the bottom the edges the  faucet the last thing to form around is the sink   real quick i want to thank this video sponsor  which is simply safe many of you know that i have   used simply safe for my personal and my commercial  shop security for a while now it is incredibly   effective reliable home or shop security that  will make sure your property is safe you order   it online or by phone it's delivered right to your  door and you set it up yourself in under an hour   i recently added a system to my house and i am so  pleased with how much more effective and easier it   is to use than systems i've had in my home in the  past just as before i found all of the devices to   be very reliable set up as a breeze and they're  very easy to use i've got not only the security   system installed but the simply safe sensors to  cover the windows hd cameras inside and out the   door lock lets me grant access remotely and i can  set up unique access codes so i can get alerted as   to who's unlocking or locking the door they even  have extras like water and temperature sensors   there is a ton of value in having peace of  mind knowing my home and shop properties are   professionally monitored 24 7. and if anything  happens they'll make sure the police are called   if you've been feeling worried about your security  then you don't have to wait another minute visit   simplysafe.com april to learn more and take  control of your security situation concrete   countertop solution sells the sink form as well  it's also plastic and adheres to the inside to   create a lip for the concrete it's important to  get the height the same as the back and the front   wall in my case it's an inch and a half so you  see me using a 2x4 as a spacer to make sure i'm   setting it at the correct height as i go around  you can also see i just jump over the inside wall   of my sink you can use an assortment of tools but  my crescent shears make quick work of the plastic   when i got back around to the starting  point i again taped the seam with some tape   now it's easiest if you have some foam you can  cut to size and plug the inside of your sink   but i didn't so next i taped in some extra  plastic you you basically just want to protect   the inside of your seam from getting concrete  in it and believe me it will oh and if you're   wondering about the wood inside on mine the front  section was curving in slightly and i didn't want   my countertop to make this shape so i grabbed  some scraps and used them to push out the front   so that it would be nice and straight once  the form is in now i tape around it so next   i could caulk this seam you can lay down a bead  of caulking then clean it up using your finger   now once you remove the tape the form is clear  and will create a smooth finish once you pour in   concrete so that's actually all the forms finished  but now we need to add in what will actually give   the concrete it strength once you pour it and that  is going to be a wiring mesh material concrete is   stronger when it has something to hold onto to  hold it together in slabs you see rebar but in   countertops this mesh will act as the rebar it  comes in a roll and is easy to cut with a pair   of scissors to be effective this mesh needs to  be suspended in the middle of the countertop   so after rolling out the length needed i started  placing some standoffs which is an accessory you   can purchase and attach them easily to the mesh  it's a little tedious but it is very easy to do   you want to try and keep them spaced about 10  inches apart and on the same line i placed them   around the perimeter and a middle row first then i  came back and placed two more rows that staggered   those first three this way each section has a box  and one in the middle meaning that when you pour   heavy concrete on it the mesh will stay in the  middle of the pour as it should once they are all   placed next i went to each one and secured it down  to the cement board with a screw each stand comes   with a hole in it to make this easy okay so there  is the counter top all formed up and ready to go   the exact same process was repeated at the  fireplace so that both log boxes and the   hearth were ready for concrete and there's quite  a bit of information on the pouring step so let   me hop back and forth between the next two days  of footage to pass along as many tips as possible   first off let's start with mixing this mix comes  in a whitish color but note that there are tons of   pigments you can choose from if you want something  different i picked a charcoal color for mine   you can change the color by changing how much  you add to the mixture but it's important you   pick a number of scoops and stick with it  so that all your batches come out the same   the pigment is first added to some water and mixed  until the clumps are out then more water can be   added so the concrete mixture can be mixed in  you definitely want a respirator to protect your   lungs from the powder the filters on my stealth  mask protect down to a 0.03 micron and i have a   10 off code if you're interested i recommend  using a metal mixing paddle over a rubber one   and also having a person on hand to slowly add in  the concrete as you continuously mix this makes it   so that the drill doesn't get bogged down and to  get all of the clumps out these buckets are heavy what a lot of water i found that adopting a wattle  walk was the fastest and easiest way to move them   once it's mixed you can just dump it directly on  top of the mesh and then repeat you most certainly   want extra hands once you start mixing the clock  starts and it is a mad dash to get everything done   before the mixture starts drying after i poured a  bucket i would haul it back to my crew and use it   to mix up the next round of pigment then pass it  to them as i took the next bucket ready to pour   once you pour a bucket load in you can use  a trowel to spread it around this stuff   is self-leveling so you can get it close and  then it will slowly work its way down and out   i don't think i can put enough emphasis on this  expect messy i don't recommend mixing on your deck   or in your kitchen because it will get everywhere  lay down plastic around your pore area as you'll   later see it will get coated not so much whenever  you're pouring the bucket loads but the next   step is to screed it and that's when the mess  happens you want to slightly overfill the form   then you use a straight edge to span from back  to front to level it perfectly to the top of the   forms you can buy a screen but i always just  use a straight edge from around the job side   you use a slight back and forth motion and  move from one side of the form to the other   you'll see that the scree picks up the high  spots as you move this will also expose all   the low spots after i make a first pass  i fill in the low spots then do it again   letting all of the excess just roll over the  sides the long countertop was pretty tricky   as the back form isn't enough to screed on for  this i would span from the sink form to the edge   and this actually worked great and it was  also really handy on this larger surface   jacob was finding all the low spots and throwing  in more concrete to fill them in for my next pass   then immediately after you get it level you need  to go around the edges and vibrate it so that you   get out the air bubbles they make actual tools  for this but i personally just grabbed a sawzall   took out the blade and used it to hit all of the  edges and this works great i've used a palm sander   before in the past but as also has much heavier  vibration and the large flat surface is easy to   get up against the forms and now at this point  you can take a short breather clean up your tools   your buckets and take stock of just how filthy  you are hey april you've got you know something   on your legs and uh your arms oh and your face  oh yeah i got a little bit of something but not   too long because this stuff does settle quick it's  only about 30 minutes before you take in magnesium   float to the surface and start smoothing it out  you'll get a feel for how much pressure to use as   you do it as you're gliding across the surface you  don't want the float completely flat or it'll just   pull up the concrete you want to have a slight  tilt to it you will leave some marks behind at   this point but don't worry because the next step  is to use a steel trowel which will be the final   step and remove the marks left by the magnesium  oh and something special i did right after the mag   flow but before the steel trowel was drop my logo  into the heart if you watched me build my shop   you'll know that i have my logo stamped in that  concrete too and now that sits for two days which   is pretty maddening i could not wait to tear open  the forms and see how it worked in the meantime i   pulled up the plastic and blew the area clean so  that i could have a good look at it all that's   unbelievable this is actually coming along isn't  it obviously there was plenty to do in two days to   keep other things moving but it's definitely  exciting to rip off the first form i used a   putty knife to first drag along the inside then  simply pull the front lip forward until it broke   oh it's so slick this feels like glass that's  insane leaving behind a beautiful surface i don't   know what i was expecting but it's unreal how the  surface feels it honestly feels like glass if you   take a close look you can see where i missed a few  air bubbles so maybe vibrate yours a little more   but no huge voids at all just remember when you're  working that this outside edge will be exposed in   the end so really work on the concrete vibrate to  get the air bubbles out and for areas like around   the sink where there is a caulk joint you'll  just want to make sure that everything is clean   what a ton of work i mean don't get me wrong it's  100 worth it to me but it is a lot of work you can   most certainly use these same steps to do concrete  countertops in your house in the kitchen and the   bathroom i just think it's so awesome for such a  simple material how beautiful and how unique it   turns out since my job had so many pores involved  all of the surfaces took about two weeks to do   if you have concrete countertops on your  to-do list and i'll leave you a link to   concrete countertop solutions as they have  literally every product you need for this job   you can check the description for that as  well as everything else i used in this video   now let's fast forward three weeks when the  cabinets arrived now the tricky part comes   in which is to move in the cabinets while moving  out the temporary structure we built at the start   of the video i started by making the feet as low  as they could go then removing the back panel on   the center cabinet so that it could be worked  in around the sink basin remember that this   structure was built in sections with this purpose  in mind so i first had to remove the support of   that osb and two by fours under the sink now if  everything works out this should slip right in   perfect now the back can be reattached with the  screws it came with then we repeated on the next   two except none of those panels had to come off  again i repeated by pulling out the screws holding   up the temporary support then pushing in the  cabinet once the cabinets were in place now the   feet could slowly be raised up until it was butted  up to the bottom side of the concrete counter top   of course you can skip this entire  step if you do things in order   and wait for your cabinets to get in to pour  your countertops but i think that this was a   pretty cool solution to keep the project moving  along for my choice in cabinets i went with these   durable and ultra low maintenance stainless  steel cabinets made by trex outdoor kitchens   not only will they last forever they actually  come with a lifetime warranty but they have   awesome features like full extension glides soft  close hinges and adjustable shelves they also have   dozens of styles and colors but i went with  hampton door style and covert green now for   my cabinets i plan to house not only things like  platters for the grill area but also the head unit   to my stereo system and a full rack of spices for  the spices i'm using one of my favorite organizing   systems called smart jars you've probably seen  me use this for my hardware in the shop as   it's the perfect system for that as well but they  actually started off as a spice organizing company   i built a very simple slide out rack that i can  mount on the inside of my cabinets then the smart   jar system is made up of these docks that fit  perfectly into any standard pegboard inside each   one of these docks is a plastic container that  you can either leave inside and grab what you need   or you can completely remove the plastic container  and take it up to the countertop if you want   so when i'm grilling i can grab whatever spices  i might need and bring them up to the top   but then whenever i'm done i can quickly clean the  countertop off and have everything organized and   ready to go for next time i find the visibility  perfect as all the containers are laid over on   their side but of course you could also add a  label to the outside or the lid if you wanted to   with these being so versatile i definitely  recommend picking up a pack and putting it to use   in your workshop kitchen craft room or even kids  room honestly the options for these are limitless   up next i was gonna tease you and say this is  what i'm doing next but i can't even remember   but i have a whole list of things still to do in  order to complete this awesome outdoor kitchen so   stay tuned if you're interested and check out  the previous videos if you want to get caught   up to this point good luck on your concrete  countertops and i'll see you on my next video thank you so much for checking out this video be  sure to also check out my website because i sell   lots of useful things such as these fraction and  decimal charts they're not only cool shop decor   but they're also functional if you're interested  in getting yours you can click right here

Channel: April Wilkerson

Views: 398,722

Rating: 4.9310961 out of 5

Keywords: diy concrete countertops, concrete countertops poured in place, concrete countertop solutions, trex outdoor kitchen, easy concrete countertops, how to make concrete countertops, how to pour concrete countertops, concrete kitchen counters, concrete counters, make your own concrete countertops, easy kitchen countertops, cement countertops, step by step concrete countertops, best concrete countertops, best way to do concrete countertops, concrete countertops diy

Id: F_5piG348Ro

Length: 21min 16sec (1276 seconds)

Published: Sun Jun 06 2021