We poured our concrete kitchen countertop in place and colored it with acid stain. My friend and craftsman Tyson checked it out and took it a step further by pouring his in forms with colored aggregate, fossils, etc., and polishing them so they look like rare stone.
Ours looks like concrete ... the concrete guy I helped pour it wanted to fill some of the edge porosity and grind off some roughness, but I wanted it to look like concrete. I figured why try to fake it? With the stain it looks a lot like old stone and reminds me of some old and constantly wetted concrete I saw in the Carribean. I still run my hand on it and marvel at the variations in the surface colors and texture.
We used a gravel roof drip edge to form the front overhang and poured the little backsplash riser in place. I wouldn't pour the backsplash in place again as the concrete kept slumping out of the form. It does make for a good seal to the countertop though.
It's about 44 linear feet and 1-5/8 thick in-field ( looks like 2-1/2 in thick because the edges are thicker) .... it was a lot of concrete (hand mixed onsite in buckets) and an unbelievable mess!
The sink is not actually underhung - it's a 'normal' sink we poured concrete around the edges of. If it ever has to come out..... I shudder to think.
The fossil detail was a last second idea created by putting a silk leaf in the form.
The island has a drop down vent that comes up from behind the burners. A ceiling vent would be better ... this one pulls heat from the burners. I had the Stainless top made from my plywood template and it came out real well - it overhangs in the back and we use it with tall barstools.
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