Polished Exposed Aggregate Concrete Countertops

Aggregate is not very difficult to use and it creates a total custom look.

Polished exposed aggregate concrete countertops.

Decorative aggregates such as colored glass or crushed stone can add a great uniqueness to a concrete countertop. Because regular floor polishing is a step by step process commercial business owners and homeowners alike are able to choose the level of shine from satin to a very high gloss floor whichever meets your maintenance and aesthetic requirements. Add larger glass aggregates for concrete countertop lighting features. To enhance the gem like sparkle of exposed aggregate seal the surface with a high gloss sealer.

However it does require more work that just pouring the concrete because you need to expose the aggregate through careful grinding and optional polishing. Achieving a fine polished look in concrete countertops requires using progressively finer grits of diamond pads. After the concrete is poured and finished there are a few methods that can be used to expose the aggregate such as water washing abrasive blasting honing and acid etching but when it comes to concrete countertops whether pre cast or poured in place a wet polisher and diamond polishing pads are most common. The exposed aggregate will be more noticeable if it contrasts with the concrete color such as using bits of white marble in a charcoal gray countertop.

Polished concrete of new england specializes in polished concrete floors decorative stamped concrete concrete countertops and artist concrete designs serving maine new hampshire massachusets boston and new england. Add aggregates directly into countertop mix and polish for a sparkly finish. Tip finishing or polishing concrete countertops using these techniques is done the next day and in some cases 3 7 days after the concrete countertop was poured. Fred herbold css csi with sera architects in portland ore says he sees polished concrete as part of the placement criteria and feels that the opportunity for bidders to miss the specification is too easy if placed in division 9.

Grinding honing and polishing. Depending on the look you are trying to achieve you may start or stop at any point along this progression. Photo courtesy of retroplate. I define three stages.

If you want a salt pepper look or an exposed aggregate. And from the ready mix side tony allison glacier northwest s head of. Polished cream with waviness due to not finishing flat. Smoothing the concrete mix with a hand trowel is the only technique you will use on the day the countertop is poured.

This process will expose the top of the stone aggregate leaving the rest embedded.