Customers come to us with many concerns and preconceived ideas regarding how concrete holds up. With technology continuing to evolve and change we have found that issues that may have been a problem in the past are no longer a concern today.  Here are a few of the common questions that are frequently asked:

Will my concrete crack?

We have perfected the craft of mixing, pouring and curing concrete so our products have no structural weaknesses. We use the latest in steel fiber technology to re-enforce our products (no fiberglass). Our formulation supplies space primary and secondary re-enforcement. It is possible that concrete may show a hairline crack, but these do not in any way weaken the strength of our concrete. These are natural in any stone product and are considered character marks, not defects. Keep in mind concrete is not unbreakable. Neglect or abuse will certainly put your concrete at risk. We have a 10 year warranty on any structural cracking and to todays date we have never had a counter crack.

Can my concrete chip?

As with any countertop surface, although highly unlikely, there is a small chance of impact chipping. Unlike granite, marble or any other solid surface countertops concrete is very easily repaired and the repairs are virtually undetectable.

Will my concrete stain?

We use conditioners in our mix that reduce liquid absorption aiding in the stain resistance of our raw concrete. After curing we treat each piece of concrete with an FDA approved water born polyurethane top coat sealer. Our sealer makes the concrete very stain resistant and virtually stain-proof  there is no better way to seal concrete counters on the market and our sealers are non toxic. We have pure white concrete counters all over the Phoenix metro area without any problems.

Will my cabinets need to be reinforced? Our concrete products are a standard 1-1/2” thick, weighing 17 pounds per square foot and (in almost all cases) require no additional reinforcement to any standard cabinetry. If your product requires additional support due to overhangs or cantilevers, we will offer an additional support for an additional charge. We fabricate our metal bracketing and structural support in-house.  We pride ourselves in having the capability to conceal the bracketing.

What are my color choices? Endless! We offer a base pallet of 2500 colors that we are able to color-match any color and have a minimum at all times of at least 300 colors samples in our Scottsdale showroom. In addition, we offer other colors that have a variety of patinas and stains to choose from. We also offer tumbled glass and two-toned concrete as well. Custom-colored samples are available to make and usually take about 1-1/2 weeks to fabricate.

Pre-cast vs. Pour In Place? With pre-cast it is possible to achieve surfaces that are extremely smooth and rich in color and modeling. This is a challenge for pour-in-place. With pour-in-place the surface must be hand troweled and there is less control in the exactness of color. Pour-in-place concrete is done on-site and usually creates a mess and inconvenience. Unlike poured-in-place, once our pre-cast countertops are installed they require no additional curing time and ready to use.

OUR CNC ROUTER WHICH CAN CUT VERY COMPLEXED SHAPES WITH 100% ACCURACY

INSTALLING A 1200 LBS. ISLAND IN A HOUSE IN PARADISE VALLEY

What is the timeline of the completion & installation of my concrete product?

Concrete has a curing time of 28 days and is usually installed in 4-5 weeks. Once an estimate is generated and approved, a work order must be signed and a deposit of 50% is obtained. Approved drawings, sinks, templates and any other variables are needed before the timeline starts. The average process for concrete are as follows: WEEK ONE: We come out to the job site and digitally measure the job using our E-Templating system that takes photos using triangulation software for an exact measurement of the area. We then go to our studio and load the data onto our CAD software. From here we generate drawings that show overhangs, sinks and seam details. From there a program is written and then transferred onto our CNC Router which then cuts the forms for your concrete countertops.  We then generate a folder to our shop which begins to build your product. WEEK TWO: The slabs are poured, ground, released, and flipped by the end of the week. WEEK THREE: Your concrete product is left to cure for several days before we begin the polish process. Once polishing begins, miniature  air holes are opened up which are then filled with a slurry process. The following day the product is re-polished and left to cure for 3-5 days. WEEK FOUR: Slabs are inspected and then prepared for sealing. We apply our top coat sealer. This is a unique process that we developed through the years that has worked better than any other product, which is virtually stain proof. WEEK FIVE: Installation is a 1-2 day process depending on the size of your job.

GFRC  What’s The Difference

Pre-cast vs. GFRC (Glass Reinforced Concrete)? It’s important to know the difference

GFRC is a thin layered sprayed in process which is then back filled using fiberglass mixed portland cement, latex  and silca sand. This process although making the concrete lighter, is very monotone in color and has a plastic look due to all the latex and the  particular method. From time to time we will use GFRC upon request or something in particular that requires this type of method however, the concrete that we use 95% of time is our Pre-Cast Concrete which consists of recycled concrete as an aggregate, sand, water and portland cement. Concrete that is done our standard way gives the concrete a deep rich look with more modeling and character which cannot be achieved by any other application.

Info on how concrete counters are built and questions on the process in which it takes.

COMMON QUESTIONS ABOUT CONCRETE COUNTERS

HOW CONCRETE COUNTERS ARE BUILT

                                                                      CONCRETE INTERIORS

                                  SERVING: PHOENIX - PARADISE VALLEY - SCOTTSDALE - TUCSON

                                      AND ALL OF ARIZONA AND WILL SHIP ANY WHERE IN THE US

                                                                                 480-688-0379

INFO PAGE

To learn more on how our mold making process is perform take a look at

this article in Cabinet Maker when they came to our shop to write about our process.

CALL US AT 480-688-0379