Suncoast Stone have been making concrete countertops for years, however in the last 2 years the availability of higher quality products has made the production of countertops much more comprehensive, and which has been driven by the current popularity of concrete as a home surface.

The newer concrete plasticizers, pozzolans, sealers and polymers which used to be difficult to source are now readily available, and make the product a much better product that will stand up to the stresses and environment of a home or outdoor area.

outdoor GFRC countertop for BBQThe popularity of concrete countertops was once only for adventurous designers or home owners, but now concrete countertops are much more well known and many retail and commercial companies are using the concrete surface. Also the industrial look is easily achievable with concrete.

Probably the best thing to happen in the concrete countertop business is the improvement of countertop sealers. That combined with a much better concrete mix has made the porous surface more consistent and less prone to staining.

Some tips for designing your countertop

  1. When we make GFRC it is usually ¾ to 1 inch thick. Usually customers like to see their countertops top be 2 inches thick. In this case we make a drop edge that will drop down 2 inches. When you are planning your bench top, you have to take the thickness into account, especially if you are replacing an existing bench top.
  2. Do you want a block-out for a sink? is it an under-mount sink? how about a block out for the faucet? If you can provide a template or the actual parts, then we can include them in the mould for a great finish.
  3. integrated parts – do you want the sink to be also made of concrete? Factor that in too. How about drainage channels, or an integrated stainless steel trivet combined with drainage channels, or an ice bucket or built in ice channel in the center of an outdoor table… use your imagination. Here are some ideas.
    • Ice bucket or channel
    • hidden LED backlighting channel 
    • stainless steel trivet built in
    • drainage channels
  4. Sealers – go with a modern sealer, the new stuff is much better. Choose if you want penetrating sealer or layer sealer (like lacquer) – for either one I would still wax now and then, and clean up spills immediately.
  5. Coloring your concrete – anything, but remember this is not like buying plastic, the color will not be totally consistent but I think thats what makes it more interesting. Some guys will even mimic other products like wood or marble.

Contact us to get started designing your GFRC countertop.

countertop drainage with stainless trivet