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This blog is intended for YOUR questions and comments about concrete countertops. Along the way of answering them, I will post helpful info, how to articles, and pictures of current projects. Please feel free to post your comments and questions by clicking on the post title, or clicking on the comment link below the post.

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Raul Garcia
408.593.5253
cornerstone.concrete.co@gmail.com

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Sunday, March 1, 2009

Protecting And Maintaining Concrete Countertops

Email cornerstone.surface.designs@gmail.com for sealing concrete countertop estimates!

The first step in protecting Concrete Countertops is proper sealing. Some people get the idea that concrete countertops are stained easily, because of the fact that concrete is porous. This is true only if the concrete countertop is not sealed properly. Concrete countertop sealers are different than outdoor concrete sealer. Most outdoor concrete sealers are made with harmful chemicals you don't want near your food, or inside your home period. These concrete sealers also don't last very log and ted to peel off to let you know " hey, I need to be stripped, then reapplied!" Can you imagine the mess?

There are natural, and safe concrete countertop sealers though. Non toxic, water based concrete countertop sealer are the go to option for my projects. The water based formulas, absorb into the concrete, protecting it by closing up the pores. These concrete countertop sealer do not leave streaks, or a film on the surface. Starting off with sealing a concrete countertop this way, creates a few lines of defense against stains. I apply two to three coats, beginning by diluting with water, and working my way up to a stronger solution.


The next line of defense in protecting your concrete countertop is topical, natural waxes. Never use a car wax for concrete countertops, they too have many harmful chemicals. Natural waxes can be buffed to give a high gloss shine, or a semi gloss shine. The best part is Natural wax repels liquids that can stain concrete countertops. Natural wax also protects the water based concrete sealer. I also apply two to three coats on each concrete countertop depending on the gloss desired.

The kind of maintenance that a concrete countertop needs is very simple. You should never let harmful liquids stand on the countertop for long periods of time. You should never cut directly on the surface, a cutting board is always recommended. Placing hot pans on your concrete countertop will not scar the concrete, but it can harm the sealer.

The sealer methods I use are to protect concrete countertops for years, and years. Every year, you can apply a coat of wax, by hand, to maintain protection, and restore the shine. This is done very easily, and will take, in most cases, less than an hour. No stripping of any coats of concrete countertop sealer is need. Also, if at any time you do get a stain on your concrete countertop, a simple rub with a diamond sanding block and a little water, will wipe it right out.

Protecting and maintaining your concrete countertops a simple task, and rewarding when done correctly. Even though it is a concrete countertop, and we drive on concrete everyday, we should treat it like a unique part of our home. By using these simple preventive maintenance steps with correct concrete countertop sealers, and yearly maintenance, we will have a beautiful countertop, that will last and satisfy us for years.



9 comments:

  1. Raul,
    Very interesting. I teach concrete materials, but my countertop making is just a hobby. We just bought a house and I am slowly replacing any surfaces I can. Hopefully this summer I get to making some pieces for the patio.

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  2. I installed a poured in place concrete counter top for an outdoor kitchen. I used a water based stain and urethane sealer. The sealer failed and took most of the water based stain away. I now want to acid stain and reseal (penetrating sealer) and wax. Do I need to polish the concrete first (diamond or nylo grit pads) before restaining?

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  3. Hi, thanks for the comment. I would grind lightly with a fine grit diamond cup, then move to your nylo grit pads, only up to 200 or 400. You should try a test area with the acid stain, and sealer you want to use though because acid stain gets most of its color from the sealer used. Water based sealers generally will not bring this color out for you. If you do not get the results you want with the water based sealer, use a light coat of a topical sealer to bring out the color. Then apply natural waxes to give you a protective shine. I hope it turns out well, thanks again for the comment.

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  4. Thanks Raul for these important tips. Now i can take care of concrete top.

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  5. Hello Raul,
    So good to find your site. I hope you can help. We have a coffee table made of "architectural concrete". (is that the same material you are talking about?) Its nice sheen was ruined by scrubing out a stain. The stain is gone but so is the polish and what remains is a bunch of scratches. Any simple home remedy or who should I look for a professional? I am afraid I am not very handy. Thank you for any advice you may have.

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  6. Hello and thank you for the comment. Yes, architectural concrete is the same material. What is sounds like to me that you have damaged the sealer. Did the area of the stain get lighter in color after scrubbing? If so then it is the sealer. I would try gently sand with fine grit sand paper and water any harsh scratches. Then ask the maker of the table for the name of the sealer used. If you can not get a hold of them buy some sealer that matches the "sheen" of your table. EX: High Gloss, Matte, etc. After sanding use a spray bottle that mists well to apply the sealer. Spray one or two shots and allow to dry. Spray as little as possible, and don't allow drips to sit.

    If this doesn't help your table may have been water polished, and not sealed at all. In this event , I would contact a professional, that has experience in polishing concrete.

    I hope this helps, and Thank you for the comment.

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  7. For the non-toxic water based sealer, do you have a favorite that works well for you?

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  8. Thank you for the comment. I would recommend a high quality non toxic water based sealer, applying multiple applications, adding water to the first couple of coats, and moving upwards. BUT, if you have stained the countertop using any type of acid stains, the true color will not come out using this method. Also, because it is outdoors ( and if you do not mind the maintenance) I would apply a couple of coats of natural carnuba, or bees waxes and buffing them out to protect the countertop from any staining.

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  9. We are renting a house and it has concrete countertops in the kitchen, stained a darker color (almost slate). It's clear that from all the cooking that we do that the finish is coming off (i.e. perhaps the seal?). I think it needs a good coat of wax or other sealant to protect. What do you recommend - and importantly, what BRAND of product do you recommend. I don't want to guess and buy something that is so wrong it destroys it/or makes it worse.

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