How to Cover Kitchen Counters
- 1). Use a measuring tape to calculate the area of your countertop by multiplying the length measurement by the width measurement, then multiplying this number by the desired width for your countertop. Measure the area of each countertop edge and add all of the resulting numbers together to obtain your total area measurement.
- 2). Choose a concrete at a hardware or home improvement store. Read the packaging of your chosen product; it will specify how much area that one container of this product will cover. Compare this information with your countertop area measurement and purchase enough concrete to cover the entire countertop. Request to have your concrete mixed at the store; this is a common practice and saves you the effort of attempting to do it yourself.
- 3). Lay down tarps to protect the floors around the countertops you are going to cover. Hang tarps to cover any walls using painter's tape.
- 4). In the area where you will be working, gather together your concrete, sealant, a metal finishing trowel, a paint pan and roller, a medium-sized paintbrush, a drill, 1" flat-head screws, a spray bottle with water, wire snips, and the mesh concrete lining.
- 5). Use the wire snips to cut the mesh concrete lining into pieces that will fit on your countertop surface and each of the edges, while leaving a small border of countertop uncovered all the way around. Place the surface liner carefully as close to the center as possible. Use the drill to sink a screw through the lining into the old countertop approximately every 6", working in rows from top to bottom. Hold each piece of edge lining in place as you screw it to the countertop in the same manner.
- 6). Dig into the concrete using your trowel and scoop up approximately 3 cups onto the flat side. Begin in one far inside corner and trowel an even, thin layer of concrete onto the existing countertop. Remember to carefully cover the edges of the countertop. Reapply any small amounts of concrete that do fall off of the edges. Continue to trowel on the concrete until the entire countertop is covered.
- 7). Use the spray bottle to mist the concrete with a little water as it sets, then brush it gently with the bristles of a dry paintbrush to smooth any rough areas and level the concrete. This will create a uniform thickness for the concrete, and even drying. Allow the concrete to cure for an hour once it is even and smooth.
- 8). Use the trowel to add a slightly thicker second layer of concrete in the same manner as you did the first layer. Avoid using one thick layer of concrete in an attempt to save time; air can become trapped within the concrete, which will create pockets of weakness as it cures. Wipe the paintbrush clean with a cloth and use it and the spray bottle to smooth this layer as well.
- 9). Gently rest a hand-held float on the surface of the concrete and slide it along the surface to create a smooth, completely level finish. Cure the concrete for 2-3 hours.
- 10
Fill a paint pan with concrete sealant. Roll a paint roller in the sealant until you have an even coating on the roller. Begin at the inside corner of a far end and roll on the sealant on in straight lines that are as long as possible. Remember to roll sealant on the countertop edges. Since concrete is porous, it can stain, crack, and become a breeding ground for bacteria. Reseal your countertops every year to prevent all of this. Allow the sealant to dry completely overnight before using your newly covered kitchen counters.
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