Concrete @ your Fingertips

Concrete countertops

There is a growing interest in the use of polished concrete for countertops, work surfaces and other domestic applications. Probably the best source of information at the moment is Fu-Tung Cheng’s book Concrete Countertops, published by Taunton Press Inc. Similar books include Cast-in-place concrete Countertops by Tom Ralston, and Casting Concrete Countertops by Doug Bannister and Tina Skinner both published by Schiffer Books.

The work of Fu-Tung Cheng in the production of countertops and other domestic surfaces has grown from experience and his desire to explore concrete as a mouldable and functional but aesthetic material. Although the book is chatty in style rather than a pure ‘how to do it’ manual, the 200 pages of text and accompanying colour photographs take the reader through concept, planning, mould manufacture, mix design, batching, curing, grinding and finishing, installation, pitfalls and overall aftercare. The layout of the book is imaginative, showing the beauty of the finished product, using step-by-step illustrations to describe the practical issues.

These books may be difficult to obtain in the UK bookshops but can be obtained through Amazon

Acknowledgement: The Concrete Society