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Award winning kitchen
Creating kitchens that are classic and simple while incorporating tangible objects from the owners' lives is not an easy task. But Steve Silberman and Tommy Cook of Absolute ConcreteWorks, Poulsbo, Wash., were up to the task. Not only did they create the desired concrete countertops the homeowners wanted, but they also created an award winning concrete art piece for the kitchen's bar area.

The homeowner wanted the countertops to have a worn, leathered look without the rugged feel. The countertops also included stainless, removable trivets and a cook top that was flush with the countertop, Cook says. Aside from the countertops in the kitchen and bar area, Absolute ConcreteWorks also created a concrete backsplash and a removable concrete art piece that incorporated items from the homeowners' previous endeavors.

Absolute ConcreteWorks used its trademarked SoundCrete GFRC concrete mix for all the concrete elements in the kitchen. "The main reason for using GFRC is higher strength and lighter weight. It's a much easier product to deal with," Cook says.

To create the precast countertops, Cook first used templates to fabricate the molds. Once the molds were created, the inlays set for the knockouts and the inserts for the trivets in place, Cook sprayed on the GFRC mist coat. He then back brushed the mist coat to remove any pin holes and "compact" the concrete.

Next he sprayed the GFRC backer mix, which contains the glass fibers, to a 3⁄8-inch thickness. Styrofoam was then added on top of the backer mix. "The foam is in there to take up volume. It's a weight reduction method," Cook says. "Another benefit is the Styrofoam holds temperature, so it makes it a little warmer than your standard concrete countertops would be." Another 1⁄4-inch of backer mix was sprayed over the foam, and then the countertop was troweled and left to cure.