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Home » Concrete Contractor » May 2006
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Updated: July 8th, 2008 05:26 PM GMT-05:00

Getting Started in Countertops

The things you need to know before jumping into the market

Doug Bannister demonstrates on countertop
Doug Bannister, The Stamp Store, demonstrates on a countertop during a training class. Getting trained should be the first step when starting in the countertop business.
finished countertop
embedded glass in countertop
Embedding glass pieces in countertops is one of the most popular looks. It's important to talk to the manufacturer of your mix to make sure it will work with glass or other embedded items.
Buddy Rhodes design
Buddy Rhodes combines molded furniture, like this cone table, and matching countertops in many residential applications.
coins embedded in concrete
One of the biggest benefits of concrete countertops is their unlimited adaptability. For this project, The Countertop Concrete Institute embedded coins into the countertop to provide the client with a unique finish.
Jeff Girard demonstrates proper edging
Attention to detail is extremely important with concrete countertops. Here Jeff Girard of The Concrete Countertop Institute demonstrates the proper edging of a sink.
Buddy Rhodes
"Countertops require more time and more work than most contractors are used to." — Buddy Rhodes

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With so many training options out there, Bannister recommends taking classes from more than one source.

"Go to at least two different classes," he says. "It will get you way ahead so you can hit the ground running instead of spending your time figuring everything out on your own."

Even experienced contractors can benefit from a countertop class, says Buddy Rhodes, one of the pioneers of the concrete countertop market, and president of Buddy Rhodes Concrete Products.

"Even for someone who's used to concrete, it's a different type of project," he says. "They need a little bit of retraining."

First of all, the mixes used in countertops are different than those for traditional work. That means the techniques for mixing and finishing differ, which can lead to mistakes for many beginners.

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