Why Concrete?

Concrete has many advantages as a countertop material.

Custom

Your hand-crafted countertop will be unique to you and highly personalized. Start with color. Douglas specializes in custom color development so you get the perfect color for your project, to complement your cabinets, floors, and walls. Consult with him to further develop your countertop; whether it be through the use of exposed aggregates, glass, stone, metals, inlays, multicolor, unusual backsplashes and edge profiles, or finishes. Samples can be made for your approval, though it could take two or more weeks.

Practical

Uptown offers two sealer options to satisfy your needs/expectations, which provide a countertop surface that is extremely stain-resistant, low-maintenance, and durable. The concrete also exhibits great heat resistance. You will not burn the concrete or the sealer.

Versatile

Concrete is extremely versatile. It can enhance any style, from French Country to Contemporary, from Arts and Crafts to Industrial, from Traditional to Modern. The possibilities are endless.

Natural Texture

Concrete countertops are hand made and hand finished. Since concrete is a heterogeneous mixture of many different ingredients, subtle variations in color, shade, texture and overall appearance should be expected. This and other irregularities inherent in the casting process is what gives concrete its natural beauty.

Concrete Countertop Myths

Will they crack?

Douglas uses advanced reinforcement techniques for his concrete countertops. He subjects the concrete to much larger stresses while handling it than clients ever could once it is installed. Douglas warrantees the structural integrity of the concrete for one year after installation.

All concrete is susceptible to harmless hairline cracks that are too narrow to trap food and debris. They will sometimes appear months or years after installation, and are generally a result of seasonal movement and temperature changes. Hairline cracks and slight irregularities are a natural part of the material and will not affect structural integrity.

Will they stain?

All bare concrete, like stone, is a porous surface and require sealing to prevent staining. The degree of stain resistance is determined by the type of sealer used and the performance of the sealer. The sealer Uptown applies to your countertop will be high-performance and very stain resistant, and will be determined by choices you make about how you want it to look and what you require in stain resistance and maintenance.

Will they scratch?

The higher density and hardening characteristics of Uptown's concrete mix make the surface of the concrete countertop very abrasion resistant. However, like most countertop surfaces, concrete countertops can scratch if cut with a knife or subjected to very heavy, sharp objects dragged across the surface. Cutting on the concrete will also ruin knives, requiring a professional resharpening to reshape the damaged edge. Remember, concrete is made with stone, the same thing used to sharpen knives (and will therefore dull them just as easily).

Are they expensive?

Even though it is a completely custom material, concrete is competitive in price with standard countertop materials. The price is competitive with high-end granite. Uptown is happy to work with you and your designer to give you an estimate on your project, and he can help you with options to fit your budget.