How to Build a Counter Table

Counter tables are not only used in kitchens, mudrooms and laundry rooms, but can also be useful work surfaces for designers like architects and artists. When building a counter table, you want to select a material that is smooth, uniform and consistent, especially if you plan to work on the surface. Concrete dries to a silky smooth, durable finish that is really ideal for various work surfaces. Better yet, concrete is not difficult for inexperienced builders to work with to create a do-it-yourself counter table. Does this Spark an idea?

Instructions

1

Find a flat, level surface outside or in an area like a garage or shed. Lay down a heavy tarp and smooth out all of the wrinkles to work on. Remove any items from the area that can be moved and cover others with tarps to protect them.

2

Measure the base you have selected for your counter table; it should not be more than 5 feet longer or wider than the base in any direction. Decide on dimensions for your counter table based on this and cut your coated lumber to these specifications. Use that to build a pour form for your table, attaching the pieces with drywall screws and covering the bottom of the frame completely with lumber.

3

Empty the dry fiber-free concrete into a plastic bucket. Slowly add water, stirring with a shovel, until the concrete is just a bit looser than toothpaste and uniform. Trowel this concrete all over the bottom and the sides of the pour form to create a level, 1-inch-thick shell.

4

Clean the spade of your shovel immediately or have a second, clean shovel available. Use a second plastic bucket to mix the reinforced concrete with water until the consistency is similar to that of the fiber-free concrete, stirring constantly. Pour the reinforced concrete slowly into the pour form to fill it approximately 3/4 full.

5

Wait 3 to 5 minutes. Float the surface of the concrete by dragging a rubber float from the top of the frame to the bottom in long, straight lines. Fill the other 1/4 of the form with fiber-free concrete.

6

Smooth the surface of the concrete with the rubber float. Drag a metal screed along the top of the frame in a back-and-forth sawing motion to level the concrete surface. Wait 2 hours for the concrete to partially cure.

7

Hold the face of a metal finishing trowel against the surface of the concrete and sweep it back and forth in large arches all over the surface. Allow the counter table to dry, or cure, for 2 to 3 days. Carefully remove the concrete from the form.

8

Cover your body as much as possible with clothing and put on heavy gloves and a respirator. Sand the surface of the countertop with a random orbital sander and a 100-grit disc; sand the edges, too. Rinse the concrete with a garden hose to remove all of the sanding debris and let the concrete dry completely over 24 hours.

9

Slowly combine 1 part of muriatic acid with 4 parts of water in a white plastic bucket. Mix the solution with a long plastic rod, being careful not to splash. Cover the entire surface of the concrete with a long-handled paint roller and let it sit 10 minutes; rinse the concrete with the hose again and let the concrete dry 2 to 3 days.

10

Scoop up concrete filler with the rubber float and apply it to the surface in long, straight lines. Keep the application thin and even. Turn the float 45-degrees and remove excess filler with the edge.

11

Use the orbital sander and a fresh 100-grit disc to sand the concrete again. Remove any debris by wiping the concrete with a soft cloth. Attach the finished counter to your chosen base with construction adhesive to create your counter table; let the adhesive dry 24 hours before using the table.