DIY Concrete countertops are not what I would call a beginner project, but they are easier than you would think when you are willing to put in a little time and effort. These DIY White Concrete Countertops can totally help transform your bathroom and add an organic feel. For more DIY projects, be sure you get all our latest updates on Instagram @howwedo208!
DIY Concrete Countertops
I have always wanted to experiment with doing my own concrete countertops, so when Chad and I decided to redo our bathroom, I knew this was my chance to try it! While there was some trial and error in this project, we are super happy with the end result and are excited to share our step-by-step guide with you on how to make DIY white countertops!
Before you get started, the most important thing to remember is to make sure you have all the supplies you need on hand before you start your project. The one thing you don’t want is to start your project only to realize that you have to run to the store because you don’t have the right tools or supplies.
Supplies for DIY White Concrete Countertops
Most of my supplies were from Concrete Countertop Solutions. They have a really innovative method and products that I highly recommend.
- ¼” cement board (or 1/2″ depending on the concrete forms you choose to use)
- Plywood to strengthen your vanity or extra support
- Concrete Countertop Form (we used the EuroForm-Square Edge from Concrete Countertop Solutions)
- Sink forms (we ended up creating our own forms)
- White Concrete Countertop Mix
- Z Clips
- Fiber Mesh Reinforcement
- Concrete Sealer
- Concrete Patch Kit
- Dense foam for sinks
- Faucet Knockouts
- #8 ⅜ inch Pan Phillips Screws
- Silicone
- Adhesive
- Lexan Float Trowel
- Chrome Finish Trowel
- Corded drill
- Beater Attachment for Drill
- Grinder
- Scrap 2” x 4” piece of wood or a screed
- Sander
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How to Pour White Concrete Countertops in the Bathroom
- First remove your existing countertop and replace it with a piece of plywood cut to the size you want your new concrete countertop. This will be your base that will support the weight of the concrete.
- Measure and cut the cement board that you will place on top of the plywood on your vanity. Be sure to outline it on the board so that you cut it to fit perfectly. The plywood and cement board should be the same size.
- Use a grinder to cut the cement board to the proper size.
- Decide where you want your sink(s) to go by placing the cement board on top of the vanity to determine where you would like to place your sinks on the countertop. Use the sink templates to help you do this. Once you decide where to put them, trace them onto the cement board. Cut them out with the grinder.
- Now use the cement board with sink cutouts to outline the sink cutouts on the plywood base. Use a jigsaw to make the plywood sink cutouts.
- Attach the plywood to your existing vanity with adhesive, adding any extra supports necessary.
- Secure the cement board to the plywood with silicone.
- Next, trace where the faucets of the sinks will go and use an appropriate-sized hole saw attached to a drill to drill through the concrete and the plywood.
- After the countertop base is strengthened, the cement board is attached, and the holes for the sink and faucets have been cut, it is time to start prepping for the actual countertop. I used a system from Concrete Countertop Solution, which was great and highly recommended. This system has everything I needed to get this project done right!
- You will want to attach the counter forms to the edges of the countertop. I opted for a Euroform Square Edge, but there are many to choose from. The forms go on the back wall as well. Miter cut the edges for a perfect fit. Duct tape the edges together.
- Screw these forms into the cement board with #8 Pan Philips Screws.
- Caulk where the forms meet the cement forms.
- Once the forms are securely attached, place your sinks in the sinkholes. It is time to fill the sinkholes and the faucets to prevent concrete from getting inside during the pouring.
- I ordered plastic sink forms, but these are tricky to work with and can break easily depending on your sink shape. (I learned this from experience.) So I ended up buying dense foam boards, cut them to size, and put these in the sinks. Make sure it fits perfectly and is level with the sink. Highly recommend this. I also grabbed some socket knockouts.
- Use silicone to seal off the sinks and the faucet.
- Next, you will cut the fiberglass mesh to fit the countertop. Use gloves when working with this to prevent your hands from getting cut. This will cut just fine with scissors. The reason you use this is to reinforce the countertop and prevent it from cracking.
- Use the z clips to hold the mesh in place. Attach them to the concrete board with screws.
- Now that the prep work is done, it is time to start the concrete countertop pour. Using a corded drill with a beater attachment, mix your concrete to the right consistency. We needed to add more water than what was recommended.
- Once the concrete is the right consistency, begin pouring it onto the countertop. Use a trowel to spread it.
- Continue to smooth the concrete with a Lexan float. This will help smooth out the concrete.
- Once the concrete is fairly smooth, you are going to want to level the concrete with a 2” x 4” board. This is called screeding. As you screed, you will find low spots in the concrete, fill these with additional concrete and then screed some more and smooth with the Lexan float.
- Tap the edges of the forms to help remove any air bubbles within the concrete. I have heard of people using electric sanders to do this. I opted to just tap it.
- Once the concrete sets a bit you will want to go back and smooth the concrete even more with a Chrome Finish Trowel. This is designed specifically for white concrete.
- Wait at least 24 hours before touching it once it is all smooth. You will notice that your countertop appears to have a lot of texture. It really does not, as it is chalk dust that has settled.
- After 48 hours, you will want to remove the duct tape from the edges of the form.
- Loosen the form from the concrete and carefully remove it from the front and the sides. The sides of the forms snap right off with some pressure, leaving the bottoms of the forms under the concrete. It’s a really cool system!
- Punch out the dense foam from the sinks and knock out the faucet knockouts.
- You will see some imperfections in the countertops. This will give it a more natural stone look; however, if there are spots that you want to fix, a patch kit can help you fix them.
- When using the patch kit, you will just mix it with water forming a paste, and rub it in the areas you want to repair. Once you fill in the imperfections, wipe them with a wet sponge to smooth them. Allow it to dry and then sand.
- Once everything has dried completely, sand the entire countertop, including the edges. Be sure to get all the dust off. I love using a shop vacuum for this.
- Seal with concrete sealer. I got mine from Z Counter Form Solutions. Then let it dry. It will dry lighter than it rolls on.
Tips for Building a Concrete Countertop
- You are not using exterior concrete when doing interior concrete countertops. Be sure you use the right concrete. Interior concrete is much smoother and has a really pretty finish.
- I should have used different sinks with a thinner under-mount. Since my sink had a thicker under-mount, it caused the concrete to be really thin around the edges of the sink, causing minor cracking. It’s still solid and I was able to patch the cracks.
- If you have thicker under-mounted sinks, you can use a 2-inch form that is thicker; I opted for a 1-inch concrete form.
- Check out the products I used from Concrete Countertop Solutions and be sure to watch their tutorial videos; I found them to be super helpful!
There you have it! How to do your very own DIY White Concrete Countertops for your bathrooms! If you love video tutorials, you can watch them here in my concrete highlight reels! Be sure to tag me on Instagram in your finished projects so I can see how amazing they turn out! #howwedoandyoucantoo
