For Do-It-Yourselfers

Concrete is an extraordinary material that is practical, expressive, and aesthetic all at once. From a primal and formless slurry, you can transform it into virtually any shape that becomes a solid mass. The possibilities for creative expression are endless. You can grind, polish, stamp, or stain it. You can embed meaningful objects within it.

Learn more about concrete and get inspired by Fu-Tung Cheng >

We are glad you asked! Fu-Tung Cheng wrote Concrete Countertops not only to inform and educate professional designers and architects, but also to inspire everyone to have some fun and be creative. Our countertop products combine ingredients not generally available to the public (as they usually come in large volumes designed for professionals) for use with any high-quality sacked or bagged concrete mix.

We calculated that a simple countertop measuring 2" thick x 25" wide x 8' long should cost approximately $20-$30 per square foot. This cost includes everything you need to pour, grind, polish and seal a counter, mold materials, rental of a mixer, grinder and vibrator.

Of course a certain level of skill will make any do-it-yourself project easier, but with the CHENG Concrete Countertop Products that we have developed, previous knowledge is not necessary. We tested our products with do-it-yourself novices and they successfully made some beautiful counters just by carefully following the instructions and guidance found in the Concrete Countertops book and Concrete Countertops DIY Instructional DVD.

Practice always helps, of course. Before taking on your entire kitchen or bathroom, you may want to start with a smaller project such as a coffee table so that you get your "feet wet" and ascertain a comfort level with the materials. We do recommend familiarizing yourself with the operation and safety precautions for the tools you will use throughout your project — this is always the most important preparation for any project.

Since Concrete Countertops was published, Cheng Design developed and launched Concrete Exchange, an online resource for concrete counters, workshops, and a store for our growing countertop product line. With our updated Pro-Formula Project Calculator, you can now order products in quantities relative to the specifications of your precast countertop project.

CHENG Pro-Formula is our latest innovation and engineered for ease of use. Pro-Formula is our proprietary formulation of admixture, water reducer, pigments and other key ingredients combined in pre-measured quantities and proportions which yield an ideal consistency for pouring and finishing (available in one or three cubic foot concrete countertop mixes).

NeoMix Original Products can still be purchased separately as individual project components and are recommended in particular for those wishing to make pour-in-place concrete countertops. NeoMix Original Products refers to three separate components in our original mix system: Admixture, Water Reducer (liquid form) and Pigment. Each component is packaged separately and requires you to add them individually to a mixer. When combined with six 60-pound bags of premium sacked concrete, the mixture yields a three cubic foot concrete countertop mix.

Generally, results from both products are the same. Most customers and DIYs purchase Pro-Formula for its simplicity and consistent results. However, some professionals and those working on pour-in-place countertop projects prefer our NeoMix Original Products for the ability to control the individual quantities of admixture, water reducer and pigment.

The pour-in-place (or cast-in-place) technique is covered in the last chapter of Concrete Countertops and Fu-Tung's second book, Concrete at Home (Taunton Press, February 2005). The two main limitations to the pour-in-place technique are the lack of detail possible with top troweling and the difficulty in elevation changes (which limits design possibilities). Even if you wish to grind and polish in-place after the piece has cured, it is inherently more difficult to do so because the countertop surface is not as flat as when precast; therefore, achieving a level surface will require a significant amount of grinding. For more information, refer to the FAQs section on Pour-in-Place Countertops.