Concrete Countertops
Scratching the surface of Decorative Concrete
By Brent Stewart, The Southern
 If you think concrete is only for floors, walls or benches, talk to Jeromy Fricke, estimator and project manager at Creative Concrete Design in Murphysboro. One of its newest uses, which he is excited about, is countertops.
In fact, he likes the product so much he made one for his own home in Carterville, complete with cutting board. His dad, Randy, and Randy's wife, Nancy, also had one installed as a bar in the outside pool area at their home in Murphysboro.
"It's something different," Fricke said. "The rustic look; it can be shaped and molded into numerous designs. The durability is excellent; the colors are excellent."
And while Fricke said the company mostly does these types of instillations for commercial purposes, there have been a few residential customers.
"It's just starting to get to our area," he said.
What has some people eyeing concrete for countertops is its versatility. You can create practically any form, style or design. Concrete countertops can come in solid colors or color blends. They can be acid-stained or dyed. They can have additional accents, such being inlaid with rocks, tile or shells. Recycled glass or rocks also can be mixed in with the concrete.
Cutting-board space or metal bars for trivets can be included. They also can have muted, rustic-looking tops or glossy finishes.
The concept of using concrete for countertops has become more popular in the last few years. It's comparable to the price of granite at about $80 a square foot.
"You get what you pay for," Fricke said. "There's a lot of man hours that go into making a top. In the end, you have something most people don't in their homes."
They're also are easy to clean. You can wipe them down with mild soap and water. While the countertop is hard enough to break a glass cup if one is accidentally dropped, it's not recommended to use them for cutting.
Steve Ramsey, the owner of Ramsey Concrete Service in Carterville said when you decide to go with concrete for a countertop, you can have it done in two ways: poured on or off the cabinets.
"It's just depending on the configuration, what the circumstances are, how the cabinets support them; there are a lot of things there."
Ramsey said cracking really isn't an issue.
"Unless your substructure underneath them gives, you shouldn't have any kind of issue with that," he said. "Most countertops are two inches thick."
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