Concrete Countertops for your Modern Kitchen
The New Face Of Concrete
by Lori Darvas
Indianapolis Star
Concrete Countertops
 Just ask Dr. Michael and Sandra Neely. Concrete plays a starring role in the Hendricks County couple's interior design, with concrete floors and concrete countertops throughout the home's lower level and on portions of the main level as well. Even the shower walls are concrete. But banish thoughts of prison cells and institutional floors. This isn't your grandmother's concrete. Sandra Neely worked with builder Michael Altman of Michael & Associates to create a one-of-a-kind natural stone look that is low-maintenance and different. "I'm very contemporary," Neely said. "I like the look. I had seen it in stores and at the hair salon. I thought I'd want it in a house."
Neely's friends told her she was crazy, but she's actually at the forefront of a trend, said Jim Peterson, president and founder of Concrete Network, an online site that provides information on decorative concrete and referrals to local concrete contractors. Once associated with pool decks and patios, concrete has become an option for homeowners who want something different and durable indoors.
Concrete Floors
"The design opportunities are endless," said Kirk Muhlhauser, owner of Fasco Inc., a decorative concrete contractor. "It's very versatile. You can make it look like tile. You can make it look like stone."
Concrete can be stained, sanded, stamped or stenciled to resemble a number of solid surfaces, from smooth, variegated slabs to a textured tile appearance. Options can be simple, like the Neely home's lower-level floor -- essentially the home's foundation slab, stained concrete floor with a special acid and sealed with a polish to leave a mottled pattern and glossy surface. Or, a floor can be carved into sections and colored in intricate patterns. "It's a very natural-looking surface," said Steve VandeWater, owner of Aristicrete LLC, the company that stained the Neely floor. "It's not something that looks artificial, but I wouldn't necessarily say it looks like marble or granite floors. A lot of people look at it and they don't really know what it is. But they don't think it's concrete."
Cracks can be sealed
Untreated concrete is porous and can stain if messes aren't cleaned up right away. Sealers add some protection, but most concrete will wear over time, developing a patina that can add character. Cracks may occur, but they can usually be sealed with coordinated caulk, said Jeff Ware, owner of Wareform, the company that designed the Neelys' countertops and shower. "Usually, people don't mind the cracks, because most of the floors we're doing resembled old, weathered-looking floors," Ware said. There's always going to be a place for standard materials like granite countertops and natural wood floors in the home, Peterson said. Concrete is for the homeowner who wants to move beyond standard. "Concrete is for the person who eschews doing what everyone else does. These people want something different."
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