For reference, I suggest tracing the holes for the faucet as well. Next, you need to shrink the shape so the sink has something to sit on and doesn’t fall through the hole. On my sink, I had about a 1″ lip of clearance, so I simply free-handed a shape 1″ smaller than my sink tracing.

Cutting the foam is a snap. I found a jigsaw set to its slowest setting cut through the foam like butter.

If you have any funky edges, you will want to sand those down to get a smooth edge. If you are doing a drop-in sink, this step is extra important.

To cover the raw edges of foam, I ran a strip of packing tape around the entire perimeter. If you are doing a drop-in sink, I may even suggest a couple layers of tape, to ensure a nice, slick edge. For a under mount sink knock-out, you may even want to use a release agent.

Now, its time to attach the knock-outs to the countertop form. The form is pretty simple, a frame of melamine screwed together and sealed with silicone caulk.

Measure your vanity, do a little geometry, and figure out where the openings need to be. Once they are marked, glue on the knock-outs with more silicone caulk, and secure with a couple screws. Then, run a bead of caulk around the outside of the knock-out, and smooth it, creating a water tight seal to the form.

Just like getting your hair colored, the processing time is the hardest part. After tamping, screeding, and vibrating the form, I covered it in plastic (to lock in moisture and slow the drying time. slower curing = stronger concrete) and let it cure for a week. In fact, we were up camping when the concrete hit the 7 day mark, so it actually sat for 10 days.

To remove the forms, pull off the protective tape and remove the screws. Then, carefully flip the form over and pry apart the melamine. Make sure to not use any tools on the “green” concrete.

Now form-less, the knocking-out part comes in. Use a utility knife and cut the foam into a few large pieces. Make sure to cut all the way through. The, you can easily pry the foam out of the opening.

Here’s how the countertop looked fresh out of the form. I put it up on sawhorses so I could finish it. This thing is heavy as crap! Moving it is definitely a two-man, or  a one-olympic-shot-putter job.

I chose to keep the natural, grey color. I wanted my countertops to look, well, like concrete. I’m digging the industrial look right now plus, sealed concrete is dark gray, which I’m also digging right now. Concrete is so versatile! You can make it look like almost anything and in any style. If you are so inclined, I’ve seen some beautiful faux stone finishes on concrete.

To seal them, I used the only concrete sealer I could find at Home Depot in “natural finish”. If you google acrylic concrete sealers, you will find lots of good quality options. I just didn’t want to wait. It seemed to work really well. I rolled on 2 coats, and then rubbed and buffed 2 coats of wax. If you plan to prepare food on your counters (I don’t know about you, but I don’t often find myself making a sandwich in the bathroom) then you need to be sure to use a food-safe wax.

The next day, I had the husband help me schlep the counter into place. We secured it to the cabinets with a thick bead of silicone caulk. Then, we dropped in the sinks, and installed the new faucets.

Speaking of faucets, aren’t the gorgeous?! They are the 

Danze Eastham Widespread Bathroom Faucet in chrome and they were generously provided by National Builder supply. I was blown away by their quality! Made me think of that part in Jurassic park, “Are they heavy? Yeah. Then they are expensive.”

I’ve worked with Supply.com before and there is a reason, they’re the best. If you are looking for a new faucet, door hardware, lighting, or pretty much anything home related, you’ve gotta check them out. Best selection I’ve ever seen!

I’m really happy with the industrial look of the concrete. Its exactly what I was hoping for. I love the contrast between the sleek cabinets and shiny hardware next to the rustic concrete.

There are several little imperfections, and it’s great. In this shot, you get a little glimpse at my new crush, A.K.A. cabinet hardware from D.Lawless Hardware. 

I was hoping for variations in color, and my countertop happily delievered. If you want a solid colored surface, you can add concrete pigment to change and even out the color.

Things I learned from this process:

• Even if it says “great for counter tops” on the bag, I would recommend using a specific countertop concrete mix, especially if you are looking for a “flawless” finish. Sure, the stuff I used it strong enough for countertops, but I was shocked how large the aggregate was! It made it pretty hard to get a pretty surface.
• DON’T USE CLEAR CAULK! It was almost impossible to see it once applied and it was really hard to make sure my form was sealed all the way around. Just buy a tube of the black stuff and make your life easier. 
• Its worth the extra money to buy a concrete additive/ water reducer. I found it in the concrete section at Home Depot, next to the trowels. Not only does the additive reduce the amount of water needed (making the concrete stronger) it really helps to make the concrete more workable. 
• Yes, you can use regular ole sandpaper to smooth the surface. You don’t have to use diamond grit and a special sander. You’ll just go through sandpaper much more quickly. 

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*This post contains affiliate links and sponsored product. All opinions are 100% mine and have not been influenced. 

If you dig the Mid-Century/Industrial look, check out my:

+ Mid-Century Industrial Storage
+ World Market “Aiden” Coffee Table knock off
+ Zinc Top Coffee Table

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