Concrete Top?

JP3

Hello Eggers!

I received a Large Egg for Christmas about 18 months ago and have been reading lots of posts in this forum for a while.  I've come to the conclusion that this is the time to upgrade my Egg's surroundings, and I'm considering building a table based on the design published by the Whiz.  However, one thing that I haven't seen much detail on is table tops.

I'm not ready to spend the money on granite, but I want something that won't burn (so wood is out).  I'd love stainless, but that puts me back into the granite (or more) budget range.  As such, I'm considering concrete.  There's a ton of information on the subject that I've been reading at http://www.renovation-headquarters.com/making-concrete-countertops.html, but prior to investing the time and effort, I was curious if anyone in the group could offer some wisdom around whether this is a worthwhile effort.

I'm a pretty handy guy and have wanted a durable table that can withstand Chicago winters and the live outside year round.
Is this a good idea? 

Thanks in advance,
JP

nolaegghead

I made a concrete top for my sound system console.  Weighs about 300 pounds and it came out beautiful.  I invested in a diamond polishing system, but this is not a prerequisite for casting a usable top.

It's fun.  Just read up on it.  it's mostly a labor job but don't be surprised if you spend $100 on materials.

Hunter1881

I did a concrete top for my egg. I also had no experience with concrete so I had help from my dad. He has only done slabs for a floor so it was new to us. I used melamine to make a form. I used the high strength Quick Crete bc I could not get the countertop mix in my area. The edges were rough. So I built the table to accommodate that. I also did not vibrate enough so I have lots of bubble holes in it. And I had trouble with the acid staining which I attributed to me not letting the concrete cure. The biggest issue to me was the weight. You need a friend or two to help you move it. I will be glad to give you any help that I can, if I can. 

Hunter1881

Here is my table

Hunter1881

And zoomed in on my picture

swordsmn

Nice,  I like sturdy. Unlikely to burn at the cutout as well!

Hunter1881

@JP3 I have 2x4 braces under top. About 4 of them. My top is approximately 2 1/2" thick. And I used foam. Can get it from a florist. Cutting it was tricky for me. My cutout isn't great. But it works. I wrapped packing tape around the edge of the foam and rubbed with olive oil so the concrete wouldn't stick to it. I put the foam in the mold and put a piece of lead that weighs about 30 pounds on it to hold it in place. 

Hunter1881

So using the melamine like I did the top of the concrete you are seeing is actually the bottom of the table top. If you go this route vibrate a lot. You can use an orbital sander without sand paper to do so. It works ok. I had better luck using a reciprocating saw without a blade. 

ryantt

Looks nice, I like the bubble holes they make it  unique   

jtcBoynton

@JP3   If you do go with concrete, make sure any wheels or casters you use can handle the weight of the table, egg, and concrete.

Tspud1

Do you stain after it is cast or can you add color in when you mix concrete?

theyolksonyou

HEAVY. 

but so is granite and so are two larges. Hope you don't plan on moving it around much. 

Right, @henapple ?

henapple

My table weighs a little...

WTE

We went to our local granite shop and they have tons of "scrape" or "trash" pieces and they were happy to cut a deal off a piece the weren't going to sell anyway. They polished the edges and cut the hole and it works perfect. It might b worth looking into

Lit

Check out z counter forms they sell some cool forms that the sides break off and you have designs. We were gonna try to do our kitchen but changed our mind.

blasting

WTE said:

We went to our local granite shop and they have tons of "scrape" or "trash" pieces and they were happy to cut a deal off a piece the weren't going to sell anyway. They polished the edges and cut the hole and it works perfect. It might b worth looking into

@WTE  speaks the truth^^.   If you are wanting granite, don't give up too quickly.

I sure don't want to come across as a know it all, but I used to deal with granite guys on a daily basis.  An egg table is a perfect application to take advantage of a fabricators scrap.  I'm talking about the guys who cut it up - not the granite yards or showrooms.  Take your exact dimensions and go visit a few fabricators and you may be pleasantly surprised on the pricing.  Granite typically comes in two thicknesses.  2cm and 3cm.  Since you will most likely be wanting a single thickness (not doubling the front edge) I would look for the beefier 3cm scrap.  I'd want it polished all sides, but probably skip polishing the egg cut out.  Make it easy for them - you pick it up, pay cash, no installation necessary, and you take responsibility for the dimensions (they don't have to template).

Best of luck.  I also don't think you could go wrong with a nice concrete top like @Hunter1881 has done

Hunter1881

Tspud1 said:

Do you stain after it is cast or can you add color in when you mix concrete?

@Tspud1 sorry I just caught up on this thread. I used an acid stain to get color. You let it dry about a month or so then start staining. You can also add a powdered dye to the mix when you first start. The dye gives a more uniform color which is not what I was looking for. With the acid stain you have more variation in color.