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bge tabletops

Unknown
edited November -1 in EggHead Forum
hello egg-heads![p]i'm thinking of offering custom concrete countertops for egg-tables to some local suppliers, and couldn't think of a better place to bounce this idea than here. The concrete comes in an array of colors, thicknesses, and finishes. They can be rough, or shine like marble. Any input would be appreciated![p]thanks--Chris

Comments

  • fishlessman
    fishlessman Posts: 32,669
    concrete is the route that im going to go come spring, i like the idea, but will probably pour my own. im looking at building two sides table height with a third side bar height for a couple of seats. newengland stone below. been a project ive been thinking about for a long time and ive finally figured out how i want it to be, it will be carved into a hill side. cant tell you how many beers it took to get the final plan down while looking at that hill. maybe even some steps to get rid of the ice chute i now have
    fukahwee maine

    you can lead a fish to water but you can not make him drink it
  • The more I see and read about using concrete for floors and countertops, the more I like it. I have Corian on my countertops in my outdoor kitchen only because we got a deal on it. Personally, I would much prefer concrete.

    Question... How would you make and ship it, and how much per sq ft would it cost?

    Spring "Bartender...Pour Me A QuickCrete" Chicken
    Spring Texas USA
  • Smokey
    Smokey Posts: 2,468
    Chris,

    I love the idea, but wonder about things like weight and table. I suspect you would have to reenforce the table alot.

    Also, would there be any issues with the wheels and could the table still be moved?

    Last thought is about the finish. The polished (shine) surface looks great, but how would it do outdoors? Would/could it crack? Does it need care?

    Smokey
  • chris tredwell,
    Theres some replies to your post over in the new beta forum. They can see your post from there, but you can't see their responses from here. Most of us have already migrated over there. Just scroll up and click on the arrow to get there.[p]Regards,

  • Rascal
    Rascal Posts: 3,923
    There are all kinds of decorative concrete applications for walks & driveways. I'm sure if a product would stand up under those conditions, a table-top would be no problem. I know that they are doing kitchen counters with concrete these days. Don't know how they're reinforced but that should be easy to pull up on the web. Good luck!

    Rascal
  • stike
    stike Posts: 15,597
    cabinets don't need any more reinforcing than they would for stone. in a word, none, really.

    it would be heavier than the wood obviously, so bigger pneumatic wheels would be a plus. not sure if anyone here has a true inch and a half thick stone top for the egg table. but there are plaenty with heavy duty wheels. i'd think that's all you'd want to worry about.

    it's not a lot of weight in the scheme of things.
    ed egli avea del cul fatto trombetta -Dante
  • all you want to know about concrete counter tops is here and if you have look at the gallery
    bill
  • What about Granite countertops, does anyone have a BGE table with granite?
  • stike
    stike Posts: 15,597
    is this before or after you cantilever the porch?
    ed egli avea del cul fatto trombetta -Dante
  • fishlessman
    fishlessman Posts: 32,669
    i need to get this patio completed someday, its been slow digging and there is no way im sliding down that hill next winter. never thought it would take as long to do, its a curse of a fisherman, only a few weeks a year when projects can get done. deck will get done someday too, hopefully before i fall off it, its a long ways down. ever get that bathroom of yours done
    fukahwee maine

    you can lead a fish to water but you can not make him drink it
  • stike
    stike Posts: 15,597
    i just finished it, about a month ago. the only reason i have the b#lls to give you grief about the porch.

    don't ask about the kitchen
    ed egli avea del cul fatto trombetta -Dante
  • I think concrete (or stone) would be best utilized in a fixed application rather than a moveable table. The table and the large egg are pretty heavy. I have a couple slabs of 1.1/2" granite that are a little bit smaller than the bottom shelf and each of those guys is quite heavy. I was going to put one on the bottom shelf under the Egg, but decided agin it because it would be too heavy.

    Something to note re: stone vs corian - glassware doesn't break as easily on corian.
  • fishlessman
    fishlessman Posts: 32,669
    wallpaper is rolling down the walls here in the bathroom,linoleum started to lift years ago, indoor/outdoor blue carpets in the kitchen (late 1960's?) but my tackle box is bueatiful. 10 x 14 feet, hard wood floors, french doors opening into the living room. guess my priorities are different than most. if you need some old blue carpeting for your kitchen you can have mine, who puts blue carpeting in a kitchen
    fukahwee maine

    you can lead a fish to water but you can not make him drink it
  • stike
    stike Posts: 15,597
    the lino in my pantry is original 1925. you ferget yer talkin to another yankee?

    use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without.
    ed egli avea del cul fatto trombetta -Dante
  • AzScott
    AzScott Posts: 309
    Go for the concrete counter tops. They look awesome if you can do a good job. You'll also have the oppty to pick up a lot of other business doing outdoor counters as well as indoor work if you can handle that size of work.
  • "Sparky"
    "Sparky" Posts: 6,024
    I'm working on building a form for my fixed egg table.I have made a few stepping stones to practice with the colors and finishes.They came out just fine and hopefully I will pour the countertop this weekend.I will post it as soon as I get it in place.Wish me luck :)
  • Scubadog
    Scubadog Posts: 100
    Good luck!!! I love the polished concrete look.

    In response to the comment about a Granite top, I think it's a capital idea. Granite slab typically comes in either 3/4" or 5/4" material. For those that want the 1 1/2" look, the fabricators laminate two 3/4 pieces together near the edge before tooling the edge. Surface polished slab granite is really not that expensive. It's the edge fabrication where they clip you on price. The real kicker is that many people buy off on paying a square foot price (as much as $65 to $95 per SF) for finished granite, rather than paying for the slab and then a linear foot price for the edge work. Anyway, the solution is to build a table with wood trim on the perimeter and a 1/4 grout line. This avoids the cost of edgework and looks pretty darn good. Slab granite can be cut fairly easily with a worm drive SKIL and a diamond blade. If I had any clue as to how to post a pic on this site I'd show you what I mean, but alas, I seem to be techno challenged. I've been meaning to get’n around to figuring it out but it's against my basic life philosophy which is:

    “Hard work might pay off in the long run, but procrastination always pays off now!”

    BTW: Check out valuestone.com for an idea of how inexpensive granite can be, even with finished edges.
  • "Sparky"
    "Sparky" Posts: 6,024
    Hey scubadog,if I can figure out posting pics,anyone can.I am a computer idiot,but with the help from this forum,it was pretty easy.It only took a couple of trys to get it right.Please give it a try,we would love to see more pics. :)
  • Scubadog
    Scubadog Posts: 100
    Ok. Sounds like a fair challenge. So where do I go to get the "photo post lesson for the complete idiot?"
  • "Sparky"
    "Sparky" Posts: 6,024
    I will try to find it and email it to you next time we are both logged in at the same time :)
  • Scubadog
    Scubadog Posts: 100
    Hey Thanks. I'll be away from the computer for most of the rest of the day but I'll stay looged on.
  • Sorry i've taken so long to reply, but i've just returned from a bbq/patio/outside life expo where the concrete top has now become a reality. I've sold 4 to 1 local dealer and have requests for more info. I've had pics and literature put together, so e-mail me if you are interested--include mailing address for flyers. Weight is not a problem if you stay under 2.5 inches, shipping is an issue for now (each top weighs in at 160 lbs) but anyone located near or around Athens/Atlanta Ga. is in luck.

    love to hear from you!

    chris tredwell
    www.tredwellz@netzero.net
  • WileECoyote
    WileECoyote Posts: 516
    I am almost done building a table for my large egg. I decided to use a simple design and common materials to keep the cost down but it is actually turning out a lot nicer than I had planned. For the table top I used a sheet of 19/32" project grade plywood, then a 1/4" cement backer board, then a layer of tile mortar thin set, then a layer of 16"x16" ceramic outdoor tile. The resulting table top will be almost 1.5" thick and it is quite solid. The tile layer alone weighs close to 50 lbs and it looks great. It also wasn't expensive so I am wondering why would anyone want to use a concrete table top? What are the benefits? I could see if you were going to pour an entire outdoor fixture as part of a patio or something, but I don't see the benefit of a concrete table. What am I missing? I once had a concrete patio table and chair set in the back yard which was left by the previous owner. It was so heavy you needed 3-4 guys to move it, the surface was rough and like sandpaper, and it looked pretty rough. You also needed to powerwash and seal it often. I am sure you are talking about a different type of concrete - is there another term?
  • Jeffersonian
    Jeffersonian Posts: 4,244
    I considered concrete for countertops when we remodeled our kitchen, but the consensus then was that concrete tended to chip easy and stained very easily. It would have to be sealed a lot to keep the food from staining it, IMHO. There are too many good ceramic and natural stone tiles out there to spend the money and take the risk.
  • WileECoyote
    WileECoyote Posts: 516
    Interesting that you mention ceramic and natural stone. Someone else mentioned granite. I did a lot of research on the web and at local stores before buying my material. Many people said you MUST have "porcelain" tiles for outdoor or countertop use, some people said any good ceramic tile would work fine, and a few said that marble or granite would be bad choices due to etching from acids in certain food and cleaners.

    In the end I decided to go with 16x16 ceramic floor tile, better than average grade with PEI 4, but not glazed or full porcelain or top of the line. To me the most important thing was that the tile had to be in stock locally for a resonable price, and it had to be easy to install, and sized to fit my table with minimal cutting. If the ceramic tile ends up staining or cracking then I will just break it off and install a new top. It only cost me about $60 for the tile, mortar, grout, and backer board plus a few small tools so I am not worried if it doesn't work out, but I think it will look and work great.

    My only question now is whether I will need to seal the ceramic tile after it is installed. I want it to be as waterproof as possible.
  • i'd check out www.seattlegranite.com