Any suggestions for a concrete-look benchtop?
Comments (12)
PROProctor Building Solutions
5 years agoRelated Discussions
Hi there , looking at house with north east facing garden, has anyone
Comments (327)How will you pose for your Miss Photogenic photo op? Will you go with the Carmen Miranda fruit bowl tiara? Or would the Easter egg thingamadooeys suffice? Decisions, decisions..... Maybe Grover could photo shop each one with your dress so we can decide? We wouldn't want to break any decorating rules because we do have our reputations to uphold. LOLOLOLOLOL...See MoreGarden help pleas: how to make a maintenance free garden on a budget?
Comments (16)Put in a few French drains where you dig a ditch and fill it with crushed rock to help the water drain. In low spots put in some drains [http://www.homedepot.com/p/Tuf-Tite-16-in-2-Hole-Drain-Sump-with-Grate-and-Seals-2HDS-4/203463511] with pipe running to the French drain. You might also need to bring in 10 yards of top soil along with some sand to raise your yard a bit as you're probably right at the water table level. We've had to do all this as we live in the Pacific Northwest in a reclaimed marsh [a nice word for a swamp] where we hit the water table if we dig down 3". We had to put down about 10 yards of top soil along with some sand to raise our back yard. We also dug a French drain along the back to connect to the associations drainage pipes through the neighborhood. My husband has put in at least 3 of the drains in strategic locations around the yard to help drain off the excess water. Our yard isn't perfect, but it isn't the swamp it was the first couple of years we were here. We have to apply moss killer every spring or it takes over the yard. My husband also puts down lime to soften the soil, and help the water drain easier. He and a friend rent an aerator every summer and do both our yards to help with the drainage as well....See MoreTub be or not tub be...
Comments (73)I think it looks great so far. Many of the ads for claw foot tubs, and magazines, show them with encaustic/cement tile and plain white surround. Also, you did something creative and attractive with the tile layout. I love the nickel shine of your clawfoot legs too. If you can maybe get a corner shelf on one side of the wall, you'll have a place for soap, candle or bubble bath. And maybe hotel towel holder on another wall to get the height up. Congratulations and thanks for sharing....See MoreStairway revamp
Comments (15)You can leave the handrail the same distance from the wall as it is now. Leave it connected to the newel post at the top; remove the newel post at the bottom, and add what's called a 'return' to anchor the bottom end to the wall. Then add a couple of brackets going up the stairs. The challenge is that the return should match the profile of the handrail, in order to blend, but check at the home center or a lumber yard/mill to see if you can match it (take measurements/drawings/close-up photos, etc.). As for painting the stairs--be careful with "fun" graphics. The treads and risers need to be clearly defined and regular. For example, a plaid or check that doesn't match the tread and riser exactly at each step is a trip hazard and may not meet building codes. People need to be able to see the treads clearly even without paying attention to them. Walking is an unconscious activity and we need to make it as easy as possible. Confusing patterns are a menace. In NYC, they put new edges on treads on one stairway at one train station that were designed to make them less slippery. However, they also made it more difficult to discern the edge of the tread. In 6 weeks, more than 1,400 people fell down those stairs. Then they redid them. Over 90% of injuries on stairs happen during descent. I highly recommend Bill Bryson's great book 'At Home--A Short History of Private Life'. The NYC anecdote above came from Chapter 14--'The Stairs'. Fascinating and amusing book. My house is 100 years old, so I feel your pain dealing with the changes and additions that happened over time....See More
Helen Keating
5 years ago
PROAus Joinery Kitchens Pty Ltd
5 years ago
PRODr Retro House Calls
5 years agoDon't choose a concrete-look benchtop from a photo. Have a look at real-life samples, see how they feel to the touch, and consider how the edge is detailed. Are you building new cabinetwork that has been designed for the extra bench weight if considering a cast option? Or are you replacing an old bench top over existing cabinetwork? Lots of companies, such as Laminex, produce concrete-look laminates which are lightweight (compared to the real thing), cost-effective, and easy to keep clean but aren't as durable as the heavier options such as Dekton and Ceaserstone.
Your choice of edge treatment and a drop-in versus an undermount sink will also affect the installation cost. A lot comes down to your personal preference (especially the touch part) and budget, so do your research.
Concrete and concrete-look benchtops are very much an on-trend fashion item and in 2028 they will seem very 2018 so consider your options for the long term wisely.
Best of luck,
Dr Retro
of Dr Retro House Calls
BUILD Architecture Award 2018 · More Info
Swa Neee
5 years agoCaesarstone cement look benchtop works well for me, just replaced laminate benchtop, so much easier to clean and more durable.
PROGraff Design & Construction
5 years agobigreader
5 years ago- PRO
Dr Retro House Calls
5 years agoWith all due respect I am going to disagree with bigreader. Don't look at DIY benchtops unless you are sure that the cabinetwork under the benchtop has been designed and engineered for the additional weight. The most expensive and messiest way to destroy a kitchen is a DIY concrete benchtop over existing cabinetwork. When the concrete pour becomes too heavy for the cabinetwork it collapses and spills wet concrete through the wrecked cabinetwork, then flows on into adjacent rooms. If you don't clean it all up quickly it sets literally like wet concrete. This happened to a client of mine who didn't take my advice not to do it. Some things should be left to the professionals (such as the GFRC guys), and in some areas, you just shouldn't cut corners.
Best of luck,
Dr Retro
of Dr Retro House Calls
BUILD Architecture Award 2018 · More Info Wendy Asman
5 years agolast modified: 5 years agotheparlourroom
3 years ago
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