Concrete Countertops?

Discussion in 'BS Forum' started by stinkyB, Mar 17, 2018.

  1. stinkyB

    stinkyB 2009 Best Avatar Award Winner

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    Looks like that's prefab laminate top. "low splash" is built in
     
  2. The Waterboy

    The Waterboy Well-Known Member

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    I am leaning that way, probably an off white which will match the cabinets. Hoping to go with a little bit larger than the 3x6 though.

    Finished putting some french drains out front today, kicked my ass in this heat.
     
  3. stinkyB

    stinkyB 2009 Best Avatar Award Winner

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    The rain has been ridiculous!!

    Yeah, I'm usually like the stone / natural look, but with those white cabinets subway tile should look good. 3x6 is pretty standard (size of the marble I used too) but just set them with a tight grout joint and use a grout to match your floor. (I bought some "alabaster".... wrong for what I wanted, but would prob work for yours. Color I went with was "biscuit"

    there was some 4x12 light colored stone that looked good too... almost went with that
    https://www.flooranddecor.com/stone-decoratives/fossil-brushed-limestone-tile-100203108.html#prefn1=color&prefn2=finish&prefv3=Marble|Travertine|Quartzite|Limestone&prefv4=Rectangular|Square&prefv1=Light+Beige|Ivory|Gray|Multi+Color|Beige&prefv2=Tumbled|Honed/+Filled|Polished|Brushed&prefn3=productType&prefn4=shape&start=3
     
  4. The Waterboy

    The Waterboy Well-Known Member

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    Yeah, rain has been ridiculous plus the county came in and resurfaced the street right after we bought making the street slightly higher than my driveway, now when the rain flows down the road to the storm drain, half of it flows into my drive and front yard. Put the french drains in to help until the county takes care of the problem.

    I'll be taking a trip over to F&D to see what tile they have. Home Depot and Lowes didn't really have anything I liked.
     
  5. stinkyB

    stinkyB 2009 Best Avatar Award Winner

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    Yep, I know the feeling...
    My house is the oldest on the street.... and now sits lower than the road.
    Was a minor problem at first, only on the heaviest rains, but since I've owned it, the adjoining properties that were lower than mine in the direction of waterflow to the marsh have added 3' of fill :mad::mad::mad:
    I put in a sump pump on a float switch by my front door that runs out to the street by the far corner of the property... and also dug out a small drainage swale.
    Have plans to put a speed bump out on the street at the top of the driveway to direct storm flow .... I dont give a F- anymore
    (luckily the street is unlevel with the other side being lower, so it only affects me on the worst storms)


    actually, HD had a good selection of floor tile (it's where I got mine) but yeah, their other stuff was lacking. Local Lowes is small and isnt worth a damn unless youre decorating
     
  6. Ralebird

    Ralebird Well-Known Member

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    Bigger is usually better - less grout, easier to clean. I've seen some long pieces; maybe 3 x 9 or a bit longer in some places that look good and are a bit different than same ol', same ol'.

    If you have a good sized independent tile place around they have great deals on closeouts and short lots - a lot of which will have enough pieces for a backsplash and you can get them for a steal. Grab some samples and don't be afraid of some color before you settle on the whites.

    ETA: Just found an old listing for the spec house I mentioned with a couple of kitchen pics showing the medium dark backsplash...https://www.trulia.com/p/ny/sag-har...-sag-harbor-ny-11963--1006249395#lil-mediaTab
     
    #66 Ralebird, Jun 2, 2018
    Last edited: Jun 2, 2018
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  7. The Waterboy

    The Waterboy Well-Known Member

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    Yes, some color might work since we have a lot of light colors in there right now, might try and get something close to the slate color of the appliances or what I am calling platinum in the piping on the cabinet doors. We'll just be bringing a bunch of samples to see how they look. That is a nice kitchen there, you do that tile work?

    I used to live near a great place for closeout flooring and tile but so far the tile places I have checked out near me, that advertise closeouts, are way overpriced. We have time before I get to the back splash so I'll be checking out a few more spots.
     
  8. Ralebird

    Ralebird Well-Known Member

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    No, I'm no tile guy, at least on a job like that - I can do a little at home. The guy who did it is a real craftsman and even cut some tiles down that had overglaze on the edge to use in place of bullnose at the doorways. He has also done at least two concrete bar tops at restaurants near here - one inside and one outside. Both have fiber optic filaments in them that make it look like the night sky when it's dark and they glow through the resin or whatever topping he uses. I was the construction manager on the job and designed the kitchen layout and picked most of the materials, although the builder screwed up a few things on his own.

    The places I got most of the tiles for the house weren't the kind that advertise low prices but had a section in the back with generally small amounts of stuff at big discounts they would otherwise be stuck with. These are real leftovers and cancellations, etc., not come-ons to put in an ad. Measure out your space and go see what they have sitting that they want to get rid of - don't be afraid to play "let's make a deal." Matching the appliances or highlighting on the cabinets works great, even if the color is about the same but not so dark. Good luck.

    One warning - if you find a place with the tile like the places I found you're going to see stuff you really like and may end up buying some to redo a shower or a bathroom floor or wall or all of them. You could be setting tile for months, those small jobs add up.
     
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  9. The Waterboy

    The Waterboy Well-Known Member

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    Yes, I know all about the seeing stuff we like and the jobs adding up. The house before this one was supposed to be the last rehab but we got offered such a great deal on this house I am redoing everything. Complete gut job including tearing out load bearing walls to open the whole place up. The kitchen I am doing used to have an island and the washer dryer in a closet, now it is just a wide open space.

    Finally got my living room furniture today, be nice to lay on a couch after 2 months without.
     
  10. The Waterboy

    The Waterboy Well-Known Member

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    Well ended up going with the thermoplastic tiles. May end up having a little more work with cleaning down the road but happy with the look. Decided to completely close off the window over the sink instead of widening and glad I did, just going to go with a glass shelf up over the sink.
    [​IMG]
    Figured I would throw up the old "before" picture again too, this was right after we bought the place
    [​IMG]
     
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  11. stinkyB

    stinkyB 2009 Best Avatar Award Winner

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    personally, I think the Land O lakes box in the second pic was a nice touch
     
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  12. jetophile

    jetophile Bruce Coslet's Daughter

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    Wow, that looks great! Bottom photo I mean (j/k). The wallpaper, it looks like somebody's Grandpa's plaid polyester pants, Holy Crap, that's bad, lol.

    Seriously, I love it, it looks fantastic. Kind of industrial with a twist of modern, and the dark color of the faucet and the warmness of the floor really pulls it together. The backsplash really works IMO. I should have chimed in sooner about the window. I saw it in an architectural magazine a couple of years ago (very similar layout), and what they did instead of a full size window, they put in a narrow window over the sink at eye level that was three feet long and about a foot high. You wouldn't think so, but it really opened up the room tremendously, and brought in a beautiful ray of light. The glass shelf is a good idea, plus you have the overhead light so that should work really nicely. Great job. You too, stinkyb. It's nice when you know what you're doing and you don't have to go through the anxiety of possibly getting stuck with a shity overpriced contractor. I have a pretty bad horror story that I'm not in the mood to share just now. It's one for the books, really.

    I'm on my idiot phone right now, but sometime soon when I'm at my laptop I'll tell you the story about my friend who renovated his house and the carriage house on his property that he converted into a Studio. It's amazing - the story snd the Studio both. The main part of the house is from 1737 and then it just kept getting added on to until the late 1800s. The place was trashed and in horrible disrepair but 100% salvageable in the right hands. The previous owners used the carriage house as a mechanic's garage (ugh).

    The Carriage House Story, I almost fainted from the suspense the first time hearing it. Spoiler hint: my friend had to lift it off its foundation and put in supports to stabilize it. Good guesstimate was that it was built around 1820. Anyway, worth the telling and the reading when I get a chance.

    Last thing for now @TheWaterboy, how hideous was the bathroom? Olive green toilet/tub/shower? Aqua maybe? Same wallpaper as the kitchen? I can only imagine.
     
  13. jetophile

    jetophile Bruce Coslet's Daughter

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    Everyone knows those things come in handy!
     
  14. The Waterboy

    The Waterboy Well-Known Member

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    Thank you, I wasn't planning on another rehab after spending the previous year on the last place but I couldn't pass this place up.

    The bathrooms were actually not too bad, the hall bath was redone by a friend of mine when the old owners husband got sick. He passed away soon after and she never used it again. the master bath was pretty bad but just filth wise, colors weren't bad, only a wallpaper border up top to take down. There was still sculptured purple shag in one room though, luckily they had too much stuff to be able to give it a really funky treatment.

    With the kitchen, the room the window led too is very dark so it really lent no light to the room. Besides I went with all LEDs and with the flat panel in the center of the kitchen, the flat panel over the sink, the two can lights over the breakfast bar area and the triple track light by the appliance nook you could get a sunburn in there. The back side of the window is right where my bar will be in the back room and worked out perfect, will be able to put a recessed mirror up with glass shelves for beer mugs and such.

    A little bit of trim work to finish up after I get the garage squared away and then on to the bar. This is the before picture.
    [​IMG]
     
    #74 The Waterboy, Jun 26, 2018
    Last edited: Jun 26, 2018
  15. The Waterboy

    The Waterboy Well-Known Member

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    Yes, that was one of 12 recipe boxes, sitting on top of one of the 3 bookcases that were nothing but recipe books (not counting the 12 other bookcases). If you look at the island in the middle of the kitchen, that was where the stove was so you know she wasn't doing any cooking no matter how many recipes she had.
     
  16. The Waterboy

    The Waterboy Well-Known Member

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    Been a while since any @stinkyB updates in here. I actually decided to go get a real job, damn health insurance is just too expensive, so I slowed down on my rehab job. Working on the last bath now before I finish up the bar. Haven't done too much to the bar besides fix a few walls, replace the ceiling fans, and pulled the carpet up to expose a patterned concrete floor so I just re-stained the concrete. I did pick up some Jets and Mets memorabilia at a garage sale today so besides the actual bar I am close to done. Got a 50 inch Fire TV in there so didn't even need to run any wires, just plug it in and good to go.
    [​IMG][​IMG][​IMG]
     
  17. stinkyB

    stinkyB 2009 Best Avatar Award Winner

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    Nice dude.... I'm nowhere near doing the "fun stuff"
    Once I was able to live normal in my house I eased off the gas pedal (still a wreck though)...plus I've been pretty busy with my real job
     
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  18. TommyJ

    TommyJ Well-Known Member

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    Thats some bangin' work! If you guys ever polish more coutnertops or floors i sell diamond tooling and equipment, i'll give you the same pricing on 1 or 2 pcs that i give my distributors on 500 pcs. Why you ask? because we're all jet fans and we all suffer haa haa!
    Seriously, my company i work at is a huge and prominent concrete supplier ill style you guys out
     
  19. The Waterboy

    The Waterboy Well-Known Member

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    Thanks, and I appreciate that offer but pretty sure I am done after this house.
    Once it's done I'll probably just do some small woodwork projects. Back can't handle heavy work anymore. I think 54 years old is the new 85, or at least that's how I feel.
    Still have a BSA to rebuild too but at least that will be more fun.
     
  20. TommyJ

    TommyJ Well-Known Member

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    you really do great work, i'll be 54 in january but the way i used to live im really 107. i hit the gym 6 days a week to try and fight off the hands of time.
     

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