The Pros and Cons of Concrete Worktops in Kitchens

At the moment, concrete worktops seem to be the trendiest high-end countertop material. This durable and rock solid material suites modern kitchen designs as it can be a key factor in creating a contemporary industrial aesthetic – that other surfaces don’t fit. 

On top of this concrete can now be stamped, etched, acid stained, and sealed to create extra unique surfaces. These contemporary kitchen worktops can be configured to give the look you want, whether it be cold or warm, or gleaming or matte, but will always be highly functional and super stylish.

Concrete countertops can sometimes be created and formed on site, but more commonly a technician will come take precise measurements of your kitchen, and have them made in a studio. In the studio, the concrete is poured into the desired form, with any sink cut outs and extras being added.

Pros 

• Concrete worktops are pieces of bespoke design, which gives it the ability to be formed and shaped perfectly to match your kitchen dimensions. This also gives you the option to have an exact size match worktop which has a custom finish. 
• Concrete offers a wide range of style and colour options, which can be limited with other surface materials such as granite or slate. The only other material that can come close in comparison is ceramic tiles.
• The worktops can be personalised to your requirements, right down to have things embedded into it. Materials such as glass fragments, tones, shells and fibre optic lights can be added to make the worktop really special. 
• Concrete is a very durable and long lasting surface. During construction, the worktops are normally reinforced with a metal mesh or fibre of some kind to give them extra strength and firmness. It is also sealed, usually with an extra hard epoxy, to make a surface which is easy to clean and maintain. 
• As concrete worktops are seen as a ‘premium’ material, they can bring up the value of your property.

Cons

• As concrete worktops are a premium material, they can be quite costly, up to around £100 per square foot. The cost is not from the material, but more for the high levels of skill and experience required to create the worktops. 
• Frequent sealing, usually annually, is required to keep the worktops easy to maintain, and to avoid staining. 
• The worktop are extremely heavy, weighing around 19 to 25 pounds per square foot of concrete. When being installed, reinforcing the kitchen cabinets and even the flooring is sometimes required to allow to substantial weight.