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Good One Richard,

Here is some good information that you can pass on to your customers courtisy of Big Al. Concrete as a countertop material is just now becoming familiar to many homeowners. It has been around since the seventies and has been a favorite with modern designers and architects. Acceptance with the general public however has sometimes been a bumpy road. Concrete countertop materials and manufacturing processes have continued to evolve from a couple of guys in a garage using basic concrete and masonry supplies to state of the art facilities that employ products and techniques specific to the concrete countertop industry. As a result of this, there are many things that you should be aware of when you are considering concrete for your renovation or new construction project. A visit to a concrete countertop studio is a good investment in time that can give you a quick education on the manufacturing process and open the doors to almost endless possibilities.

Any size, any shape, any color is the mantra of the concrete countertop artisan. As you enter a concrete studio and production facility you may be overwhelmed by concrete displays, art objects and the many samples that seem to be everywhere. Concrete allows artisans to express themselves. This choice, this freedom to express yourself is where concrete stands alone as a countertop material. The samples are not your only choices but are a starting place for the imagination. Customers often bring color swatches, tiles, cabinet material samples or objects such as pottery or glass to help with color selection. Color samples can be made to order and taken to the job site to insure that the color is the right fit for the design.

Color variation may be the concrete's greatest strength but choice in shape and size is a close second. Unlike other solid surfaces, concrete countertops are made by artisans. Granite and synthetic solid surfaces begin their life as slabs produced in large factories and are then cut to the desired shape. On the other hand, the concrete production facility is often compared to the studio of a potter or sculptor. Organic shapes, drain boards and drain flutes, inlays and variations in thickness are standard fare for concrete countertops. You can be a valuable partner in design by suggesting or providing objects for inlays, sketching organic lines for edges or placing masks used in acid washed countertops.

The concrete countertop experience has an unequaled level of customer involvement. In fact the you may become a partner in design and manufacture. Concrete countertop manufacture is not a faceless operation where machines cut and grind prefabricated blocks but an operation where skilled craftspeople
nurture the countertop from concept to kitchen.