[scott C]

We are completing our first built in grill. First thought was to use gauged bluestone as the top. Turns out my wag. estimate was off and its pretty expensive. Secondly I want to get away from seams between the bluestone peices. So my thought was to pour concrete.

Has any one had any experience doing them? My main concerns are the edges and the coloring. Am I best off adding color to the concrete mix itself ( dark grey with light grey) or dusting the top like i have seen done for stamping concrete.

As far as the edges go I suppose once the concrete starts to harden I can remove the form and work the edge?

Also is there a special mix of concrete I should use obviously one with small aggregate but anything else.

[FungusMudGrub]

I have done two with my brother (a builder) for my own house. We colored the whole batch, and we also mixed in fiber for strength. I do not remember the exact recipe. One of them was made with white portland cement, also, because we were going for as bright a green as possible.

We used melamine forms and poured them off site, so we waited untill they were quite hard before stripping the forms. The forms already incorporated a bullnose edge, but some grinding was required.

We also didn't manage to vibrate all the air pockets out of either one, so a colored slurry was used to fill in, with a light sanding after.

[scott C]

FMG thanks for the reply what did you use to create a bullnose edge? also did the fiber show through the finished concrete?

[ianc]

there was a thread earlier on this topic
Country Manor

[Lawn Lad]

I'm assuming it was a rerun, but I saw this done on Hometime (PBS w/ Dean Johnson). For the outdoor kitchen, the countertop was poured. The edge forms provided the 'rock face' to the edge of the faux stone. They stamped the surface and then had an artist color it using a couple of colors. There may have been some grinding after they removed the forms, but I don't recall.

[tom]

Check with White Cap Construction Supply www.whitecap.net

They carry Buddy Rhodes Concrete products which include everthing for concrete countertops.

[FungusMudGrub]

The fibers didn't show through at all.

The bullnose was formed with a piece of cove moulding in the form, covered over with clear packing tape to keep it from absorbing water and sticking to the concrete.