DIY Network

Concrete Tabletop This table really rocks. From "B. Original" episode DBOR-507

Inexpensive, tough and easy to work with: No wonder so many things are made of concrete. Let Michele Beschen show you how to B. Original with this great material and create a concrete tabletop. She even shares hints for beautiful custom looks to go with any décor.

Embed tile in your concrete table...

Or stain it for an abstract look.

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Concrete Tabletop

Materials:

3/4" melamine shelving, 19" x 22-1/4"
2x2 pine: 2 pieces 19" long, 2 pieces 19-1/4" long
drill
3/16" wood bit
screwdriver bit
paddle mixing bit, old board or small hoe for mixing
8 decking screws, 2" long
cooking spray or WD-40 spray
Portland cement
play sand
clean water
clean bucket
clean plastic quart containers
piece of scrap wood 24 inches long
safety glasses, dust mask and rubber gloves
scraps of granite, stones or tiles
stripping pad or orbital sander
concrete sealer

	Figure A
	Figure B
	Figure C
	Figure D
	Figure E
	Figure F

• Begin by building a mold for the concrete out of 3/4" melamine. Generally used for shelving projects, melamine is available at home improvement stores. The store staff can cut the melamine to size; Michele Beschen's piece was 19" x 22-1/4" for a 16" x 19" tabletop.

• Position the 2x2 pieces of wood, lining them up flush with the edges of the melamine (figure A). They should fit snugly together in a rectangle.

• Drill two pilot holes in each 2x2 piece of wood with a 3/16" bit and secure them to the melamine with decking screws (figure B). Use more screws if needed; the goal is just to have the wood secure.

• Spray the bottom and inside edges of your mold liberally with cooking spray or WD-40 spray.

• Pour a quart of water into a clean bucket and begin mixing the concrete. The formula for this concrete is 2 parts sand to 1 part cement; Michele Beschen added 8 quarts of play sand and 4 quarts of cement.

  Safety Alert: Wear safety glasses and a dust mask when mixing concrete. Wear rubber gloves when working with wet concrete.

• Mix while adding the ingredients; use an old board, a small hoe or a mixing paddle bit on a drill. Add water if needed. Mix until the concrete is the consistency of cake batter.

• Lay the mold on a level work surface.

• To add interest to the tabletop, Michele Beschen used some broken scraps of granite. Tile or stone also work well for this project. Wearing safety glasses, break the pieces up with a hammer (figure C).

• Position the stone, tile or granite scraps face-down in the mold. Carefully pour the concrete mixture over the top of the pieces; try not to shift the pieces while pouring (figure D). Once the main portion of concrete is poured into the mold, use a trowel to scoop the rest out of the bucket.

• Use a small stick to work the concrete into the corners and around the broken-up pieces. Shake the mold gently to free any voids or bubbles; Michele Beschen gently slid her trowel into the concrete along the inside of the mold to loosen air bubbles at the sides and corners.

• Level off or "screed" the top of the concrete with a scrap board. Rest the board on top of the far side of the mold and pull it toward you, sliding it gently back and forth (figure E).

• Make sure the mold is on a level surface and let it set up for a couple of days.

• When the concrete is completely dry, remove the screws and 2x2 boards to unmold the concrete.

• Turn the piece right-side up and inspect the surface. If there are any unwanted voids in the surface, mix up a little more concrete, fill them in and let them dry.

• Use a stripping pad or orbital sander to smooth all surfaces of the concrete (figure F).

• Make sure the concrete is completely cured before sealing or staining it. This can take up to 30 days; check the package instructions for curing times.

Your table is done – or is it? To add color to the concrete, check out Michele Beschen's tutorial on staining concrete.