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Concrete tabletop

markw
Building a Reputation
markw
markw
Building a Reputation

 

A tabletop made of reinforced concrete.

 

PXL_20230501_075449829~2.jpg

 

The project

 

I did a bit of research to find suitable materials for this project, which was to make a concrete top for my table. Here's a quick overview that others can hopefully find useful. 

 

To make the form, I used this melamine. This is the concrete I used and this is the reomesh. I used WD-40 water protective silicone to ensure no sticking to the form. This is the silicone I used for rounding the corners of the form. I used this silicone scraper set for rounding the silicone in the form. 

 

I cut the pieces of melamine and I made it so the concrete will be 40mm thick. The size was 2 x 1m. I needed 8 bags of concrete for this size.

 

Then I screwed the sides on. Then I ran a thin bead of the silicone around the edges and rounded them using the scraper set. This meant the corners of the tabletop would be nicely rounded.

 

form.jpg

 

Prior to adding the concrete, ensure the melamine is clean, then spray all over using the silicone spray.

 

Mix up the concrete according to the instructions on the bags. I had to add an extra couple of hundred mls of water to what it said to get it a nice consistency. Fill the form up ½ to ¾ with concrete. I left the edges a bit longer so it was easy to grab onto to pull them off later.

 

half.jpg

 

Then you'll want to vibrate it a lot on the sides and bottom. I used a reciprocating saw with no blade in it and ran it around the sides and underneath for about half an hour. You will see all the bubbles coming up. But otherwise, you can use a rubber mallet, or even a hammer. You may have to do it longer to get good results.

 

bubbles.jpg

 

Then add the reomesh. I needed slightly more than just the one sheet for the length, so I cut a bit off another sheet I already had. Then fill up with the remainder of the concrete. After that, vibrate again for as long as there's still bubbles coming up. I smoothed the surface a few times and vibrated again. I did probably 45 mins or so of vibrating.

 

Then that's it for the casting. Just smooth the surface as much as you want (it will be the bottom once you flip it, so it doesn't matter too much). Cover it with plastic so it dries slowly. It might need a light spray each day for a couple of days. Then put the plastic back on.

 

Remove the sides and flip it and remove the top. The sides and top came off super easy. Then I wet it down and used 240-grit wet and dry to sand it, then 400-grit for final wet sanding. After that I sealed it using penetrating sealer. I used a microfibre cloth and poured it onto the table and just rubbed it round as much as the table would take before it wasn't soaking in any more. I'm super happy with how it turned out. It's really strong and doesn't have any flex when you lift it from the two ends.

 

sealed.jpg

 

Comments
teerodz
Just Starting Out

@markw looks great!well done !what type of concrete did you use?sorry the link doesn’t work

markw
Building a Reputation

Thanks

1000006016.png

 @teerodz, this is the concrete I used.

Akanksha
Retired Team Member
Retired Team Member

Hello @teerodz,

 

I agree - @markw has definitely done a terrific job with this tabletop. 

 

Are you looking to do something similar? Let us know if you need a hand with your project. We'd be happy to help.

 

Akanksha

 

Random_will
Just Starting Out

I'm really impressed it looks great. Did you use any additional additives or sealer?

Dave-1
Community Megastar

Morning @markw 

How did I miss this project! Spectacular outcome, I have wanted to build myself a table top or benchtop for years and have come down to pretty much having it in my mind the way you described it. But you did it and have the pictures to show us how! :smile: It looks so professional its not funny,  

 

Really nice work and definently filing this away for future reference.

 

Dave

Jason
Community Manager
Community Manager

Thanks for joining in the discussion @Random_will. Let me tag @markw so he is alerted to your question about whether he used any additives. I note above Mark says he used a penetrating sealer - he might like to clarify exactly what he used.

 

Welcome to Bunnings Workshop. We're pleased to have you join the community and look forward to reading all about your projects and plans.

 

Jason

 

markw
Building a Reputation

Thanks @Dave-1 

@Random_will I used only the penetrating sealer, which is pretty good. It will be fine to protect the tabletop from most things as long as any spill is cleaned up right away. But if something acidic or oily for example is left on the surface for an extended period of time, it could leave a mark. An epoxy sealer could be the way to go to make it completely resistant to any stains, but I wanted to keep the natural look.

I have a clear vinyl tablecloth that I can put over it it's being used for a kids party etc.

markw
Building a Reputation

I can't figure out how to edit the original post to add any more pictures, but here's a picture of the table after I installed the legs.

PXL_20230501_075449829~2.jpg

I used these screws to secure the legs to the bottom of the table https://www.bunnings.com.au/ramset-10g-x-32mm-black-ankascrew-10-pack_p0261459

Jason
Community Manager
Community Manager

Thanks so much @markw. Great to get an updated photo. I have made it the hero image on this Featured Project article.

 

Jason

 

billbum
Just Starting Out

@markw 

 

Thanks this was really helpful. My slab tabletop is doing as i type this!

 

Couple of questions:

- how long did you keep it covered in plastic, and how often did you wet it while it's drying?

- which sealer did you use, and how much (do i need a 1 litre, 15 litre cab etc)?

 

Thanks!

markw
Building a Reputation

@billbum I kept it covered for a few days, and just checked it when I thought about it really. Probably a few times each day, and gave it a spray with a spray bottle.

1ltr would be plenty for the sealer.

Let me know how it turns out when you're done!

JacobZ
Bunnings Team Member
Bunnings Team Member

Hi @billbum,

 

A warm welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community, it is fantastic to have you with us.

 

For a high gloss concrete sealer, Crommelin 1L Gloss Wet Look Concrete And Paving Sealer should be a good option.

 

You can also check out @markw's original post here - Concrete tabletop project

 

A number of questions have already been answered that might help you with finishing up.

 

Let me know if you have any further questions and please remember to share your project once finished. It would be fantastic to see what you come up with.

 

Jacob

 

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