Making Stunning White Concrete Countertops for Our Kitchen Renovation

December 3, 2024 Erin Longfellow

Last year, I gave our kitchen a small renovation as a temporary fix for its many problems. While we have big plans for a full dream kitchen overhaul (complete with removing walls!), we’re not quite ready to take on that project. For the mini-reno, I focused on saving money wherever possible, which meant reusing the old butcher block countertops.

At first, I thought I could live with them a bit longer—spoiler alert, I couldn’t 😆.

When I refinished the butcher block, I made the mistake of staining them a dark color. Looking back, a lighter shade to match the kitchen’s white oak trim would have worked better. But even beyond the color, the countertops were warped, stained, the diagonal seam in the large piece was problematic and the finish was far from ideal. They look ok at a glance, but when looking closer, not so good.

So, it was time for a change.

Since our kitchen is small and can feel dark at times, I wanted something that would brighten and open up the space. I’ve always been intrigued by the idea of building white concrete countertops, and this felt like the perfect opportunity to give it a try!

So today I'm here to spill all the details, the results, the price breakdown and a few lessons we learned.

For even more details, check out the tutorial video here!

Tools and materials I used for this project:

Step 1: Build The Forms

I’ve decided to go with pre-cast concrete countertops for this project. This means I’ll cast the concrete in custom-built forms made from 3/4” melamine. The other option is pour-in-place concrete countertops, where you build the forms directly on your lower cabinets and pour the concrete in its final location. Both methods have their advantages, but pre-cast is the better fit for this project.

I chose pre-cast to keep our kitchen functional and undisturbed throughout the process. Since none of our counters are very large, there aren’t any tricky angles, and I don’t need to pour around a sink, I can easily build the forms in the garage. This also keeps the mess completely out of the kitchen—win-win!

To create the forms, I used my track saw to cut down a 4x8 sheet of white melamine I picked up at Home Depot. While a track saw makes the job easier, an inexpensive circular saw would work just as well for this step.

I cut the sides for the forms on my table saw. The table saw makes this quick and easy, but again, a circular saw would work just as well.

I then pre-drilled holes and screwed the sides right on to the bottoms of the melamine forms. My mobile workbench was the perfect sturdy, strong partner for this whole project.

I’m replacing the existing 1”-thick butcher block countertops, so I’m building my concrete forms to match that 1” depth. This ensures the new countertops will fit seamlessly into place without disturbing any existing fixtures like the backsplash or sink. The concrete I’m using requires a minimum thickness of 1”, which works for this project. A thicker countertop would be sturdier and ideal, so adding deeper edges could achieve that if wanted.

I have 4 forms. 3 of them are rectangular. This one below is the only form with a special shape. I show exactly how I cut this form, and the rest, in detail in the build video.

Now we need to caulk all of the seams of the forms.

I want to keep the wet concrete mix in the forms because losing water compromises the structural integrity of the concrete. Also want to avoid springing a leak and making a big wet concrete mess.

I caulked all of the seams with white 100% silicone caulk. White is important because I’m going to pour white concrete. The caulk should come off cleanly, but if there are any residual spots, white won’t be seen.

I’m using products from Concrete Countertop Solutions for this project. One key component is their fiber mesh (equivalent to rebar in larger concrete projects) which is embedded in the middle of the concrete pour to provide strong reinforcement and added durability to the countertops.

The mesh comes on a roll and it’s easily cut. Before pouring, I prepared by cutting the mesh to the size of my forms so I can easily and quickly add them when it’s time.

Step 2: Mix and Pour!

For this project, we’re using a white concrete countertop mix. However, to achieve a true white finish, you can add white pigment. According to my local concrete supplier, the mix without added pigment typically cures to a bone color, which also sounds beautiful. We opted to include the white pigment for a brighter finish. The pigment is mixed into a quart of water first, following the instructions printed on the back of the bag.

After the color pack is mixed in, we proceeded with mixing the concrete countertop mix.

During my first pour, I miscalculated the amount of water to add to the mix, resulting in a mixture that was far too dry. As you can see in the image below, it should have been more fluid. Looking back, I should have put the mix back in the bucket and adjusted the water, but I decided to move forward with it. Thankfully, it turned out fine in the end, but a wetter mix would have made it easier for air bubbles to escape.

It’s important to note that while a mix that’s too wet can lose strength during curing, finding the right balance can be a bit of a learning curve—especially since the instructions on the bag can be confusing. For this first pour, I used 3 quarts of water, but for subsequent pours, I adjusted to closer to 4 quarts, which gave much better results.

I moved the mixture into all areas of the form, making sure to push the concrete into the corners and sides. Once the mixture filled the form about halfway, I gently pressed in the pre-cut fiber mesh.

Tip: don’t be like me and use bare hands for this step. Wear gloves 😅

I then repeated the steps to mix another bag of concrete mix (this time with more water) and finished off the form. A long straight board can be used as a screed to help move around the mixture and level out the top of the surface.

The forms need to be vibrated to help any air bubbles rise to the surface and pop. I find that a reciprocating saw (without the blade) run along the edges of the form is a great tool for this.

It was rinse and repeat for the remaining forms. Except these were poured wetter than the first.

After the forms were poured, I left them on my workbench to cure for a few days. While curing, I came out a few times a day and I spritzed the concrete with water. Keeping the concrete moist ensures a slower, more even cure, resulting in stronger concrete, which is definitely what we want.

Step 3: Remove The Forms

This moment is like unwrapping a present. Finally time to take off the forms! I unscrewed and popped off the form sides and then carefully turned over the concrete to reveal the bottoms, which are actually the tops!

They came out so good! Most are nearly perfect. The form on the top has the most pin holes from air bubbles that did not pop due to the mixture being too dry. But I have a plan to take care of that. No biggie.

Step 4: Sand & Polish

I turned over the counters so the bottom is on the top and knocked off any rough edges with a diamond sanding block.

I then turned the counters back over to show the top and used an inexpensive polisher (I have this one on hand to polish and wax my boat) and a 100 grit circular polishing pad. This will take off any melamine or silicone imprints.

Step 5: Fill Any Pin Holes

Ok now let’s take care of any of the pin holes. For this I’m using a product called Counter Patch. It’s a powder that easily mixes with water, and the white pigment can be added to it to color match it to the countertops.

After 24 hours, I came back and lightly sanded away any excess patch. I found that a drywall sanding block worked best.

Step 6: Seal The Concrete

Finally time to apply a sealer to make these countertops really last. My local concrete supplier recommended I use Surecrete’s XS 327 which is a premium concrete countertop sealer that is clear, scratch resistant and food safe. It also has a high stain resistance and is heat resistant up to 300 degrees. The supplier also recommended that I want to add the sealer until at least 7 days after pouring so the concrete is pretty well cured, which I made sure to follow.

I applied 3 coats and after 24 hours, it was ready for install!

Final Step: Installation

I removed the old butcher block for an easy switch out of the counters. Thankfully my measurements were right on. The 1” thickness of the concrete made the swap seamless, allowing the new countertops to slide perfectly into place beneath the existing backsplash.

All the seams are sealed with white silicone caulk. While some people opt to use construction adhesive underneath the countertops for added security, I don’t think it’s necessary here. These countertops are incredibly heavy, and once set in place, they don’t move. The silicone caulk provides all the stability needed to keep them securely in position.

It’s super fun to look back at where this kitchen started when we moved in, vs where it is now. Check out this post to see more of the original photos. What a change! I love looking back and remembering how much this kitchen has already improved.

where we started…

We couldn’t be happier with these countertops! Now finished with a smooth, satiny surface, they’re built to withstand almost anything life throws at them. One thing that was very important to me was that the countertops feel cool to the touch, like natural stone—a quality you just don’t get with laminate or some manufactured materials.

Not only have these countertops exceeded all our expectations, but now that they’re sealed, they really do have the stone feel I was hoping for. I’m still amazed they are made from concrete!

Here’s the expense breakdown:

Concrete Mix $210
Fiber Mesh $50
Patch $20
Sealer $99
Color packs $81
Melamine $42
Caulk $11
Sanding pads $22
For a total of $535 for 23 sqft

What do you think? Happy to answer any questions below, or in the comment section of the video.

See more Home projects here

And don’t forget to see the whole project in greater detail in my project video here:

MAKER GRAY