Helpful Sites Granite Counters Granite Gallery Home Upgrades Flooring Info Page Polished Conrete   Concrete Countertops Concrete Countertops Information Cast concrete countertops have become the favorite of designers and architects because concrete can give warmth and color depth not available in granite, marble or Corian. Hand finishing can give them a finish as smooth as glass with a patina that improves over the years. Concrete is an exciting alternative to the more common marble and granite surfaces. Concrete is a stone like material that has a natural warmth, it adds a richness to both modern and traditional interior environments. They are a unique expression of who you are. They also create a warm presence in any room of your home or business, and have the ability to complement any interior whether classic or modern. Concrete Info Page Decorative Concrete Concrete Polishing Concrete Saws Concrete Machinery Today you'll find colorful concrete used as counters, sinks, bathtubs, furniture, fireplace surrounds, and floors. Homeowners can choose any color or texture, allowing them to coordinate a surface with other colors and materials in a room. In general performance  concrete competes with both solid-surface synthetics such as Corian and stone such as  granite, but is not as limited on color, thickness or natural patterning. Synthetic surfaces are sold in sheet form, stone in slabs and tiles, and both are limited to a standard thickness. But because concrete is cast in molds, it can include subtle texturing, embedded decorative objects such as pieces of metal, shells, stones or coins, and can be custom formed to fit the  contours of your kitchen or bath. Accessories like sinks can be molded to almost any shape. Concrete contains natural materials - stone, silica-based cement, and water. Like stone but unlike synthetic products, concrete requires careful maintenance, and even when it's properly sealed, its surface can show stains and wear over time. Although sellers of solid surface materials like Corian and quartz materials like Zodiaq brag about their products being nonporous and resistant to cracks and stains, concrete countertop sellers and installers see concrete's small cracks and stains as "character marks" that make it unique.  Concrete countertops are actually not actually a solid at all but a hard congealed liquid. Concrete Countertop Costs None of these materials are inexpensive. On a square-foot basis, the entry-level cost for a standard-width counter runs about $50 for solid surface, $55 to $65 for  granite, and more for concrete, $65 to $150 depending on how unique you want the look to be. Costs go up from there for more complex edge details, custom-aggregate mixes, cutouts for sinks, holes for faucets, and curving backsplashes. Installation charges vary with the complexity of the job. Continued on Page 2