The Appeal of Concrete Is Etched in Stone

Published in the Los Angeles Times, Saturday June 3, 2000
www.latimes.com/living

When craftsmen create counter tops from the material, it looks nothing like a sidewalk—and it's growing in popularity.

Forget granite. To be on the cutting edge of kitchen design, you need to think concrete.

Yes, it is the stuff of sidewalks, house foundations and bridges. But thanks to modern chemistry, concrete also has become a sophisticated material used for custom kitchen and bath counter tops, shower enclosures, sinks, bathtubs and even furniture.

"Granite and other stone has become more commonplace in high-end homes, so much so that it's almost expected." Says Susan White, an interior designer with White Designs in Balboa Island.

To the uninitiated, "concrete" sounds cold and heavy. But it can be a warm natural-looking material that works well with wood, stone or brick. The taupe-green color teams easily with dark wood floors, white walls and stainless steel appliances for an ultra contemporary look. But with the right color blend, White believes concrete can work with just about any design look.

Concrete counter tops are becoming more popular across the country, said Jim Peterson of Concrete Network, an internet resource for the building industry that devotes part of it's site to counter tops.

Lightweight and almost seamless, the new concrete can be formed into complex shapes. It comes in limitless colors and textures. Above all—as a functional decorative surface—concrete is different.

And different is what his clients are looking for, said contractor and concrete artist Gary Simpson of Kaldari of Laguna Beach.

"People are after a different look. Something that has more character and craftsmanship, and is more of a natural component," said Simpson, who has worked with concrete since he was a teenage plasterer working with his father.

After researching and working with formulas, Simpson has produced virtually crack free counter tops for four years. He has shipped concrete counter tops to Indiana, sent a shower enclosure to Palos Verdes an installed an 85-foot bar in a Long Beach Restaurant.

Concrete may sound inexpensive, but it costs about the same as a granite counter top--about $100 a square foot—Simpson said. That's because the process is labor intensive and requires intricate hand work in making the forms.

Dan Henrich and Shelly Keltner were pricing granite for their Huntington Beach kitchen remodel when they discovered Simpson's concrete work. They decided on concrete. "The first question is "What is it?" Ketner said. But even the most conservative of their friends like the taupe counter tops, which sit atop dark green painted cabinets in their U-shaped kitchen. The couple is so pleased with the unique look combined with easy care (soap-and-water cleanup and once-a-year waxing) that they plan to replace their bathroom counters with concrete. Even though the look is out of the ordinary, Keltner said she's confident it will withstand the test of time. "I don't think we'll be going "Oh gosh, why did we do that" she said.

And the counter tops are more than functional—they're functional art, said Simpson, who exhibits concrete outdoor furniture such as triangular sided chairs at the Laguna Art Festival. He also uses color mixed with cement to make frescoes that he displays in a Dove Canyon gallery.

"The counter tops are like the chairs, each one is individual. My clients understand that each piece has a life of it's own. It will lighten or darken over time. It's a working piece of art," he said. Simpson's design mix includes acrylics, a combination of white and dark cement, and additives to reduce the amount of water and air for stronger concrete.

The crack free secret is also in the mix. Some say hairline cracks are inherent to cement, but Simpson disagrees. As proof, he points to a concrete counter he installed at Wells Paint in Laguna Beach several years ago as an endurance test. The shows the use from paint cans being tossed on it but there aren't any cracks, said Rick Wells.

Concrete is porous, though, and will stain unless it is sealed. So Simpson uses an acrylic sealer that keeps most kitchen culprits—wine, ketchup and mustard—at bay. Olive oil still has scientists puzzled. It can penetrate the sealer if left on it overnight. Just off the burner pots shouldn't be put directly on the counter, not because it could damage the concrete but because it could hurt the sealer. Cutting directly on the counter top is discouraged for the same reason. Those rules should apply to any kitchen surface, said Joni Owen of KBI Design and Planning in Fountain Valley.

If imitation is any clue, concrete is definitely coming into its own. For clients who want the look without worrying about stains, Owen said she has used Ceaserstone, a product that combines quartz with a polymer. She has the Ceaserstone honed smooth. And now Corian is bringing out a new pattern, she said, "It looks like concrete".