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Find a Concrete Contractor 24 Services in 221 Metros -- U.S. and Canada © 1999-2012 ConcreteNetwork.com None of this site may be reproduced without written permission |
Concrete countertops are impressive at any time of the day, but you can really turn up the wow factor at night with the addition of fiber-optic lighting. These illuminated strands of flexible cable can be cast directly into your concrete countertops to transform them from a utilitarian surface to a luminous work of art. With a bit of experimentation, you can produce special effects ranging from a starry glow to an eye-popping light show. Read on to learn more about fiber optics and how to create your own nighttime magic.
Light in a fiber-optic cable travels through the core by constantly bouncing back and forth. This allows the cables to bend and curve and still carry light from the main source of illumination -- typically a bright halogen light. The light is carried down the cables to create hundreds of points of light from just the one bulb. Special illuminators are available to create multicolored light shifts and twinkling "starry sky" effects. 
The real magic of fiber optics are the one-of-a-kind effects you can achieve, the sort of
According to expert Scott Cohen of The Green Scene, there are two ways concrete countertop makers can install fiber-optic cables. One is to place the cables through the finished surface of the countertop so you can easily see the points of light at the ends of the cables after the concrete is polished. Or the ends of the cables can be glued to chunks of glass to defuse the light and give the counter a subtle glowing effect. See Cohen's