In his books, Fu-Tung Cheng shows readers a step by step guide on how they too can create affordable, award-winning countertops that dazzle the eye.
Credit: Courtesy Concrete Countertops Made Simple, The Taunton Press, 2008
The market is slow, and you’re trying to cut costs while differentiating your homes. You’re also probably searching for new revenue streams. One of the country’s top architectural designers has a simple way that will help you do all of the above without spending a bundle of money. What is it? Concrete countertops—more specifically, do-it-yourself concrete countertops.
“I think it’s a very viable idea and it gives [builders] something that offers much more customization than granite or solid surface,” says Berkeley, Calif.-based Fu-Tung Cheng, a classic multitasker who heads CHENG Design, the product design outfit CHENG Products, and the award-winning concrete fabrication studio, CHENG Concrete.
Cheng knows what he’s talking about. He started working with concrete more than 25 years ago and has perfected the art of fabrication and design in a portfolio of work that includes full-scale homes, kitchen and bath renovations, hospitality, commercial, and retail store design, and a gaggle of other applications such as outdoor products, fireplaces, and the like. Now, he’s on a mission to pass on to others what took him years to perfect.
At a recent presentation at the International Builders Show in Las Vegas, builders sat with rapt attention as Cheng and his cohorts went through their spiel. Clearly he had struck a nerve in builders looking to capitalize—either immediately or when the market returns—on the potential of concrete.
In addition to two books, a DVD, and his own CHENG Concrete Countertop product line of proprietary mix, tools, and accessories, Cheng launched the Concrete Training Academy in 2003 in response to demand from contractors who read his best-selling first book, Concrete Countertops (Taunton Press, 2002). He also also written a second book, Concrete Countertops Made Simple (Taunton Press, 2008).
A highly flexible material, concrete can be used to create colorful countertops with a variety of planes and surfaces. This top by Sean Dunston has integrated drainboards set right into the top.
The education program offers hands-on workshops and programs across the country where attendees learn the ins and outs of concrete techniques and design principles. He offers three of these classes—one-, three-, and five-day training sessions—for novices and professionals.
Though the beginning classes would be enough to get the basics, Cheng believes builders would realize the most benefits from the five-day course. “In that short week a person would know not only technically how to set up a mobile pouring table, but that person would know about design and how to make each installation special, instantly leveraging a lot of value to a project,” explains Cheng, whose program has trained almost 2,500 students. Available workshops teach everything from introductory concrete countertop concepts to advanced training in glass fiber-reinforced concrete, fireplaces, counters, and walls, according to the founder.
Such skills and knowledge could prove valuable to builders in this difficult housing market, where the competition is considerable and buyers are budget-conscious. Fabricating your own countertops is extremely cost-effective, Cheng says, requiring minimal capital investment and high potential profit.
How minimal? When announcing its recent Circle of Distinction Design Challenge winners, CHENG Concrete co-president Mike Heidebrink told attendees at the World of Concrete trade show that the raw material cost for the projects were as low as $7.71 per square foot. “Of course there is plenty of design and construction labor necessary to achieve these advanced projects, but more and more contractors are finding themselves with extra time on their hands and concrete projects of this caliber offer a high return,” Heidebrink said in February.
(The World of Concrete show is owned by BUILDER's parent company, Hanley Wood.)
But that is probably on the low end. According to Cheng, a more realistic price range for typical concrete tops that builders would do would run between $8 and $16 per square foot, depending on the complexity of the pour, the size, and the embedded objects. Home buyers might pay $120 per square foot and up for such a countertop.
Ready to start? Training for Cheng’s 5-day class is $3,000. Builders will need a few other materials too: a typical countertop includes cement (which you likely already have on the job site), Cheng’s Pro Formula additive with all the colors, wax, sealer, and melamine (which is reusable) for your pour tables, and tools to build your molds. “They can be up and running in a day to make countertops that are simple,” Cheng assures.
But before a builder begins building countertop forms and pouring mixes, here are five things Cheng says concrete countertop makers must do.
Credit: www.concreteexchange.com
1. Go surfing: The first, and cheapest, thing you can do is visit Cheng Concrete (www.concreteexchange.com) and Cheng Design Web sites (www.chengdesign.com) to get an understanding of the capability of concrete. “Look at the work I’ve done over the years,” Cheng says. “That’s what people are excited about.” The site shows concrete and it stylistic versatility and range. In particular, Cheng recommends looking at the work by novices who have taken his courses. “Most of the winners of this year’s competition never had a single bit of concrete experience,” he says. “So if they can do it, certainly a builder with all the facilities and all the stuff that they have at their disposal already could easily ramp up to do this. The only thing they have in common is that they took our five-day course.”
Winner of Best of Show, Keelin Kennedy designed this dining room table for 10 with a concrete top and sassafras wood inlays. Cheng says a variety of aggregates, marbles, and other items can be used to create a personal touch.
2. Incorporate concrete into your design process: Whether you use an architect or an in-house designer, that person needs to think holistically. “Don’t try to recreate in concrete what you were going to do in granite,” Cheng advises. “Nothing changes then; you just end up with a 1½-inch slab.” Instead, he says take advantage of what you can do with concrete to mold it, add accessories, embed objects, precious metals, stones, etc. “It’s about using bang-for-the buck ways of achieving a high design aesthetic level at low cost and low labor,” he says.
Pouring concrete in place is not a good idea. Fu-Tung Cheng, seen pouring a countertop in this photo, recommends forming molds and letting them do the work for you.
Credit: Matthew Millman, courtesy Concrete Countertops Made Simple, The Taunton Press, 2008
3. Resist the urge to take shortcuts: A clever and industrious soul might seek a shortcut by pouring a countertop in place and simply troweling to a smooth finish. Resist the urge, Cheng strongly cautions. “Do not do that. It’s just a world of hurt.” The skill level needed to trowel a top in situ is inferior to the molding process, he adds. “Nobody can trowel with the skill level required for putting embeds and indentations and changes in elevation,” Cheng explains. “Nobody can do that. Even when you do it, it looks crude.” The high level of the finished product comes from mold-making. “That’s where a builder has an advantage over a just a concrete guy,” Cheng says. “You don’t need to know anything about concrete to do concrete countertops; you do need to know about carpentry and mold-making. Any finish carpenter worth his salt can make a very complex mold pretty easily.”
Sealing is not only recommended; it’s highly advised. Still, staining can occur if home buyers are careful with certain liquids. Fu-Tung says buyers need to be aware that a little upkeep is necessary.
Credit: Matthew Millman, courtesy Concrete Countertops Made Simple, The Taunton Press, 2008
4. Remember there is no such thing as a perfect sealer: Concrete will stain if it's not cared for properly. But make sure to arm your buyers with the right information on how to take care of the product. “[Concrete] is like the difference between a granite tile floor and wood floor,” Cheng says. “A wood floor needs some maintenance over time. You have to take some care with it, but it’s got tremendous value because of its warmth. People just need to know that about concrete countertops.” The product will never fail, he says, but home buyers need to be aware of staining from some of the same liquids that stain granite—ketchup, vinegar, wine, lemon juice, or anything highly acidic.
Sean Dunston won Best Interior Kitchen in Fu-Tung Cheng’s Circle of Distinction Design Challenge for this installation that balances the mass and weight of his concrete peninsula with the thinner vertical lines of his concrete cabinet frame.
5. Learn the details: Treat concrete like you would any new product and do your research. “Concrete has high margins, low cost, and high aesthetics, but [builders] need to understand what they’re getting into,” Cheng says. “It’s a lot easier than you think, but there are certain things that you’ve got to watch out for,” he adds. “You should really get educated, but it doesn’t take long to do that.”
Nigel F. Maynard is senior editor, products, at BUILDER magazine.