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DIY info on Concrete Countertops for your Kitchen and Bath
Monday, August 30, 2004
http://www.aceconcrete.com/countertops/index.html
Orchard Supply - White Portland Cement
For your project you will need a 5 gallon pail or bucket, a scoop, a weight scale, and a cement mixer. Be certain to read and follow all of the cement manufacturer's warnings on the bag of white portland cement.
We sell 94 lb. bags of Lehigh Type I white portland cement, so these suggestions are for the type of cement we sell, using 3/8-inch pea gravel for an exposed aggregate finish. Weigh the 5 gallon pail or bucket (a plastic bucket usually weighs between 1.8 and 2.1 lbs.). Weigh out 10 lbs. of white portland cement (if, for example, your bucket weighs 2 lbs, then the scale will read 12 lbs.). Pour the cement into your mixer. Weigh out 25 lbs. of 3/8-inch pea gravel. Pour the gravel into your mixer. Weigh out 20 lbs. of sand (what is known as Salton sand is used if you want the concrete to be light colored). Pour the sand into your mixer. Then add 5 lbs. (half the weight of the cement -- water weighs 8.33 lbs. per gallon) of water into the mixer and thoroughly mix. You will get a workable mud pie consistency.
For a stronger, smoother concrete: Weigh the 5 gallon pail or bucket (a plastic bucket usually weighs between 1.8 and 2.1 lbs.). Weigh out 17 lbs. of white portland cement (if your bucket weighs 2 lbs, then the scale will read 19 lbs.). Pour the cement into your mixer. Weigh out 20 lbs. of 3/8-inch gravel. Pour the gravel into your mixer. Weigh out 18 lbs. of sand (what is known as Salton sand is used if you want the concrete to be light colored). Pour the sand into your mixer. Then add 8.33 lbs. or 1 gallon (approximately half the weight of the cement -- water weighs 8.33 lbs. per gallon) of water into the mixer and thoroughly mix.
For your project you will need a 5 gallon pail or bucket, a scoop, a weight scale, and a cement mixer. Be certain to read and follow all of the cement manufacturer's warnings on the bag of white portland cement.
We sell 94 lb. bags of Lehigh Type I white portland cement, so these suggestions are for the type of cement we sell, using 3/8-inch pea gravel for an exposed aggregate finish. Weigh the 5 gallon pail or bucket (a plastic bucket usually weighs between 1.8 and 2.1 lbs.). Weigh out 10 lbs. of white portland cement (if, for example, your bucket weighs 2 lbs, then the scale will read 12 lbs.). Pour the cement into your mixer. Weigh out 25 lbs. of 3/8-inch pea gravel. Pour the gravel into your mixer. Weigh out 20 lbs. of sand (what is known as Salton sand is used if you want the concrete to be light colored). Pour the sand into your mixer. Then add 5 lbs. (half the weight of the cement -- water weighs 8.33 lbs. per gallon) of water into the mixer and thoroughly mix. You will get a workable mud pie consistency.
For a stronger, smoother concrete: Weigh the 5 gallon pail or bucket (a plastic bucket usually weighs between 1.8 and 2.1 lbs.). Weigh out 17 lbs. of white portland cement (if your bucket weighs 2 lbs, then the scale will read 19 lbs.). Pour the cement into your mixer. Weigh out 20 lbs. of 3/8-inch gravel. Pour the gravel into your mixer. Weigh out 18 lbs. of sand (what is known as Salton sand is used if you want the concrete to be light colored). Pour the sand into your mixer. Then add 8.33 lbs. or 1 gallon (approximately half the weight of the cement -- water weighs 8.33 lbs. per gallon) of water into the mixer and thoroughly mix.
