How to make a Concrete Countertop, install undermount sink // Beginner Guide

[@cliquenoir]

Hey man, just want to say--as someone tackling a room-by-room house remodel--your videos are great, in particular these concrete countertop tutorials. You've got an easygoing personality on camera and stick to processes and information that are straightforward and to the point. Keep up the great work!

[@jmlvargas]

Not only the best way to learn, but the best way to teach too: from mistakes. Most youtubers show only the successful part of the process, causing frustration on those who try to follow it. Thank you.

[@JessedoesDIY]

It sure is...it's the most frustrating, but it teaches a lot lol and yeah, nobody is perfect. I don't want people to get a false impression or to quit because it didn't go right the first time. Thanks, take care!

[@dslovesau]

Great video! I'm about to try to make a small Vanity top for a vessel sink. This is definitely going to be a video I watch again and again as I go through the project! Thank you for this

[@waynevowell9732]

Jesse, we followed what you did down to having our mix way too dry the first time around. I dumped the whole bag into the bucket and I just couldn't get mixed well enough before it started to set up. I ended up pouring it into the mold anyway but it was a disaster. For round two I put the water in the bucket and mixed in the concrete a little at a time until I had enough. The mix this time was much looser (we used the Flow and Set additives) and it came out beautifully. Very smooth with virtually no air holes to fill. Now onto sanding, sealing and waxing! Your video was very helpful with the complete process, thanks very much for sharing it.

[@JessedoesDIY]

That's awesome! I mean, not the first attempt, but at least you only had to make 2 and not 4 like me lol I'm glad I could help and that yours turned out amazing! Good luck on the last steps and keep at it, id love to see it when youre done and share it with others. Thanks for sharing!

[@jbproductions6816]

Using a muscle massage gun with some tape over the tip works well at vibrating the air bubbles out. Just a tip

[@JessedoesDIY]

I tried my hammer and my saws all. I was shaking the whole table. Thanks tho

[@ludditetechnologies]

Looks awesome Jesse and great you included the mistakes so we all could learn from them.

[@JessedoesDIY]

Thanks! Yeah it eventually turned out awesome and I'm really happy with it. Was just a huge frustration at the time 😄

[@taylormcleroy4446]

I 😂a

[@hjanosyt56]

Very good!

[@JessedoesDIY]

Thanks!

[@jewdd1989]

So it’s a little bit ironic in the Alanis Morissette kind of way, I found your vanity build when looking for different ideas on vanity looks, styles and joinery types because I’m very indecisive… I eventually decided to build a solid hickory vanity 31.25” long by 21” wide (inspired by Shara with her mid century style vanity/dresser and custom trim she did a couple years ago). It’s stunning, the hickory has so much depth of color saturation and striations of the grain… I’m more than halfway done with it, just need drawers and a door that appears like the drawers in a similar style to the inspiration. For the vanity I went with similar measurements to the original one I had taken out, simple that way and I really couldn’t change the layout or install a bigger one as my bathroom is tiny. Anyways it’s funny because I hadn’t expected watching your concrete top for the vanity too because I initially wanted to go with a beautiful quartz with mild speckles in it bc the place I went to said they could do a custom cutout for a small, square sink on the far right side (to allow as much drawer space as possible) but after waisting my time getting back to me on an official price, turns out they wanted +$700 more than they initially quoted me for. $1100 for a tiny vanity, no way!!! Morally it’s just wrong and I’ve always wanted to play around with cement/concrete anyways and I love that I can say I built it and make it custom to my every whim. Pask Makes didn’t help either in creating his stunning concrete sink with outside texture and it was gorgeous so too tempting, I had to break up with quartz! Anyways I finally got my melamine base templated and cut out to properly fit my wonky wall (the vanity is up against the left wall with the right side free) now I’ll rip more melamine for the form and I also want to go with 1.25” but I’m using Z concrete’s white concrete mix and might add white pigment but again I’m indecisive about a more natural white or a more pure white top. Anyways all of this is to say you’re The Only One to bring up and demonstrate figuring out how to place the under mount sink as to ensure enough tolerance for not only the lip but also the clips. My under mount came with four odd clips, Michael Builds demonstrated drilling in holes after the pour dried so he could securely epoxy threaded inserts and screw directly into the concrete itself. My under mount is heavy so I don’t know if I feel great about using silicone only to permanently attach the sink to the concrete top. I haven’t decided yet but regardless you shared much more thoughtful details, info and issues that came up and I appreciate you taking the time to mention that. It’s overwhelming all that goes into creating a vanity top that once poured is done and sink placement issues can’t really be resolved afterwards! Anyways your vanity and top came out great and I’m happy to have found your content

[@mfielding007]

Looks brilliant, and thanks for the honesty, showing the mistakes

[@JessedoesDIY]

Thanks! That's my goal is to help, and be as transparent as possible. We're all human and can all run into issues, and if my goal is to help I feel a part of helping is to show mistakes so others can avoid them. Thanks for watching!

[@LVCID777]

I wanted granite but it’s over 1000 for a 22” by 55” slab so I decided on concrete. Just like yours only charcoal. Nice video. You probably saved me some real headaches 😂

[@JessedoesDIY]

Haha yeah, that's honestly the biggest advantage of concrete. You still get a stone finish that you can customize how you want, but at 1/2 the price or less. Well I'm glad my headaches could help! Good luck on yours, let me know how it goes!

[@rjnamffoh8086]

Awesome work. I only ever worked epoxy, so I can only see the talent and appreciation for this kind of thing, which's totally different, and for myself, I'm incredibly excited to try this out and let you know how it goes. Thank you.

[@JessedoesDIY]

Thanks! It is a very different beast to work with. I've never worked with epoxy myself, but I've seen it done many times and want to give it a try so bad, just haven't pulled the pin lol so I'm the opposite. Good luck on yours, can't wait to hear how it went

[@dirtyvet5404]

Thank you for the great tutorial video. This answered many questions.

[@JessedoesDIY]

Anytime! I'm glad you found it useful

[@vVeazel]

Awesome work. Thanks for sharing this invaluable knowledge with the internet.

[@JessedoesDIY]

Happy to help!

[@sebasstuff8847]

This is the best video I’ve seen on concrete countertops and under-mount sink installation. The flow control does make a HUGE difference. One question, would you add support when doing this for a kitchen sink or glue only?

[@JessedoesDIY]

Thanks, I'm glad you liked it! When I was building homes this is the exact method we used for all sinks, kitchen and bath. For the biggest ones we used a 2 part epoxy putty in the corners instead of the glue I used. Otherwise the rest was the same procedure. But some undermount kitchen sinks want supports added to the cabinet itself, below the flange, it all depends. Hope that helps!

[@sebasstuff8847]

One last question before I finish mine up, which is going great so far thanks to you and countless others. Am I supposed to adhere the concrete to the vanity or wood frame for outdoors? If so do I use silicone or adhesive?

[@JessedoesDIY]

You can adhere it with a construction adhesive for wood and stone in a outdoor use. For indoor use clear silicone is just fine.

[@Mr0neShotAway]

This is awesome, thank you for sharing. I’m hooked on your concrete videos.

[@JessedoesDIY]

Thanks, I'm glad you liked it! Hopefully you get some tips and inspiration

[@brandall8661]

Great video, thanks for your honesty about mistakes you made.

[@JessedoesDIY]

Thanks! For sure, I always try to be transparent to save others from making the mistakes I did, hopefully. Thanks for watching!

[@cowboys1aq]

Looks clean and professional 👌

[@JessedoesDIY]

Finally yup! Once I made it over the hurdles. Thanks for watching!

[@olivercaceres2974]

GOOD JOB! I LIKE YOUR VIDEOS BCS YOU ARE TRANSPARENT! NO BS!!

[@JessedoesDIY]

Thanks! That's what I go for

[@ricksimmons5277]

Great vid Jesse, I watched hundreds of videos on this subject and I think yours is the best. I am looking for a similar color to what you achieved so I was wondering if you could share how much of the white pigment you added per bag and how much more water it required to offset the pigment. Thanks again for an awesome vid!

[@JessedoesDIY]

Hey, sorry for the late reply! I'm glad you liked my video and found it useful. I can't recall how much pigment I used, but I followed the manufacturer directions. I didn't add much more water because it would have compromised the strength, which is why I had to use flow control to loosen it up

[@sebasstuff8847]

Just used your method on a bathroom countertop and it turned out awesome!! I have three bathrooms to go and I’m going to try fiberglass reinforcement next. I see some videos where they mix into the backer coat and some spread a layer in between. Which method would you go with?

[@JessedoesDIY]

That's awesome! I'm glad you gave it a go and that I could help. With fiber I'd just do the face coat normally and then mix them into the backer coat. Good luck on the rest!

[@alvaroschudeck957]

Excellent video, I was just doing one couter top for a bathroom instead of buy a marmol. Just we don't have that mix product in my country, so I'm testing some mix with portland cement.

[@JessedoesDIY]

Thanks! Cool. If you want to make your own, use a Portland cement and sand mix with super small aggregate (rock). 3 parts rock, 2 parts sand, 1 part cement and .5 parts water and then adjust water as needed. That's the basix mix for concrete. I might dial back the rock a bit for a finer mix, but that's what gives it a lot of its strength. Good luck on yours!

[@alvaroschudeck957]

@@JessedoesDIY thanks for the dosification, I will try that with next countertop.

[@JessedoesDIY]

Anytime

[@saama718]

Nice work brother, MashAllah. Keep it up!

[@JessedoesDIY]

Thanks so much!

[@salvadorpalma8173]

Looks great dude. Have you considered using self leveling concrete? I'm doing some tests myself with it. Ultimately I will probably go with a portland cement base because I want to start with a more withish base, because self-leveling is too dark for me. But I'm thinking of emulating the self-leveling mix in terms of structure. So Portland cement, fine sand and some sort of fiber.

[@jah5075]

Beautiful work! Any ideas how to make a one piece with the sink formed into the top?

[@JessedoesDIY]

Thanks. That's a whole different subject. Modustrial Maker has some great videos on that

[@guerillalife]

Excellent video. Thank you!

[@JessedoesDIY]

Anytime. Thank you!

[@elle306]

Looks amazing

[@JessedoesDIY]

Thanks, glad you like it!

[@misury]

WD-40 works too for a release agent. :)

[@harishveeramani2907]

Great work, Jesse. Keep it up :)

[@JessedoesDIY]

Thanks! Appreciate it

[@boblee3322]

Awesome tips here that I didn’t find in other concrete videos, definitely best one! Do you think if I vibrated with the face coat, it would compromise the face coat layer and add bubbles?

[@JessedoesDIY]

Thanks, I appreciate that! I mean...you saw my results while trying to vibrate it vs rodding it. Personally going forward with this mix I'd rod only. If I was using a more traditional mix I'd just pour half, vibrate the crap out of it and then pour the last half and call it good

[@peterdesmidt8742]

Great job!

[@JessedoesDIY]

Thanks!

[@fsalda1942]

Great video. Thank you

[@JessedoesDIY]

Anytime, glad you liked it

[@microdoulo2250]

Good Job Men!!

[@JessedoesDIY]

Glad you like it!

[@JessedoesDIY]

Glad you like it!

[@sebasstuff8847]

One more question man, you’re the most responsive by far so I appreciate that. Have you ever used a White Tint mix for white countertops? I used the Quikrete brand which has very small aggregate and mixes WAY different. I think eventually it will turn white based on the dried water marks but it’s been 48 hours and still has a sand like color. My question is if I should let it keep curing until it’s completely white before sanding and sealing it?

[@JessedoesDIY]

I've never used white concrete, just regular concrete with a white dye like I showed here. I would love to because that'll give you a much whiter top than even I had here, but I cannot buy it in my area. Did you used a method like I did, or a actual white concrete mix? Typically they will always lighten even after sealing, so you should be good. Did you maybe not mix it well enough? Because that was one of my issues. Also, I always add the max amount of dye I can according to the dye instructions

[@sebasstuff8847]

@@JessedoesDIY , I’m pretty sure it was mixed well and it’s the Quikrete White Tint mix. Used your face/back coat method as well but will probably layer the fiberglass next time so I can control it better and prevent the shadow/layerering I got. It’s slowly getting whiter each day and I’m on day 5. I read somewhere it’s ideal to wait 10 days but I’ve never seen anyone on KZbin wait that long.

[@JessedoesDIY]

How long did you wait before pouring the backer coat? It should be like 20-30 mins for the face to set up a bit first. And did you rod the backer coat into the face coat? Because that's typically why you'll have shadowing, the backer shouldn't be rodded, just poured and leveled. The time you wait to apply your sealer is based on the type of sealer you have. A top coat sealer like a clear coat needs to wait longer. The penetrating sealer I used is good after a couple days because the slab can still breathe after sealed, it all depends on type and brand

[@sebasstuff8847]

@@JessedoesDIY , I followed you process exactly on the face and backer coats waiting 30 minutes in between with the exception of using the fiberglass rebar flakes. Worse case I’ll have to re-do this slab but I’ll wait a couple of more days since I’m using an oil based sealer. Really appreciate your feedback Jesse.

[@JessedoesDIY]

Ok cool. Everything should be good then. If you do decide you want it whiter and make another slab just add some white pigment to the mix. And yeah, I'd wait for the sealer just to be good and sure. No problem, happy to help

[@joaolopesfarias2531]

hey! great work. what is the name of the wood used for formwork? where could I buy it in the US?

[@JessedoesDIY]

Thanks. It's 3/4" thick melamine. Home Depot and Lowes both sell it

[@ziolapolo266]

Good job

[@JessedoesDIY]

Thanks

[@tinyhydrogreens1932]

Question about gluing the sink to the concrete top. Will the glue alone withstand the weight of a sink full of water? Or the sink should have extra support? I'm learning a lot from your videos. Thanks.

[@JessedoesDIY]

No problem. The silicone and glue has a typical hold strength in a application like this of about 300 lbs. They aren't strong in a shear force like side to side, that's why you can peel them off. But in a pulling force up and down like the weight of water in the sink, it's plenty strong. We used this exact method when I was building homes. Not going to lie though, even doing it for a few years now, it's always a bit nerve racking when you take the clamp off the next day lol

[@sebasstuff8847]

Last question, what size clamp would you recommend? I’m looking at the 24 inch ones….is that enough?

[@JessedoesDIY]

Depending on the depth of the sink, that should be good. But a little longer is never a bad thing

[@colt45strickland]

I work for a granite countertop company. We do the same method, but take wood shims, apply a good amount of silicone, then press it against the underside edge of the sink. The shim will be at about a 45 degree angle, pressing the silicone in the corner of the sink and underside of the top. Do one on each short side, and split the shims in half for the front/back. I'm sure it's fine how Jesse did it, but our way just adds a bit of extra reassurance, and only takes an extra minute or two.

[@JessedoesDIY]

Hmm, haven't done that. This method that I showed was how we installed them when I was building homes and luxury condos, never had an issue, but thanks for sharing! More knowledge is never a bad thing!

[@havok3326]

Amazing

[@JessedoesDIY]

Thanks!

[@ajenkins12]

Jesse, I need some advice. I mixed half a bag of the same exact mix you used here, used the amount of water recommended on the bag (about 2L for 1/2 bag) and added one bag of flow control, but my result was not nearly as thin as yours. I could definitely not pour it. Did you use more water that the bag instructs? What did I do wrong? Did I not mix it long enough?

[@JessedoesDIY]

Hey, sorry for the late response. Really? Was the dry concrete mix clumpy when it came out of the bag? Part of the problem I had with the first one I poured is it was an old bag according to the Quikrete rep I spoke to. Once you add the flow control you have to mix and mix and mix until you see it loosen up, it has to be well incorporated but once it is it should do what mine did. What kind of mixer did you use, or did you use a tub and hoe like I do most of the time in other videos? No I didn't use more water, that would weaken the mix and take much longer to dry, and possibly curl. Without being there it's tough to say what happened. Did you add any dye to it? Correct water, mix for long time...basically all it should be (he says as he has 3 mistakes in the video lol)

[@ricomarieldaba3021]

Hello. In finishing, what sealer and top coat you used?

[@JessedoesDIY]

Links are in the description for everything used

[@RK-vs7ph]

Wow!

[@JessedoesDIY]

Thanks!

[@deeruckussolutions8772]

What’s name of that reinforcement mesh you used? You didn’t provide a link sir

[@JessedoesDIY]

It's just a write mesh they use for parging on the outside of a house. Home Depot sells it in the concrete aisle. But lots of places that deal with it would carry it. I'd have a link but home depot won't let me

[@deeruckussolutions8772]

Thanks 🙏🏼

[@JessedoesDIY]

Anytime

[@obgshowhorses]

Does the no mail glue holds the sink in place ??

[@JessedoesDIY]

Oh yeah. They make many different kinds. This one is a clear tube made for stone, concrete, granite, quartz and even porcelain. No issues

[@koperto4169]

👏

[@JessedoesDIY]

👊

[@jaizonbonilla4338]

what do you call the knockout and where can i buy?

[@JessedoesDIY]

The knockout is made from rigid foam insulation for homes and I picked it up at home depot.

[@elivalentine452]

So the only thing holding the sink to the concrete is the “glue” ?

[@JessedoesDIY]

Yup. This is how we did it for years when I was building high end condos and houses. For big kitchen sinks we'd use a 2 part clay epoxy, mix and knead them together and put a blob of it in the corners and silicone everywhere else. As long as you use the correct glue for the application, aka stone and porcelain you'll be just fine

[@happychappyy]

Would you consider making a sink? Are they practical?

[@JessedoesDIY]

Not specifically a sink. I'd do a top integrated sink piece

[@obgshowhorses]

What is the name of the glue ??

[@JessedoesDIY]

It was No More Nails, in a clear tube. It's made for stone, concrete and porcelain. That's what I used in the corners and then clear kitchen and bath silicone in between

[@mdshakilahmed3559]

How to make this mixer?

[@JessedoesDIY]

The mixer or the concrete mix I used? I used Quikrete countertop mix and the white pigment and flow control I have links in the description

[@williamsoroka2527]

bravo ohio

[@JessedoesDIY]

Thanks, glad you like it

[@sebasstuff8847]

If any of you are thinking of getting the Quikrete White Tint….DON’T!! There’s a reason it’s hard to find…It’s TRASH. The white tint mix just creates way too much cream. Use the regular Countertop mix.

[@JessedoesDIY]

Good to know

[@serfoverlord9581]

just glue? really will that hoid? idk man

[@JessedoesDIY]

It's how we did it when I was building homes with granite counters in kitchens and bathrooms. All depends on using the right glue for the job