How To Make White Concrete | A Modern Builds Experiment

How to make White Concrete for the best result in your DIY furniture projects. White concrete is something I've wanted to incorporate into my videos for a long time, but it's not readily available in most places and expensive to acquire online. The good news is that all the individual ingredients are locally available and super affordable. See best recipes below :)
Thanks To to Squarespace for sponsoring this video. Go to www.squarespace.com/modernbuilds and use the code "MODERNBUILDS" to receive 10% off your first purchase.
BEST Recipe:
3 Parts Aggregate
2 Parts Sand
1 Part Cement
(I would use liquid fortifier for high traffic areas like countertops, but not on "non-heavy duty" projects like coffee tables.
USE REBAR or MESH REINFORCEMENT. For forms thicker than 1"
My favorite Dust Mask RZ Mask: rzmask.com/modernbuilds
Code: MODERNBUILDS
Materials and Supplies:
White Portland Cement: thd.co/2IWCikS
White Sand: bit.ly/31L9OCZ
Pea Gravel: thd.co/2rawevY
White Gravel: (Amazon) geni.us/mal1
Liquid Fortifier: (Amazon) geni.us/H4nsq
3/4" Melamine: From Home Depot
Paste Wax: thd.co/2FgZOYL
Silicone Caulk: (Amazon) geni.us/GYBcj
Grout Too (Chamfer): (Amazon) geni.us/v28m
Fondit Tools (Roundover): (Amazon) geni.us/Qrpr
Pocket Hole Jig: (Amazon) geni.us/DBBkNnc
Music: share.epidemicsound.com/wFwCH
Written Article:
www.modernbuilds.com/how-to-ma...
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Thanks for watching! -Mike Montgomery
MODERN BUILDS
www.modernbuilds.com/

[@makisalimhussain2334]

Hi, I am a Civil Engineer used to design concrete mixtures. And these are my advices: 1- Make the mixture proportions 4 parts cement 6 parts sand & 9 parts gravel 2- use water about 30-35% of the cement by weight or roughly 45-50 % of the cement by volume 3- Use concrete superplacitizer about 1% of the cement by weight or about 1.5% of cement by volume. 4- Add 70 - 75 % of the water to the dry mixture and continue the mixing 5- Mix the remaining water with the placitizer then add to the mixture and continue mixing till you get homogenous mixture. 6- I recommend to add special fibre for concrete and you need to follow the manufacturer instruction. Normaly it is about 0.5 to 1 kg of fibre per 1 cubic meter. The fibre will act as reifircement. Regards Eng. Maki S Hussain - Iraq

[@billsmith7673]

Thank you. Very informative. Do you know of any good books on concrete - especially technical ones for engineers?

[@vaibhavchauhan5770]

Sorry, I dont agree on that water cemet ratio. And more importantly Why I think that the white cement one didnt achieve strength is that the aggregates were too round due to which the binding of naterials didnt take place. Where as the ready mix had mix angles of size and shape. Civil Engineer from India

[@wasabij]

@@vaibhavchauhan5770 I wonder if the differences in your opinions have to do with geography? Like I remember Iraq being very dry and hot, vs my friends experiences with India being incredibly humid, but obviously i don't know much else about your whereabouts other than country.

[@justingriffin2546]

Wow thanks Maki Godbless you and your family

[@justingriffin2546]

@@wasabij interesting point...I've seen some Amazing modern architecture online from India lately, Godbless

[@russellborrego1689]

Replacing 20% of your water with white latex paint would help with your tests and color. Latex paint increases concrete's flexural strength, and of course the white would make it a bit whiter. Great video tho!

[@joeyknight8272]

Good idea

[@russellborrego1689]

@@joeyknight8272, I willingly admit that it's not one *I* came up with. About ten years ago my wife and I started a small ornamental concrete business, and in my research to find out if I could use latex paint as a means to dye concrete? I found out it's strength benefits as well. Concrete is part black magic, and part state secrets, and many folks closely guard both. I try to share what I know to be true as often as possible so others can, and hopefully, do the same.

[@joeyknight8272]

@@russellborrego1689 that's good

[@Tehcarp]

the white in paint is Titanium dioxide, which you can purchase. You don'treally need the other stuff

[@Tehcarp]

also white rocks that were crushed instead of tumbled would be what you want.

[@craftedworkshop]

Really loved this one dude! Awesome job going through the different options. Gotta try this!

[@GUMBO640]

Does this recipe cost the same as a 90lb bag of quickcrete?

[@jmakes3745]

Love, love, love this video Mike! Project videos are great but being able to see something like this massively opens the door and inspires a whole new variety of projects and innovations - super inspiring stuff and I hope you do more similar videos in the future!

[@X3WorkshopDesigns]

Sweet! Just what I was looking for. Thanks for sharing your results Mike! These tests are golden in my opinion. I personally wouldn't mind more of these types of videos from you.

[@confusedwhale]

The problem with the white gravel is that the cement wasn't able to bond with it as well. That's why you don't use smooth or dirty rock in concrete manufacturing. If you used clean and angular quartz or light limestone, your concrete would have been stronger and just as white.

[@axelSixtySix]

So you want strong concrete ? Try to add poly fibres. Want a rock solid material for machinery or structural applications ? Try resin granite (5-10% resin).

[@powerofknowledge7771]

This was the most helpful video to show how different variables affect concrete! Demonstrating this made it much easier to understand. Thank you for making this!!!

[@ben4thewin]

I've been digging through the internet trying to find a good video on mixing your own white concrete, and when you started the video off with all of the exact problems I am having, I was so relieved. The video was amazing, and thanks so much for putting this information out there!

[@TheRomewedding]

Can't wait to see the concrete raw edge table!! Thanks for this video, Mike!

[@JuanM.Hernandez]

woah! i love this video so much. this is the reason why i like your channel so much. It really means a lot that someone takes the time to explain so much and in such detail

[@KimandGarrettmakeit]

OH WOW! This was GREAT! We are totally making a concrete raw edge river table. Thank you so much for this video!

[@taylormcgrath]

This is the sort of channel you find at 4am and watch until it gets bright outside and then it comes up in your recommended for years to come

[@bethstie]

so exciting that you're so close to 1mil! I have no idea how long I've been subscribed but its definitely been a few years. it's been awesome to watch your growth!

[@WalkersWoodworks]

Awesome man! I've been looking forward to this video since you were talking about it on the podcast.

[@marcus6425]

So happy for you bro! I noticed that when I saw the video in my feed! Love your chill-vibe content. Keep going strong.

[@gabriellealexander923]

Do more experiments! Love these kinds of videos and with you doing them makes it that much better! Just starting out and if I can save money by not having to do these myself would be awesome.

[@bahijtaouk]

Awesome! Keep up the good work! Your videos keep getting better and better

[@Thatbrownguy454]

Thanks for all of the great info. I liked this just as much as your full builds

[@edgr]

Excited for what’s to come!!! Coffee table, desk build!!

[@DCRhythms]

I’ve been looking into making some white concrete pavers myself. This is excellent, thanks a ton!!! 😄

[@davidjr7899]

That was a lot more interesting than I thought it would be. Good job Mike.

[@ShadowESSENCE7mw]

thanks man I been looking every where for someone who was to try a white concrete counter top. Super help bro much appreciated!👍

[@benleighfisher]

Awesome Mike, loving your take on a three point bend test :D

[@SuperDuperTango]

Another certified banger! Your vids are getting better and better. Thanks mike!

[@soppliger]

This was a great video. I was looking for info on fabricating concrete tiles and found this very useful! Great job!

[@4EntertainmentOnly]

i always thought i needed a table saw....AWESOME now im gonna make my smaller projects on the floor :)

[@annasupah1177]

Love this! Doing some work around the house this summer and I’m sick and tired of grey!

[@KellyJelly9976]

I've been waiting for this peppermint bark looking concrete video to be posted 😛😎🙂 TFS Mike...on Modern Builds 😁

[@krodkrod8132]

I use a jigsaw to vibrate the form. It works awesome. What i did was make my own white concrete like this but i used perlite. I made hundreds of fake stones and used them over my siding on my house. The perlite kept them really white and they were lighter. I made several different sizes but they all fit together to make a 4x8 panel. It worked out perfectly. It took about a month total time. I used construction adhesive to stick them to my house. I think it was liquid nails. They don't come off either lol. If you try, it will pull the siding off. After i glued them all on i grouted with some medium dark grout for contrast then sealed everything with a good concrete sealer. It looks so good my neighbors want it done. Guess im making more now.

[@Alex138bhp]

Really enjoyed this video. Been thinking of doing a homemade modern bucket stool with white concrete so this really helped

[@PUBLICIDADECOS]

!!AT LAST!!... I found a channel where tests are done and now I know the exact amount for resistant concrete. Greetings from your new subscriber from Mexico!!!

[@cinziadeluca5074]

I really enjoyed this. The concrete looks fantastic.

[@IEnjoyCreatingVideos]

Great job on the experiment Mike! Thank you for sharing the video with us.👌👍😎JP

[@jamesdonnelly8888]

Excellent video, great service you are providing with this information

[@alessandravazquez734]

Great tests on the white color. you saved me time and money. Thank you

[@awesomearizona-dino]

Great Work, Thanks for saving me a bunch of time !!

[@fershaman]

That "The office" quote on the back is priceless. Great video!

[@sheilaolson5868]

Loved what you did here.

[@3x3CustomTamar]

Totally enjoyed that experiment.

[@garagemonkeysan]

Thanks for testing and sharing the results. Great video! Namaste! : )

[@stevenmcbride9512]

Just read the article in the OK Gazette. As a fellow Oklahoman in the construction industry, just wanted to say I’m proud of you and keep doing what you’re doing man!

[@Noah-zr7nk]

Thanks for that science lesson I found it very fun and I’d love to try it

[@nadinelouw603]

Brilliant save! Looks incredible.

[@redrobin3667]

A giant Spanish Turrón... Thanks for sharing this, I will do some garden steps. I really appreciate this.

[@landmarkcreations1183]

Great video man! Keep up the great work!

[@shannonvaughan4385]

I’d like to see how the ultra white holds up with some sort of structure or reinforcement inside. Also, I’d like to see how to make super jet black concrete. Thanks for the video.

[@stephj1002]

wow! thanks thanks thanks thanks! AND good job!!! I was just wondering about creating a nice whit-ish cement, but this is beyond my expectations. Your experiment will allow me (to make some more experiments) to be able to make (hopefully) a nice concrete countertop with the fibreglace re-inforcement and with a bit of flex to avoid breakage with acrylic and or resin... (tests needed)

[@BruceAUlrich]

Interesting experiments, Mike! Good to know that mix.

[@FredMcIntyre]

Nicely done Mike! 👍🏻👊🏻

[@farhatqureshi8562]

Excellent experiments- learnt quite a bit . Thanks.

[@espnmk]

Great vid MM, THANX FOR THE TIPS

[@wanderingronin305]

Looks fantastic

[@aarono7729]

Great video, I made a countertop with white concrete. I ordered my concrete online and it was terrible experience and also very expensive!!! Now I can make my own!!

[@JeromeSqualor]

This was awesome Mike!

[@xDannyBeats]

I have absolutely no use for pure white concrete but I am now on the look out for something to make with it. This is sick!

[@thedistractedmaker]

I have the same problem trying to find white concrete, thanks for making this!!

[@jimmmmmmmmmmmmmy]

Hey Mike, white concrete can be made by adding Ti02 or Zinc Oxide pigment in concentrations up to 10%. Both can be found at your local art store. TX Active cement bags have nanoparticle Ti02 for an ultrawhite finish. It's also self-cleaning to an extent.

[@jimmmmmmmmmmmmmy]

Yes, get your EIN ready to speak to an Account Representative about buying 50 pounds of pigment direct from the manufacturer. 50g of Pigment is enough for a square foot of concrete. Getting 16oz (450g) of Gamblin Artist Grade Ti02 pigment from Michaels for $16 is more than enough for a couple of DIY projects.

[@FullMetalFox2]

The mix is pretty similar to what ive been told by some guys working in a concrete factory, they were friends of our master carpenter. Try adding some different sizes of sand grains instead of one size, from coarse up to essentially powder, poor a thin layer and vibrate it, add GF to the rest of the batch and add it ontop of the surface layers. Ofc rebar and water replacments on final products. Thats how we made them and we got super smooth surfaces with dense concrete strong enough to support an IIRC 30-40cm floating edge. Cheers!

[@kittybell644]

love these types of vids!

[@josenelolaperutajr9079]

Awesome !!! Thanks !

[@LukePeters]

This experiment was super interesting and helpful - thank you!

[@LukePeters]

More concrete videos please :D

[@arsenalboy4ever]

Bro thankyou so much for this video, finally have my question answered!

[@TheFiown]

The ultra white even without the strenghener would make a great counter top, with mesh of course , fab video

[@991632abcd]

Amazing work man!

[@lutet-pepa6129]

Love this dude..👍👍👌👌

[@jheinze9167]

Good stuff Mike! 👍👍

[@serena6575]

You could totally do a terrazzo inspired table with the first batch of concrete 🤩

[@osamab814]

Stephanie Leal HC exactly my thought

[@robsonwaynneantonio9472]

Show de bola amigo,parabens!👍🏼👍🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

[@alexfurey7642]

Thanks for the content! I'm really interested in white concrete for making candle jars and trying to figure out a flame-safe way to do that!

[@sitifathladewiridwan1480]

thank you for sharing your knowledge I hope I succeed when I try it..

[@reenathapa7087]

Must needed video....👍

[@WeebRemover4500]

the white concrete with the rocks in looks really interesting when broken into pieces, i could imagine chopping that up and gluing together to use for some very decorative walls or maybe even floor

[@jasonc422]

The Sorry Girls! Here is a helpful video for that white concrete Becky was asking for!! Thanks Mike. CAnt wait to see what you do with this life hack!

[@nadc7868]

I AM USING CONCRETE HARDENER AND ITS GIVING ME GOOD RESULTS TRY IT NEXT TIME

[@baphomet3691]

Hello from Cannes on the Côte d'Azur, thank you for these excellent and charming explanations 🤘🏻👍🏻. your friend is very lucky 😊….

[@WDWysong]

Great info! Thanks!

[@villapuribali]

Love your workss

[@J8n3eyr3]

All kinds of possibilities with colored stepping stones!

[@stellaella2373]

Loving your videos! Just subscribed!

[@sethbracken]

Very cool. More experiments would be great.

[@ff4444]

Great experiment idea!

[@zakarathedragonqueen7254]

The last form it is super white it may look great for decoration forms where strength is not require

[@jewdd1989]

I wish you’d make something for outdoors using the pea gravel! The white aquarium rocks were fine, not ugly for sure but there’s something more beautiful (in my eyes of course!) about the off tone it provides and then to see the gravel after breaking it was just stunning! Especially in a natural setting as the natural tones of the gravel with the white of the concrete just feels more “natural” I guess. I’ve been wanting to build a play scape for my dogs whether that be different levels of exploration or using the land as my oyster, not totally sure yet as Pinterest makes it harder for me to decide lmao! I could see structures built using that gravel concrete to add a soft but neutral setting that wouldn’t look just like concrete jungles do. It’d be beautiful for outdoor furniture and indoors as well. The pure white again is fine but I don’t know I like that natural look and I feel like the regular gravel represented that beautifully

[@PikaGirl713]

I would stack those under a coffee table!!! With that gradient... so so so pretty oh my god

[@toDIYfor]

Omg obsessed with white concrete... had no idea it even existed.

[@agentred8732]

This experiment video made me a subscriber!

[@darinnetherland3466]

It would have been nice to see a control with the pricey store-bought white mix for strength but mostly color. Looking forward to whatever project you’re planning with this.

[@waltercc1458]

expectacular ..desde Argentina..aprendemos tus genialidades..

[@withthesehands5799]

The version with the aquarium rocks would make amazing concrete counter tops!

[@darinnetherland3466]

I’m guessing that this is for some type of application like that coming up.

[@MrRShoaf]

A couple of points. For the corners, foundry supply dealers sell wax fillet material that is molded with a radius on the inside and a square corner on the other. Might be easier than silicon caulk. For your aggregate you might try crushed white quartz on a half to three quarter inch thickness, then use a portland mix over the top to save money. If you making pavers, look up Penrose tiling for details of the geometry. You can then use a 3D printer to make molds with a few degrees of draft for easy demolding. This way you can precisely measure your batch sizes so one batch will fill one set of molds. Each mold can then be placed on a small shaker table or vacuum box to de-air the molds. Probably take less than an hour each night after work to make a batch of pavers. Should you want to add some steel reinforcement the wire fabric can all be precut. For a test rig, make a test fixture with a long lever that applies force on a round bar. By hanging weight a measured distance and doing a little math you can measure the exact strength. I think the standard is 28 days. If you want to make wall tiles. You will want to make your concrete with a light weight mix. Also good for raised planter beds.

[@benybenshlomo7455]

thank you .it is very important information

[@HamidA-to8vy]

Sometimes googling is better than measuring, since concrete one of the most studied material. there are engineers specialize in concrete. Maximum stress could be written on the bag which is compression stress. Generally, more aggregate and less water gives stronger concrete. Usually concrete functioning with conjunction with steel which is crucial for performance. then it comes the additives and there uncountable number of them. The most used ones are fiberglass for strength and anti cracking; additives for workablity or water reduces; dyes ..etc

[@eduardormbox]

Here in Brazil we use concrete for all in constructions... ask a brasilian about concrete and you know everything about it. Nice video.

[@TheAlpine49]

Came up random. Left enlightened! Great video!

[@DrLoveQc]

Great experiment! I like this kind of vids! Also with less ads! In Canada we got « 1/2 IN. - 3/4 IN. WHITE DECORATIVE STONE » bags of 20kg for $4 CAN. thoses rocks are just like grey stones on regular concrete mix but very bright whote color! Your tests really makes me want to try it wih white sand/portland and the white stones. I wonder how it age over time

[@svajunasbikulcius560]

Great video, but as mentioned water to cement ratio is one of most important factors for creating strong concrete that's why use of plastificators used by all commercial concrete suppliers, also strength labeling of cement matter too such as 32.5 will be weaker than 42.5 N/mm.sq, Loved this video a lot effort has been put in and informative about how to make it whiter, helped me, well done.

[@TimKollat]

for white marble sand, find a pool plaster supplier. You can get 100lb bags of it for 8 to 10 bucks. Its what I use for all my terrazzo flooring projects.

[@ChrisPage68]

It makes sense that the solid, larger aggregate will hold more weight. The aquarium gravel would be like using pumice.

[@ModernBuilds]

WORD!

[@luiscarmengonzalez]

I love your style:)