Concrete Countertops: Design, Forms, and Finishes for the New Kitchen and Bath

by Eric Olsen (Photographer), Fu-Tung Cheng

This book reinvents the countertop with a single material: concrete. Concrete Countertops is an essential book for architects, homeowners and contractors who want to learn how to design, form, mix, pour, color, trowel, inlay and finish decorative concrete countertops. Homeowners will be inspired by the 350 color photographs that bring this exciting medium to life.

Genres: Nonfiction, Crafts

208 pages, Paperback

First published March 1, 2002

About the author

I was born and raised in Oakland—go A’s! California. I'm a journalist, editor, and occasional novelist. My sixth non-fiction book, We Wanted to be Writers: Life, Love, and Literature at the Iowa Writers' Workshop, was released August 1, 2011. It's a series of conversations about writing, the creative process, the lit biz, and more with nearly 30 classmates and teachers at the Iowa Writers' Workshop in the mid-70s. Among them are TC Boyle, Jane Smiley, John Irving, Sandra Cisneros, Allan Gurganus, Michelle Huneven, Joe Haldeman, and Jayne Anne Phillips. My co-editor is Glenn Schaeffer.

As a journalist I write mostly about culture, also health, fitness, sports, and medicine. But I'll write about anything if it's interesting, and I have. For several years I was an executive editor at Time Inc. Health in San Francisco, a TimeWarner company. Later, I was an affiliate associate professor of English at the University of Nevada Las Vegas, where I ran the American branch of the International Institute of Modern Letters, which advocated on behalf of censored and persecuted writers.

I received an MFA in fiction writing from the Iowa Writers' Workshop, where I was a Teaching/Writing Fellow. After Iowa, I was awarded a James A. Michener Fellowship for fiction.

I always have a mystery novel or two in the works.

Reviews

[Mary Del Carlo]

Next virtual project!

[Ethan S]

I'm in the middle of installing concrete countertops in my kitchen after having tested out in the bathroom as the vanity countertop. This book is an excellent resource regarding all stages of design, mixing, placing, finishing and caring. If doing your own countertops is something you are interested in, this is an excellent place to start. The only place I think it is a bit out of date is in relation to mix design and off the shelf concrete mixes. They now have a better range of concrete you can buy at the store, especially a specialty concrete store that will give you a really excellent product without having to mix the additives and pigments yourself.
It's also nice to see that even professionals deal with some of the same problems I had pouring my own, holes, water stains, etc...

[Petra - barricaded against fowl by nets and boxes]

This is fancy, architectural concrete for building a really special kitchen where the kitchen is a stylish showpiece rather than the warm centre of a family home. Its inspirational for someone building their house, but not really suitable for either remodelling or for any house where the kitchen isn't on ground level. Sleek and stylish as the concrete is, I still wonder if it wouldn't discolour and stain just as outside concrete does.

[Patrick]

These books are pretty cool, and seem to provide thorough instructions for the ambitious do-it-yourselfer (I have not tried to follow the instructions). Some of the results looks pretty cool, and would be fun to incorporate into a home. However, many of the illustrations left me feeling like I would prefer an original form (wood or stone) to the results here.

[Jesse]

A refreshing look at countertops for today's on the go professional. A must read!

[Bryan]

Good information.

[Elaine Nelson]

Great reference on building and maintaining your own concrete countertops. At the moment, it's a bit more than I think I could handle, but someday I'd love to try it.

[Jordan McCollum]

Very useful. I think if I decide to do this, I'll want this book next to me most of the time. Wish there were a bit more about pour-in-place countertops, but there is at least a little.

[Sara]

I'd heard a lot of "If you're going to do DIY concrete countertops, you MUST read this book." And I can see why. Fabulous pictures, super-in-depth directions. I so cannot wait to do one of these now.

[Steven]

Good. I'm going to attempt to make a concrete countertop in a few weeks.