Making the Countertop Mix

Quikrete 5000 and PakMix Super 5000 are sacked concrete mixes or "concrete composite products" that are pre-packaged mixes of the individual ingredients that make up concrete (including graded sands, aggregates, and cementitious material). Both these mixes are rated to withstand pressures of up to 5000 pounds per square inch (PSI) when fully cured, resulting in a denser, harder, and more durable surface. Any sacked concrete product rated at 5000 PSI is appropriate for use with our NeoMix System.

We don't recommend using ordinary pre-mixed concrete bags for making concrete countertops, since the material is usually of uneven quality. We recommend higher quality premixed sacked concrete such as Sakrete 5000 Plus or Equivalent, especially in conjunction with our NeoMix System products.

If you use white portland cement, the color of your countertop will be much lighter when fully cured than our NeoMix color samples (as shown on our website). If you want to use white portland cement, we recommend you read Chapter 3, "Mix Design", in Concrete Countertops for a more detailed discussion.

The micro reinforcement fibers are designed to seamlessly disappear into and bond with your concrete mixture. If they do accidentally appear, they can be easily burned off using a light torch or flame.

Like bread-making, you'll know you've achieved the right mix when it looks and feels right. Pick up a handful of the mix and pour it back and forth from hand to hand to see how it behaves—a proper mix consistency looks and feels like soft or runny oatmeal. For more information, refer to Chapter 3, "Mix Design", in Concrete Countertops.

To create a streaked or swirled finish, place concentrated patches of colored concrete onto the mold and let them stiffen a bit before adding the bulk of the mix. Carefully vibrate to keep the batches separate from one another.

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Our NeoMix Pro-Formula mix achieves its remarkable 85% strength in just four days because of an accelerant agent in our specially-formulated admixture. As a result, the work time with Pro-Formula may be less than that of normal concrete. From mixing to pouring to screeding, you have approximately 30 minutes of work time. Therefore, plan ahead and have your mold, mixer, water and tools all in place prior to mixing the concrete. You should have plenty of time to complete your concrete countertop project, but be prepared with your materials and tools and work briskly.

A freshly poured concrete countertop is not necessarily indicative of the final countertop color. Remember that:

1. final actual color will not be known until the countertop is fully cured, approximately 28 days later;
2. you are looking at the underside of a countertop which has not been/will not be finished so is generally lighter in color;
3. the countertop will continue to evolve and generally darken as you seal and wax it;
4. due to the nature of the bagged concrete mix, coloring concrete is an imperfect science whereupon there are never any guarantees in terms of matching an exact color. To help ensure consistent color on a project with multiple pours: a) buy all concrete at the same time, and b) pour on the same day.

When working with concrete, be open to and prepared for a product in the color range that you intended, but not necessarily exactly like the one that you ordered. The uncertainty of each countertop pour (factors include climate and weather conditions) and the unique characteristics of each product are some of the dynamic and exciting aspects of working with concrete. Also remember that if you are grinding, bagged concrete is regionally produced so the type and color of aggregates will vary from region to region as well. Variations in color may also occur due to local conditions including water quality. If such conditions or variables are applicable to you, we suggest doing a sample pour using a 1cu. ft. container of Pro-Formula in the color of your choice.

After pouring a countertop, you can de-mold it after four days, at which point the countertop is at 85% of full strength (approximately 4250 PSI). For more information, refer to Chapter 5, "Curing, Finishing, and Troubleshooting", in Concrete Countertops.

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Technically speaking, a concrete countertop continues to cure for years after it is poured. However, after 28 days a countertop will achieve its full strength of 5000 PSI, which is when we considered it fully cured for all intents and purposes. For more information, refer to Chapter 5, "Curing, Finishing, and Troubleshooting", in Concrete Countertops.

Good mix design and proper curing are the keys to prevention. The NeoMix System is designed to minimize cracking. Our NeoMix Admixture has micro-reinforcement fibers that help to contain cracking, and our NeoMix Water Reducer helps lessen the amount of water needed in your concrete countertop mix while maintaining its workability—another way to help prevent cracks. The fibers and water reducing agents are inclusive in NeoMix Pro-Formula.

Concrete countertops tend to curl when they are too shallow in thickness and too much water is present in the mix. Secondly, curling also occurs when a countertop cures quicker than it should. To prevent this, "tent" the freshly poured concrete with painter's plastic, or drop cloths, to keep the curing environment consistently humidified. This paces the cure time and balances out the natural heat released from the concrete during the process.

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