Countertop Mix Products:
CHENG Pro-Formula and NeoMix Original Products

NeoMix Original Products refers to three separate components in our original concrete countertop mix system: Admixture, Water Reducer (liquid form) and Pigment. Each component is packaged separately and requires you to add them individually to a mixer. When combined with six 60-pound bags of premium sacked concrete, the mixture yields a three cubic foot concrete countertop mix.

CHENG Pro-Formula is our latest innovation and engineered for ease of use. CHENG Pro-Formula is an easy-to-use formulation of admixture, water reducer, pigments and other key ingredients combined in pre-measured quantities and proportions which yield an ideal consistency for pouring and finishing (available in one or three cubic foot concrete countertop mixes).

What is it?
All-in-one countertop mix containing pigments, fibers, water reducer, accelerants and other key ingredients		Countertop mix system requiring three separate components: - Admixture - Water reducer - Pigments
Who is it best suited for?
- First-time users - Do-it-yourselfers - Concrete   professionals		Concrete professionals who want to customize their countertop mix

CHENG Pro-Formula:

• Is manufactured with high-quality iron oxide pigments developed to provide vibrant, stable, long-lasting color and improve the look and texture of concrete countertops.
• Can be used for outdoor projects without concern for significant color degradation.
• Yields a stronger, more durable and smoother countertop surface. Special rheology modifiers in the admixture considerably reduce the surface bleeding of concrete.
• Is easier to work with and more forgiving with respect to water requirements.
• Is offered in several new designer colors.

Most customers and DIYs purchase CHENG Pro-Formula for its simplicity and consistent results. However, some professionals and those working on pour-in- place countertop projects prefer our NeoMix Original Products for the ability to control the individual quantities of admixture, water reducer and pigment.

CHENG Pro-Formula is designed to be used with either Sakrete 5000 Plus or Equivalent (six 60-pound bags for each canister of CHENG Pro-Formula (three cubic feet yield). You can find both of these bagged concrete products at building supply and home improvement stores nationwide. DO NOT USE any air-entrained bagged mixes (including Quikrete 5000 Pro Finish). CHENG Pro-Formula comes packaged in pre-measured quantities for 1 and 3 cf yields.

We recommend these products because they produce a finer finish and are more structurally sound than ordinary sacked concrete mixes. Below you'll find a list of other critical materials and equipment for your concrete countertop project. These can be found either in our Product Catalog or in most hardware stores or tool rental shops:

• Melamine (for mold-making)
• Rebar/wire mesh reinforcement (for mold-making)
• Large capacity cement mixer (consult rental shop for appropriate size)
• Wheelbarrow
• Professional concrete vibrator
• Variable speed polisher

Although the book is an excellent point of reference, it was written prior to the development of our CHENG Concrete Countertop Product line. As a result, a few of the techniques, products, and instructions have varied slightly since the book's publication. That said, when confronted with differing instructions, always follow the ones printed on the product, particularly with sealers. The book is your best document for understanding the overall process of pouring a concrete countertop, but the CHENG products are your best tools for achieving a usable countertop mix as they incorporate our best and latest innovations, so be sure to follow their instructions first and foremost.

Yes. For more information about pouring a countertop in place, refer to Appendix B, "Pouring a Countertop in Place", in Concrete Countertops. For more information about adapting NeoMix Original Products for this technique, please refer to the FAQs section on Pour-in-Place Countertops.

For those of you wanting to achieve colors that are not offered in the CHENG Pro-Formula collection, we have introduced CHENG Pro-Formula Base. This pigment-free blend is specifically formulated for the artisan who wishes to create their own custom colors. By combining CHENG Pro-Formula Base with the CHENG Base Pigments, your potential color choices are endless.

We do not recommend adding pigments or colorants to the already pigmented CHENG Pro-Formula colors, since many of these custom blends are formulated to maximum pigment loads.

A bag of CHENG Pro-Formula contains many different ingredients, including our blended pigments. Once you have mixed Pro-Formula with water and bagged concrete, it will appear much darker than the final color. Only after the concrete piece is cured, sealed and waxed will it resemble the color you ordered.

Powdered pigments and liquid pigments serve the same function, but each has its own properties. At Cheng Design, we prefer powdered, blended pigments because of the rich color saturation, subtle inconsistencies and mottled appearance they produce—which we believe is more natural looking and similar to natural stone. Liquid pigment produces coloring in concrete countertops that, in our opinion, appears overly uniform, monochromatic and artificial-looking. We recommend our Base Pigments which were custom-designed by Fu-Tung Cheng.

Of course you're free to use your own pigments or create a custom blend with our CHENG Base Pigments. Remember, the amount of pigment should never exceed 10% of the total cement content of the mix. If you're using a sacked or pre-mixed concrete mix, there will be no way of knowing the precise volume of cement that the package contains, and measuring pigment will be difficult. But, if you are willing to experiment to achieve the exact color you desire, go for it! Just be prepared to put some time and energy into doing so. Also keep in mind that the color of your wet mix will be much darker and more saturated than your fully cured piece.