Concrete is an extraordinary material that is practical, expressive, and aesthetic all at once. From a primal and formless slurry, you can transform it into virtually any shape that becomes a solid mass. The possibilities for creative expression are endless. You can grind, polish, stamp, or stain it. You can embed meaningful objects within it.

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The biggest advantage of concrete is that it is completely customizable; you can sculpt, mold, and texturize it to your own desire. It's also a material that the average do-it-yourselfer can easily use — creating something original and meaningful while saving money. If you have a concrete kitchen or bathroom countertop made for you, the cost will be based on the complexity of the form, the mold-making process, and the desired finish, rather than the size. Cost comparisons between materials should be done on a project-by-project basis.

Yes, absolutely. Style is dictated by design; concrete can adapt to any look. For example, edge detailing and decorative inlays can add key detailing that help concrete countertops blend into more traditional environments.

In California, concrete countertops are allowed in food-service areas, but you should check with your local health department official first before starting any commercial project.

Outside use is possible, but you need to consider and address freeze/thaw and efflorescence problems which can be tricky. In addition, there are issues of wear and tear from weather and natural elements.

Most iron-oxide pigments are color-fast, including the reds, yellows, browns, and oranges (as far as black, synthetic black oxide is more colorfast than carbon black). Greens are a bit more unpredictable, and blues (except for very expensive cobalt blue) are especially unpredictable when subject to UV rays.

As with marble or granite, we do not recommend cutting directly on a concrete surface, as it could result in scratches and gouges in the finish of your countertop as well as harm the blades of your knives.

Concrete is heat-resistant but is subject to thermal shock if a red-hot object is placed directly upon it. Like granite, the exposed area may flake or chip away if too much heat is applied. In addition, the heat could damage the sealer and wax applied to the surface. We recommend using trivets for hot cookware.

As with marble and granite, concrete corners and edges can chip if struck by a hard object. Sealing and rounding the inside corners of the mold with silicone will ease the edges and prevent chipping. Hairline cracks can also develop, but these are not structural failures; rather, they are inherent characteristics of the material.

Concrete has approximately the same porosity as marble. Acids (especially red wine, lemon juice, and vinegar) will etch the surface if not cleaned up right away. Our NeoMix Sealer and NeoMix Finishing Wax will help resist stains, but they aren't acid-proof and won't make the countertop impervious to stains. Luckily, like aged butcher block or marble, a patina on concrete countertops can actually enhance the character of the surface, so a spill is not necessarily a disaster. For more information on staining and other vulnerabilities, refer to "Sealing The Concrete", pages 143-147, in Concrete Countertops.

Note, however, that while Concrete Countertops states that we use penetrating sealers (and at the time of its printing we were), we now use a "hybrid" topical sealer that also has penetrating qualities. We now use NeoMix Sealer in our fabrication shop and is the best all-around sealer we have found for use with the concrete countertops we produce.

You can see our work in both the Design and Products areas of www.chengdesign.com as well in Cheng Showcase in our Gallery section. You can find Geocrete™ showrooms throughout the country at www.chengdesign.com/dealers.html.