budget countertops Archives - A Dabbled Dwelling

Ahh the inevitable kitchen countertop project… We always knew the laminate would need to be updated but as with everything, our taste was bigger than our budget. Quartz, marble, and granite would have cost us thousands of dollars so we briefly considered a newer laminate. Ultimately we couldn’t get past the idea of wanting real stone if we were going to invest in this update. After lots of research, we landed on DIY concrete countertops. This gave us all the benefits of a stone but with the more reasonable price tag of a manufactured material! This project came in around $1500 for 40 square feet and they look incredible!

What makes this renovation so DIY friendly is the system from Z Counterform (#sponsored) that allows you to pour in place. We wouldn’t have been able to lift heavy concrete slabs into place. The Square Edge Z forms allowed us to mold them custom to our kitchen. Even better… they offer a WHITE concrete product!

before shot of tan speckled laminate countertops — Countertops BEFORE

The Process

After removing the old laminate, we installed 1/2 inch cement board as the base for our concrete board. Then we also installed the Z forms. These are easily cut with a miter saw and screwed into place. I did it 8 months pregnant! Next, we laid out the fiber reinforcement mesh. Then, covered our entire kitchen in plastic to prepare for pouring the concrete counters. For more details on installation, check out my Instagram highlights.

pregnant woman smiles and drills molds into counter top

husband and wife dance excitedly to prepare for diy concrete countertop pouring

DIY Concrete Countertop Supplies

Below is nearly everything we needed aside from the cement board and a couple tools. I provided measurements and a rough drawing of our kitchen layout to Z Counterform. Who then pulled together the list of supplies and appropriate quantities in our order.

invoice of supply list for concrete counter

The Farmhouse Sink

Perhaps the most impactful part of this project was updating the builder-grade drop in sink to a single basin Farmhouse sink. We used the Crosstown from Elkay (sponsored). This elevated the look of our kitchen and offered so much more functionality with how much usable space it offered. You can see how we formed our countertop molds around the sink for a custom undermount installation. The apron front even slipped right over the front of my cabinets so that I didn’t have to cut them.

cement board on top of cabinets as new countertop base

molds and tools on countertop base made of cement board

molds and mesh installed on countertop with man beginning to pour concrete for diy concrete counters

Now that’s one beautiful sink! You can see how it took our kitchen to a whole new level! If you’re a dish stacker like me, you can fit all your pots, pans in this giant sink. Before installation I even tested it by laying in it… and yes, I fit! It doesn’t take up more counter space than our drop-in sink did, however it offers more usable space with the depth and no divider. One of my favorite parts is the removeable grate. This allows me to rinse food debris down the drain without getting stuck around all my dishes. It also keeps the bottom of my sink from getting banged up or dirty. I couldn’t be happier with this Elkay product!

stainless steel farmhouse sink mounted under white countertops with industrial coil faucet

Woman smiles while using farmhouse sink wearing green plaid shirt

The Finish

After snapping off the edge forms to reveal a perfect square edge (video below), and then sanding the concrete countertops smooth (holy dust), I applied 3 coats of Z Aqua-Poxy to seal them. Because concrete is porous this allows our new counters to be protected and offers a glossy finish that is similar to traditional stone countertops. You can view more on this process over on Instagram.

Full kitchen shot with white diy concrete cabinets, white counters, gray floors, and wood accents like a basket light and shelving. Glass light fixtures hang above.

kitchen island with 1/3 butcher block top and decorative accents like wooden bowl and cutting board and plant

3 Month Update of our DIY Concrete Countertops

Now that I’ve had my DIY concrete countertops for a few months and have experienced cooking, cleaning, and day to day use on them, I’m happy to report that we are still in love! The epoxy finish makes them incredibly easy to clean, liquids don’t penetrate the seal, and we have not had any chipping or stains. I have been mindful of not putting hot pans directly on them but otherwise they seem to provide a ton of durability for my family of 5 and I would absolutely do it all over again! As with any DIY there are some imperfections, which just gives our counters character as if they were a natural stone. This was such a budget friendly solution to updating our countertops, made easy by Z Counterform. It was a pretty big project but absolutely worth it. The verdict is… DO IT!

If you liked my kitchen update, check out what we did in our master bathroom!