Do-it-yourself artificial stone countertop: step-by-step making of the countertop. Making an artificial stone countertop with your own hands Making an artificial stone countertop with your own hands

One of the most important elements kitchen set is a reliable table top for your desktop. In the recent past, these parts were made from a thick chipboard with a so-called hygienic coating - a plastic sheet. However, this option proved to be ineffective - plastic quickly deteriorates, since it is easy to damage it. And the pattern applied to its surface is quickly erased, and the tabletop loses its aesthetic appearance.

Such countertops have been replaced by a more practical material - artificial stone. He, barely appearing on the domestic market, quickly gained popularity among the consumer. However, the cost of this functional part of the kitchen set is quite high, so the worktop is made of artificial stone do it yourself - a very good option for homeowners who are accustomed to solving most of the household tasks on their own.

What is Artificial Stone?

What is artificial stone made of?

To begin with, you need to understand what is usually called an artificial stone, and what it is made of.

Making a concrete countertop

A concrete countertop may require different materials, depending on the technology chosen to make it. Further in the table will be presented a method proposed by American craftsmen, which allows you to make the product lighter. This process will require the following materials:

Cement of the PTs300 brand.
Sifted sand.
Polymer primer for mortar hardening.
The color pigment is chosen at the discretion of the kitchen owner.
Additives that can give the surface a decorative effect (as a rule, stone chips are selected for this purpose).
Fiberglass fiber for casting reinforcement.
Wooden slats of different lengths.
Sections of MDF or chipboard with smooth moisture-resistant surfaces - to form the formwork.
Sealant, silicone, wax paste, acetone.
Extruded polystyrene foam.
Self-tapping screws.

From the tools you need to prepare:

A container for mixing the solution and a mixer.
Air spray.
Grinder with different attachments.
Chisels of different sizes.
Putty knife.
Metal roller for ramming

From personal protective equipment, you will need construction goggles, a respirator, rubber gloves.

The table below shows the order of work for the manufacture of lightweight concrete countertops using American technology.

Illustration	Brief description of the performed operation
	As mentioned above, a table top shape template can be created at the place of its installation. It is easier to do this if the old tabletop has not yet been dismantled, or it is planned to use it as a base. For this process, it is necessary to prepare the slats to fit the sides of the countertop. They are laid out exactly along its edges and glued in the corners, for example, using silicone hot melt glue.
	After gluing the template elements, they must be marked without removing them from their place, indicating the front and back sides. This is especially important if the countertop is rectangular or square. With this shape, you can easily make mistakes during the installation of the finished product in place.
	After that, the finished template is transferred to a table of a suitable size, which has an ideally smooth and moisture-resistant surface. The quality of the base will determine how smooth and even the surface of the countertop will turn out. It is better to temporarily fix the template in two or three places, in one position - so that it does not move during the installation of the formwork.
	Further, from the outside of the template, formwork parts are installed along its entire perimeter. In this case, they are made of chipboard with a plastic coating, since the inner walls of the formwork, like the base, must have a smooth surface and be moisture-proof. The height of the walls corresponds to the thickness of the future countertop.
	After the details of the formwork are fitted and exposed, the outer seams must be glued with silicone hot melt glue. It will fix the walls of the mold to the base. After the joints are glued, the template fixed inside the formwork is dismantled. He has already played his role and will no longer be needed.
	The edges of the walls, adjusted at an angle of 45 degrees, are glued together with silicone, which will ensure the tightness of the seam. And this is very important for retaining moisture in the solution - so that it solidifies and gains strength under optimal conditions.
	The next step is the processing of internal joints and walls with wax paste. The composition is applied with a soft napkin.
	Further, on the inner seams of the formwork, a thin strip is applied silicone sealant, which reliably seals the mold.
	After the silicone is applied, it must be evenly distributed over the seam using a round plastic rod with a diameter of 10 ÷ 15 mm. This operation will help to completely fill the gap between the base and the walls, give a rounded shape to the edges, and also collect excess silicone.
	Next, you should wait until the silicone finally cures. Then all the excess remaining on the walls and base is carefully removed. They are removed quite easily thanks to the wax previously applied to the surface. The cleaning of the formwork must be done carefully, otherwise the protruding irregularities of the silicone will be printed on the tabletop, and its corners must be clear - this is important.
	The next step is to knead the first batch concrete mortar. The mixture is made up of M300 cement, purified sand, water, polymer primer and color pigment, in a ratio of 1 / 2.4 / 0.3 / 0.2 (excluding the pigment). The color and amount of pigment is chosen at the discretion of the master. In this case, a dark gray color has been added to the concrete. Mixing of the solution is carried out using a construction mixer or an electric drill with an appropriate attachment.
	Before proceeding to work with concrete, all internal surfaces of the formwork are thoroughly wiped with acetone. Thanks to this treatment, the base and walls will be degreased and allow the solution to be evenly distributed over the surfaces.
	The prepared concrete solution is poured into an air spray, with the help of which it will be applied to the inner surfaces of the formwork. The spraying process is carried out slowly, since the solution must be evenly distributed over the surfaces.
	The mortar is applied in a layer of 1.5 ÷ 2 mm - it is intended to create a good smooth surface of the countertop. In principle, this layer will be subsequently subjected to grinding and polishing.
	After the applied solution spreads, a thin layer or even fragmentarily small stone or other fillers crumbles on top of it. They will appear after sanding the surface of the countertop and give it a decorative appearance.
	Next, the second part of the solution is mixed in the same proportions, but fiberglass fiber is already added to it. This additive is used to reinforce the structure - it will strengthen and strengthen the countertop. The fiber is poured into the finished solution and thoroughly mixed with a mixer.
	The ready-made mortar with fiber filling is laid out on the surface of the formwork base and carefully distributed by hand over the entire mold. The thickness of the concrete layer should be about 10 mm.
	Each laid concrete layer is compacted with a special roller, which will level the surface and remove air bubbles from the mortar. The compaction process takes place in the same movements as when painting the surface, with the application of moderate force on the roller.
	Another layer of concrete is laid on the treated surface. The mortar is also manually distributed inside the formwork, its thickness must also be 10 mm. The concrete is then compacted with a roller.
	This illustration provides a good overview of the spreading process of the second layer and its thickness. When compacting the concrete with a roller, do not press too hard on it.
	The rest of the formwork space can also be filled with mortar layer by layer using a similar technique. However, with this approach, the tabletop will turn out to be very heavy. To make it much easier, in the demonstrated example, the craftsmen used extruded polystyrene foam. Its thickness should be such that, after laying on an already applied layer of concrete, the upper plane of the sheet coincides with the height of the formwork walls. The size of the material fragments to be cut should be less than the width and length of the inner space of the formwork by 140 mm. That is, when laying the sheet in the central part of the formwork space between its walls and the expanded polystyrene insert, a 70 mm wide gap should be formed, where the concrete solution will subsequently be laid.
	In order for the expanded polystyrene inserts to retain the required location and not be accidentally displaced when laying the solution, they should be fixed. This can be done with strips, which are screwed to the end sides of the formwork walls with self-tapping screws. It is important - polystyrene foam inserts should lie freely on the already laid mortar, but they should not be pressed into concrete.
	The slats are installed in several places around the entire perimeter of the formwork.
	After fixing the inserts, the free space between the walls of the formwork and expanded polystyrene is tightly filled with mortar. In hard-to-reach places, for example, cavities formed under the slats, the mortar is laid by hand and leveled as much as possible. Laying is carried out up to the level of the upper edges of the formwork sides - they serve as a kind of beacons for leveling the mortar.
	After the formwork is completely filled with mortar, the resulting workpiece is left to dry for at least three days.
	After the specified period, the strength of the frozen solution is checked - it is gently tapped on it with a small hammer. Then the pressure rails are dismantled.
	The protruding parts of the hardened concrete must be removed. This process is carried out with a grinder (grinder) with a diamond disc mounted on it. Grinding is carried out in a circular motion.
	After concrete surfaces will be trimmed, proceed to the removal of polystyrene foam inserts. They are dismantled with chisels - the material is easily picked up and broken.
	After completing the dismantling of the expanded polystyrene filling, all internal surfaces of the countertop should be thoroughly cleaned and vacuumed.
	The next step is to remove the formwork from the tabletop. This process must be done very carefully so as not to damage the corners of the hardened concrete structure - it has not yet gained its final strength.
	After removing the formwork, the lower edge of the worktop is sanded by hand.
	Now it's time to raise the countertop. To do this, it is carefully separated from the surface of the base, for a start, "cutting" around the perimeter with a spatula.
	Then, slightly lifting the plate, insert between the two surfaces wooden blocks or pieces of boards with a thickness of 15 ÷ 20 mm. This is necessary so that you can put your fingers into the gap formed for better grip of a heavy product when lifting it.
	The table top can then be lifted completely. Such a lightweight structure is much easier to move than a countertop completely made of concrete. But it will still require the coordinated efforts of several people.
	The following stages of work are carried out in a street environment. To do this, the tabletop is taken out of the room and placed on a secure base, face up. When transferring the product, it should be held vertically so as not to create stress on a fracture in the plane that could cause a crack.
	The surface of the countertop must be sanded very carefully. For this purpose, a grinding machine is used with a "wet" diamond grinding disc mounted on it.
	Grinding is carried out with the addition of water, in a circular motion.
	After sanding is completed, the pattern of the stacked pebbles, sand and fiberglass will appear. It is also impossible to exclude small cavities-voids from air bubbles. These cavities should be removed.
	To get rid of the sinks, a cement mortar without sand and fiberglass is kneaded. It is manually rubbed over the surface of the countertop, as well as along its ends. The applied solution is smoothed as much as possible.
	After the cement has dried, the surface is sanded again. On eccentric grinder first install the 80-grit sanding nozzle, then change it to 100, and finally use 220-grit sandpaper to get a perfectly smooth surface. Grinding is done in a circular motion.
	First, the main surface is sanded, then the end faces of the table top. This stage of work must be carried out with the utmost care.
	The sanded worktop is then polished with a special protective concrete surface sealant. It is applied to the surface with a soft cloth and rubbed in in a circular motion. This composition dries for 10-15 minutes and creates a protective film. Such processing of the countertop should be done in several layers. To keep the product in good condition, the coating is applied and rubbed annually.
	Fastening of the concrete countertop to the base is carried out using an adhesive composition of the "liquid nails" type.
	If it is necessary to make openings in the countertop for a kitchen sink or a hob, then measurements are initially taken from them, transferred to the base and fenced off with formwork elements. The solution is laid out on the entire surface, except for the areas where the necessary openings will be located.
	In the manufacture of concrete countertops, pigments of various shades can be used, additives from different materials as well as white cement. The choice of these substances depends on the preferences of the master and the owners of the kitchen.

There are other methods of making concrete countertops with complete filling of the formwork with concrete. In this case, fiberglass will not be enough to strengthen the slab, so a metal mesh is used for reinforcement.

If you plan to make a concrete countertop with rounded corners, then when assembling the formwork, parts cut from extruded polystyrene foam or other flexible but durable material are glued to the sealant in the corners.

However, one should not forget that a tabletop consisting entirely of concrete, and plus even with a metal reinforcing frame, will turn out to be very heavy. Therefore, it makes sense to pay attention to the idea submitted by American masters.

Acrylic sheet stone countertop

Making a countertop from sheet acrylic stone is the simplest option of all. First of all, because there is no need to mount the formwork for pouring, since the artificial stone is already ready for use.

Materials and tools

In order to make a tabletop from this material, you will need:

One or two sheets of acrylic stone, depending on the size of the piece. Standard sheet parameters are 3760 × 760 mm, and their thickness varies from 3 to 12 mm. When using thicker sheets, the product will be more durable. In addition, such material, paradoxically, is much easier to handle.

Moisture resistant plywood with a thickness of 30 mm. It is not recommended to use MDF or chipboard, as they tend to swell with prolonged exposure to moisture. This process can deform or damage the stone surface, as plywood and acrylic will interact with each other.

Two-component adhesive for bonding the above materials. For the installation of one sheet of acrylic stone, 150 ÷ 200 ml are required.

The tools required for the job are somewhat different from those used to create a concrete countertop:

Sander.
Electric jigsaw.
with a carbide cutter.
Circular saw for cutting plywood.
Electric drill.
Clamps.
Gun for using two-component adhesive.
Guide bar.
Vacuum cleaner.
Tape measure, construction square, ruler and pencil.

Acrylic countertop making process

Unlike a concrete countertop, for the acrylic version of the product, the dimensions from the place of installation should be taken as accurately as possible. When making measurements, the results obtained must be immediately transferred to the drawing, on which openings for hob, kitchen sink and, if necessary, for the installation of a mixer or other plumbing or kitchen equipment.

Artificial stone countertop prices

artificial stone countertop

In order not to be mistaken when transferring the dimensions directly to the material of manufacture, it is recommended to make a template that will have the actual size of the future countertop. To create such a pattern, cardboard is suitable, which, if necessary, can be lengthened by fastening individual sheets with ordinary tape. All errors on the template can be easily corrected without material loss.

In the example under consideration, a tabletop will be presented with dimensions of 760 × 605 mm with strips for processing end surfaces with a height of 35 ÷ 37 mm, as well as with side walls with a height of 30 ÷ 60 mm. When making a product according to your own design, of course, the dimensions will be completely different.

The first step is to transfer the sizes and shapes of the holes to a sheet of acrylic stone.

Using a guide rail, the workpiece is cut. Cutting is done on the outside, and then the edges of the worktop, as well as the openings for the sink and hob, are milled.

The next step is to turn the tabletop over, with the wrong side up, to make a cut of the edge at an angle of 45 degrees, which is necessary for joining the end side of the product with a horizontal surface.
After that, end strips are cut out of a sheet of stone, as well as a wall skirting board. On the back of the end pieces, the edge is also milled at a 45 degree angle.

If there is no desire to mill the edges of acrylic at an angle of 45 degrees (and this is a rather difficult operation to perform), then you can do without it and proceed in a different way. The end edge is first glued to the plywood, flush with the top plane, and the main horizontal stone panel is mounted on the plywood with a shift by the thickness of the end strip.

Further, according to the same pattern, a plywood base is cut out for an artificial stone. If the acrylic sheet has a minimum thickness, that is, 3 mm, then the base should consist exclusively of a solid sheet.

If the thickness of the acrylic is large enough, then the base can be made in the form of a frame. The width of the load-bearing plywood elements varies from 70 to 100 mm. However, if it is necessary to make a reliable, durable product, then it is best in any case to make a full-fledged solid base.

The edges of the plywood part of the tabletop must also be milled - with a flat end mill.

Next, there is the gluing process. To achieve good adhesion, acrylic surfaces must be degreased with acetone or alcohol.
If the edges of the sheet and the edges are milled at an angle of 45 degrees, and the installation of the stone sheet will be carried out on a solid sheet of plywood, then, as a rule, a horizontal panel is glued first. The bottom edge of the cut should line up with the edge of the plywood base.

The glue is applied to acrylic, then the sheet is applied to the plywood and pressed to the base using clamps. To expand the clamping area, well-processed smooth boards are laid on top of the sheet, and clamps are already installed on them.
After the glue dries, the excess protruding along the edges is carefully cleaned off with a chisel.
Further, edge strips are glued to the ends of the plywood base. In this case, the glue is applied separately to the sections made at an angle of 45 degrees. Then the cuts of the edge and the horizontal panel are joined, as a result of which a right angle is formed.

Until the glue dries, the edge is fixed to the end of the tabletop with clamps.

After the glue has dried, after about 7 ÷ 8 hours, and the clamps have been removed, the right angle must be rounded off using a special profile end mill equipped with a roller (thrust bearing).

The next step is to grind the surface of the countertop to a semi-matt shine.
The upper edge of the wall flange is also rounded. To do this, it is fixed on the desktop and processed with a milling cutter.
Then, the prepared side is glued to the rear end part of the countertop and is also pressed with clamps until the glue is completely dry. After that, the excess glue mass is carefully cleaned off with a chisel.

The ends of the openings for the installation of kitchen appliances and accessories are carefully machined with a straight end mill.

In order to hide the true origin of the countertop material and give it the most natural look of natural stone, all surfaces of the product are polished, and the end border is pre-milled. The shape is chosen according to the customer's preference and depending on the thickness of the acrylic stone. Often kitchen countertops the desktop is simply rounded, but there is also a more complex relief that is used for tables in living rooms or dining rooms. True, the simpler the relief, the easier it will be to take care of the product in the future.

The milled edges are first rubbed with medium grit emery and then with damp emery paper. And the final stage is polishing with felt using a special polishing paste.

The worktop surface is polished according to the same principle as its ends. However, if the edges have to be mainly processed by hand, then an eccentric sander is often used for sanding a large area, on which the attachments are changed. Polishing should be carried out without pressure, as material on an acrylic base with stone inclusions may lose some of the plastic of the top layer. Intensive processing will result in an uneven surface, as hard stones will protrude from the main plane.

Repair of artificial stone countertops

Be that as it may, artificial material is inferior in strength and hardness to natural stone, therefore, various damages often occur on it. During the period of operation, it is necessary to regularly revise the panel for the appearance of flaws. And in the case of the appearance of small damage, at the initial stage, preventing the development of defects, they should be repaired.

Damage can be different, depending on what material the tabletop is made of - it can be peeling of acrylic stone from the base or the appearance of stains on its surface from hot pots or pans. Mechanical damage is also quite possible.

Detachment can occur when the acrylic sheet adheres poorly to the base, that is, due to negligence made even at the stage of manufacturing the countertop. Chips and scratches are caused by mechanical impact, for example, dropping a heavy or sharp object onto the tabletop. Sometimes cracks may appear on the outer layer of artificial stone, their appearance may be due to its low quality or careless handling of the product.

Acrylic countertops have a fairly high hardness, but sometimes cracks and scratches still appear on them. However, they are easily removed by polishing. To do this, the damage in the artificial stone is filled with polishing paste, and then processed with a grinder with a felt attachment. Polishing is carried out from the ends of the crack or scratch to its central part.

When a chip or deep pothole forms on the artificial stone, an acrylic insert of a suitable size and color is installed in the resulting unevenness. Before installing it, the defect is cleaned, degreased and coated with glue. Then glue is also applied to the insert, it fits into the prepared hole and is pressed. Excess glue is removed, the surface is leveled as much as possible. The repaired area is sanded and polished.

The stain that appears on the surface from a hot pot or kettle can be removed in two ways - this is sanding and polishing, or rinsing the countertop detergent and treatment with isopropyl alcohol. In any case, the gloss during polishing must be shaded over the surface by 250 ÷ 300 mm around the spot in order to finally blur its border.

It is more difficult to cope with the formation of bumps and fistulas on artificial stone, but this is also possible. Work on their elimination is carried out in almost the same way as when repairing chips. The bulge is cut off, and the resulting depression is filled with an acrylic compound, which should dry well. After that, the damaged area is sanded and polished.

Beginners should be warned that operations with any type of artificial stone require accumulated experience. Therefore, having chosen a certain material for the manufacture of a stone countertop, it is worth experimenting, and to begin with, make a small board in compliance with all technology requirements. If the process is successful, then you can move on to large volumes. During the experiment, the novice master will be able to "feel" the material and understand how best to work with it.

At the end of the publication - we suggest watching a video in which the master shares his secret of making an original countertop made of artificial stone.

Video: An Unusual Approach to Making Embossed Artificial Stone Countertops

Natural stone countertops always make a fascinating impression, they are a necessary element of the bathroom and kitchen interior. A variety of shades, sometimes a unique surface pattern - will give your furniture respectability and a very expensive look.

Of course, heavy and laborious to manufacture slabs are quite expensive, the artificial stone alternative saves money and provides a huge selection of both colors and textures.

DIY stone countertop is not fiction

The ability to add one or another filler at the stage of casting the workpiece makes it possible to create a unique countertop with your own hands.

A stone look product is reliable, durable and does not require special maintenance. The only exception is the acrylic countertop, the surface is very sensitive to hot objects.

A heated frying pan without a support can leave a very ugly stain. However, otherwise there are no problems in operation.

At home, you can make a tabletop from:

artificial stone - acrylic or polyester
ceramic tiles with a chipboard base
concrete
chipboard sheet with applied cement mortar

If desired, make a stone slab for home interior it is necessary to solve the following tasks:

decide on the materials for the workpiece
prepare all the necessary tools
create drawing
check for exact size match
fill the slab in compliance with all the necessary conditions
perform a thorough processing of the product
achieve complete identity when installing the slab

Each point must be treated with a common sense. Often, due to non-compliance with the pouring conditions or insufficient processing, the plate is obtained with flaws, or it is not placed at all on the base, requiring cutting or leveling in height.

Here are some tips to make your work easier:

be sure to wear tight clothing and a respirator, especially when
work when working with cement and concrete
it is better to purchase production materials with little
margin to exclude possible loss of time in case of an unsuccessful attempt
decide in advance on the color of the color scheme and / or filler
before pouring, check again that the dimensions are correct

Tools required for work:

measuring devices
building level
drill with a nozzle for stirring the solution (for
small volumes) or concrete mixer
screwdriver for fastening the formwork
trowel, trowel
a sander or a set of uneven grain skins

This is the minimum tool you need to make it.

Adequate space is required for the installation of the frame and formwork, as well as sufficient capacity for mixing mortar and fillers.

Artificial stone slab

Making an artificial stone countertop at home is possible from a purchased base (acrylic plate from different manufacturers) or by mixing the components and the binder resin.

When using a ready-made mixture of liquid stone, do not violate the instructions. In the case of our own production, the standard is mixing two parts of sand with one part of cement (high quality), liquid and filler.

The stone countertop with your own hands, the photo of which is presented here, is not difficult in terms of the complexity of manufacturing.

Formwork is usually made from chipboard sheet. To create a finished edge, an internal seam with plasticine. The entire inner side of the formwork is evenly coated with wax (to prevent adhesion of the liquid acrylic base).

For ease of making the countertop, a chipboard template is used, cut from all sides by 6-8 millimeters.
How liquid stone is applied using a template:

apply the first layer with filler, 1-1.5 mm
after a few minutes a second layer with filler is applied, up to 3 mm
then the final layer is applied, up to 5-6 mm, together with the hardener, filler and dye, the layer is leveled
lower the chipboard template and leave it with a small load for 30 minutes
remove the load and pour in the residual layer of liquid stone, so that the chipboard is covered evenly and equally from above and from the edges
day - for hardening
polish and grind the countertop

Artificial stone slab is the most interesting for making, a large number of colors and fillers allows you to fit it into any.

Light weight and ease of use - these are the advantages for which it is worth taking the time to create it.

Concrete countertop

Often, stone countertops are made with their own hands from concrete, using various fillers. The stove turns out to be heavy and very reliable.

In addition to consumer qualities close to natural stone, such a plate is also much cheaper. And with a quality one, the difference is hardly noticeable.

The manufacturing process itself can be divided into five stages:

mold preparation and lubrication
mixing concrete mortar, adding additives (fillers - granite chips, broken glass, gravel) and color
molding work
solidification of the solution
grinding concrete slab and its final finishing

Manufacturing includes curing time and takes 4 - 5 days on average, the thickness of the concrete slab increases the production time.

To prepare a form for formwork from materials, you will need:

wood planks or planks are likely to be required
additional resurfacing
glass sheet or smooth chipboard with lamination
cement not lower than m400, and even better m500
plasticine used as formwork sealant
lubrication, the simplest option here would be sunflower oil
small crumbs or other filler
wire for reinforcement, if the thickness of the concrete slab requires
filling possible holes in the slab (pipe sections of the required diameter)

The edges of the slab are formed by plasticine in the formwork, and generous grease is applied to all internal surfaces. The mortar with fillers is poured to the middle of the thickness of the slab, then a reinforcing mesh is applied on top and slightly pressed into the solution that is starting to solidify (it is highly undesirable for the mesh to be located close to the edges of the slab).

Final pouring, smoothing of the outer surface and again a break of 2 - 3 days (directly depends on the thickness of the future countertop).

After the slab has finally hardened, the formwork is removed from it and the surface is sanded.

It is best to do grinding in 2 - 3 passes, wetting the surface.

If we consider the most economical and simple option for making a stone countertop with our own hands, this is a chipboard slab, covered with cement mortar, sanded and refined decorative design or just dyed.

A reliable tabletop will last a long time and will not require special efforts under repair, in case of minor scratches or chips. More details can be seen in the video:

Usually countertops with artificial stone imitation are made by hand either for the sake of interest and skill improvement, or in order to master mass production. In any case, it is very important to know the technology, and we want to tell you about the manufacture of "stone" countertops from chipboard with a polyester coating.

A few simple rules

You will need a properly prepared indoor space. In fact, this is the so-called clean room 3x4 meters, the walls and ceiling of which are covered with plastic wrap, and the floor is cleanly swept, washed and does not form dust. The room must have good ventilation, while the temperature is kept at least 25 ° C.

Pay attention to quality control and safety. Work is carried out only in closed clothes with long sleeves. Since the polymerization process is accompanied by an abundant release of styrene, it is possible to work only in cellulose-carbon respirators and goggles, this gas is extremely poisonous. All actions are performed only with rag gloves, there should be no greasy marks and prints.

For work, you will need a strong and stable table 2x2.5 meters and a height of at least 80 cm.Its tabletop is a 16 mm thick chipboard sheet, from the bottom of which a crate of wooden planks 15x60 mm, placed on the edge and forming a grid with a pitch of 35x35 cm. There should be no joints and traces of fastening on the surface, therefore the tabletop is leveled with acrylic putty and finely sanded. The table should be stable, you will have to walk on it, sit on the edge - the tabletop should not bend at the same time.

Form making

First, a drawing of the tabletop in a 1: 1 scale is applied to the table surface with a simple pencil. The places of installation of the sink, niches for insertion, front edges and radius elements are marked.

On the straight edges of the sink, laminated chipboard strips with a height of 55-60 mm are installed. All corners and edges are strictly straight, so the sawing must be done with professional equipment. The planks are fixed strictly along the marking lines using hot melt glue and wooden cubes with outside... This forms the external formwork, for the formation of the radius elements of which flexible plastic plates are used.

After the formation of the outer contour, the formwork of the cutouts for the sink or hob is added to it. If the sink is planned to be cast, it is necessary to acquire an acrylic matrix. It is glued exactly according to the marking with hot melt glue, then pressed to the table by its own weight. Any excess glue that comes out must be cut off with a boot knife.

Sealing and preparation of formwork

The inner surface and edges of the matrix completely determine the shape of the future product, so there should be no flaws on the vertical and horizontal surfaces. The gaps between the planks and planks are sealed with garden pitch, the excess of which is cut off or pressed with a spatula. Vary the same cut edges of the chipboard and all kinds of surface disturbances are sealed, as a result, the form should take the ideal geometry and a smooth surface without flaws. Additionally, on top of the sink matrix, a washer from a garden varnish is installed, which forms a depression in the drain hole.

To form a milling on the front edge, as well as for edging cutouts and washing, you need to use a special steel plate, the corner of which is cut in a negative shape in the manner of a figured spatula. The task is not difficult: the corner of the form is filled with garden varnish, then the figured transition is smoothed with a plate. It is important not to tilt the tool and press its edges firmly against the formwork table.

When the mold is completely ready, a layer of separating wax is applied to it, and after 20 minutes it is polished with a soft cloth and blown with compressed air. Then the entire surface is covered with polyvinyl alcohol from a hand sprayer and left to dry completely. The form is ready to be filled.

Chemistry, resins, mixtures

For the preparation of a high-quality mixture, precise proportioning is very critical. Ingredients are dosed by weight; they need to be weighed with digital scales.

First, the base of the stone is prepared: 30% of the gelcoat is mixed with 70% of the free-flowing filler. You need to stir by hand with a wooden stick, you cannot whip this mixture. After stirring, about a kilogram of base is selected and corked in plastic container as a repair kit. The amount of finished gelcoat is 3.5-4 kg for each m2 of surface.

The second mixture is polyester primer. This is a common polyester resin that is tinted with a dye paste as close to the main color as possible. To strengthen the soil and reduce shrinkage, up to 40% calcite can be added to the resin. The soil will be required from 4 to 6 kg for each m 2 of the countertop, about the same is spent on the average cast sink.

These mixtures can be stored without oxygen for decades, for their hardening, you need to add about 1-2.5% of a hardener (catalyst). If the room temperature is lower than the recommended one, after stirring the catalyst, a small amount of cobalt is added to the mixture. Chemicals for liquid stone are sold in sets and are accompanied by comprehensive information on the mixing technique, proportions and characteristics of the mixture, it is these recommendations that should be followed.

Filling the countertop

First, a gelcoat with a filler is sprayed onto the prepared matrix; at each stage, about 1 kg of the base is mixed with the catalyst. The average pot life after catalyst injection is 15 to 30 minutes. Application is carried out in the thinnest possible layers to avoid the formation of micropores.

First, vertical surfaces are sprayed, while it is necessary to ensure that the composition does not creep, periodically allowing the surface to dry out. Further, the gelcoat is applied with the maximum covering layer on the horizontal areas. Congratulations on your first application. After the surface has polymerized so that a fingerprint remains on it, but the resin loses its stickiness, you can proceed to the second. A total of 3-4 applications are required, at the end an additional gelcoat coating of the vertical front edges is performed.

After 40-50 minutes, the worktop can be poured. Slightly more than a third of the primer is mixed with the hardener, poured into a mold and carefully leveled with a spatula. Then a pre-cut sheet of fiberglass is laid on the ground, pressed and smoothed with a spatula so that the impregnation is maximum. Now you need to leave half of the soil, and the rest is evenly distributed over the fiberglass.

The sink is also coated with soil at this stage, but thicker fiberglass is used to strengthen it.

After gluing the first layer, when the reinforcing fabric is well smoothed and all air bubbles are squeezed out, a chipboard insert is placed in the mold. It is cut to size, 5 mm smaller than the shape and each of its elements; for ease of movement, you can screw several door handles.

Part made of chipboard does not have to be solid, but gaps of more than 5-6 mm are unacceptable. In the liner, you need to make 8-10 holes for square meter with a diameter of 6 mm for the release of excess soil. On top of the chipboard for 10-15 minutes, a bending of about 40 kg / m 2 is installed, you can also spread the liner from the ceiling with thin wooden planks

While the oppression is installed, all cracks and gaps are filled with soil. When the load is removed, half of the remaining soil is poured into the mold, the protruding edges of the fiberglass are folded and another canvas is laid. The rest of the soil is poured over it, they are leveled with a spatula and the tabletop remains to dry and harden for about 14-16 hours.

Grinding and polishing

The next day after pouring, you need to knock down the formwork with a hammer and undermine the countertop by driving a flat spatula under it and pressing it with a pry bar. After that, the sink matrix is removed and the entire tabletop is installed on soft foam blocks. From the seamy side, the contours are carefully cut off and the back side is sanded with P80 and P120 sands.

After that, the table top is turned over and carefully sanded with an alternate increase in grain size from P80 to P420, the best quality of the front surface is achieved by using carborundum as an abrasive. For the treatment of embossed areas and washing under sandpaper a foam pad is installed.

Grinding should be carried out with a disc machine, in the last two stages, the movements are exclusively circular. LBM and tape machines are poorly suited for these purposes. If the worktop is glossy in the project, the final stage will be polishing the stone with a foam rubber wheel with an abrasive paste.

The worktop is a comfortable horizontal work surface that is usually installed in kitchens. It is easier to cook food and do other household chores on it. Instead of buying this thing in stores, you can try to build it yourself on the basis of an artificial stone.

Drawings and dimensions

Before you independently design a countertop, you need to make a ready-made formwork. If the product is to repeat the existing one, then the template is made in accordance with it. If the shape of the new thing is more complicated, then before creating the formwork, you will need to complete its drawing. First, it is done to scale, and then transferred to the base, which has the dimensions of the future product. An approximate design drawing is shown in the picture:

To create a drawing, you must first create a sketch on which the dimensions will be put down. They must be removed from the place where the manufactured product is planned to be installed. The worktop can be divided into several equal parts if it is installed on a corner-type kitchen set. In this case, the formwork still remains one, but it is separated by jumpers. This option is especially relevant when the work is used concrete mix, since large products are formed on its basis.

If the table top has straight corners, then a template can be made for it directly on the spot, without removing the dimensions. In this case, slats of the same length are used, laid out along the old one, and linked together. After that, the manufactured template is transferred to a smooth large table, where the required part will be assembled.

As the lower part of the formwork, you can use old surface... In this case, it is necessary to make sure that the base is strong enough. The walls are fixed on the end sides of the old table.

Required tools and materials

The simplest option is to use sheet acrylic stone. In this case, there is no need to create a formwork, since the artificial stone is already ready for use. Depending on the size of the product, 1-2 sheets are enough. Standard sizes it is 3760X760 mm, while the thickness varies from 3 to 12 mm. The higher it is, the stronger and stronger the material. It's also easier to handle.

Moisture resistant plywood with a thickness of 3 cm is also used. It is not recommended to use chipboard or MDF, since they are prone to swelling under the influence of moisture. This causes damage to the stone or deformation.

To bond the two materials together, a two-part adhesive is required. Approximately 150-200 ml of substance is spent on each sheet of acrylic stone.

To others necessary tools relate:

electric jigsaw;
circular saw for cutting plywood sheets;
clamps;
guides;
roulette;
ruler;
building corner;
pencil;
Sander;
milling manual machine equipped with a carbide-based cutter;
electric drill;
glue gun;
vacuum cleaner.

Step-by-step manufacturing instructions

The dimensions of an acrylic product should be calculated as accurately as possible. Each measurement should be immediately moved to the drawing. Sink openings and cooking panels must be indicated there. If necessary, they are also performed for a mixer or other kitchen utensils.

In order not to be mistaken when transferring the dimensions, a template should be made that has the natural dimensions of the countertop. It is best to use cardboard as a material, the length of which can be increased by connecting the sheets with tape. The creation procedure consists of the following stages:

How to polish

To give the acrylic stone a more natural look, it is necessary to polish the entire product, and mill the end border. The shape is selected based on the acrylic thickness values. Usually rounding is enough for countertops, but there are more complicated reliefs, used mainly for dining rooms or living rooms. After milling, the edges are wiped with medium-grain sandpaper, then with the same material, but already moistened.

The top side of the countertop is polished using the same method as the ends. To grind a large surface, an eccentric type grinder with replaceable attachments is used. Polishing is done carefully, without a stop, since acrylic material interspersed with stones can lose some of the plastic on its surface.

A do-it-yourself artificial stone countertop is easy to manufacture. It looks great and saves money.

When choosing a material for a countertop, special attention is paid to its strength. The finished product must be beautiful, reliable, well resistant to mechanical damage, moisture and chemicals. The stone meets all the requirements as well as possible, but it is very expensive, so it makes sense to choose artificial analogs. They are not perfect and have their own flaws to be aware of. Consider the types, features of materials and figure out how you can make an artificial stone countertop with your own hands

There are many varieties of artificial stone. These are concrete, gypsum, lime mortars, clay bricks. Most often, artificial stone countertops mean the following products:

Artificial stone countertop in the interior

Concrete. The material is successfully used in construction and interior design. This is a great option for making a massive, high-strength countertop that can last for several decades. Using various additives, you can make an aesthetic product that will become a worthy decoration of your kitchen.

Made of ready-made artificial stone. The material can be purchased at the store. It is produced in the form of finished sheets of 3-12 mm. It is fixed on a previously prepared base. The result is a beautiful and durable coating that can withstand severe stress. If scratches appear, it is easy to repair the artificial stone countertop with your own hands.

From ceramic tiles. This type of product will look best in the bathroom, but may become good option design of a kitchen set. Making such a countertop from artificial stone with your own hands is much easier than from concrete or ready-made material. Plywood or OSB is used as a base.

Difference between polymers and natural materials

Artificial stone gained real popularity with the advent of polymeric materials and technologies for their processing. It is used to decorate interiors, facades, landscapes. A beautiful decoration of walls, floors, steps, borders, decorative elements is made of polymers.

Products made of polymers are practically not inferior to natural stone in terms of strength, and their appearance can be even more spectacular thanks to special dyes and additives. As for the convenience of finishing, then polymers also have certain advantages. The material is produced in the form of thin slabs, which simplifies the work, and the finished finish does not create unnecessary stress on the structure.

Artificial stone color and texture

Natural stone has a more porous structure than artificial one. For example, marble absorbs dirt, leaving visible stains from coffee, wine, etc. They can only be removed by polishing. Polymer surfaces are denser, less prone to contamination. Compared to sandstone, they are more durable and do not crack.

The pattern of natural stone is unique and beautiful, but the color range is still limited. The possibilities of people using artificial material are wider. They can choose from polymers with different color additives and broader design potential. Such materials are used to decorate not only countertops, but also kitchen aprons, they are used to create panels.

Artificial stone for the manufacture of countertops

In the photo, artificial stone countertops are indistinguishable from natural products, but this is not their only advantage. There are others:

Uniformity. When using natural stone, you constantly have to select tiles of a suitable shade. With polymers, this problem disappears by itself: the entire surface has the same color and texture.

Size and shape. Tiles of polymer material are manufactured in a predetermined size and shape. This makes it much easier to work with it, because no sawing operations have to be performed.

Smooth lines in the design of the kitchen

Smoothness. Sawing, polishing and sanding hard materials is expensive. Polymers have a smooth surface, so you can reduce the cost of work.

Kitchen apron and worktop in the same style

The ability to use carpentry tools. For processing artificial stone, you can use the usual tools that are found in almost every home.

Minimal waste. By simplifying many material handling operations, a minimum of waste is left. Polymers can be immediately shaped to the desired shape without additional adjustment.

Non-trivial color solutions

Lack of transportation costs. By making artificial marble or do-it-yourself granite, the owner of the premises saves himself the cost of transportation, lifting heavy slabs to the desired floor.

Pleasant temperature. Polymers are warmer and more pleasant to the touch than natural stone. It is more comfortable to work with them.

Note! The cost of artificial stone seems acceptable only in comparison with natural. If we compare its price with the costs of MDF, ceramic tiles, porcelain stoneware, natural wood, then it is noticeably higher. The stone is always quite expensive.

Corner kitchen with composite top

Features of acrylic and agglomerated materials

Distinguish between acrylic and agglomerated artificial stone. Both materials are pleasing to the eye and have their own advantages and disadvantages. Acrylic stone is composed of mineral particles that are joined together using acrylic resin. Agglomerate is a material made from crushed natural stone chips. Usually it is quartz, granite or marble.

What to consider when buying an acrylic stone

Acrylic stone can be made by hand. It's sleek and beautiful, but scratches easily. On glossy dark surfaces, damage is most visible, so when designing a countertop design, not only aesthetics, but also functionality should be taken into account. So, black, gray or brown surfaces will become more expressive if you add inclusions of other tones, at the same time scratches on them will not be conspicuous.

Another drawback of acrylic material is poor resistance to high temperatures. A hot pan can stain the surface and ruin its appearance. On the other hand, regular polishing easily solves the problem. To repair the countertop, it does not need to be removed; deficiencies can be corrected on the spot. All you need is to polish the surface yourself or contact a company that provides such services.

Agglomerates - beauty and durability for centuries

Agglomerated stone is extremely durable. It is used to make luxurious interior items that can serve for decades. They look like a status, but they have a number of disadvantages. The main ones are heavy weight and difficulty in processing. Agglomerates are much more difficult to install than acrylics.

Agglomerated stone countertops are resistant to high temperatures, mechanical damage, dirt. Surfaces cannot be cut with kitchen appliances, but it is still better not to experiment and use special boards and stands. When cleaning, avoid household chemicals containing abrasive substances. Such products leave marks and surfaces lose their soft sheen. The problem can also be solved by polishing.

Advice. When choosing a stone for a countertop, always ask sellers questions about the operating conditions of the products. Be sure to read technical documentation and manufacturer's recommendations. Knowing about the shortcomings of the material, you can decide in advance whether it suits you or should you look for another. Another option is to treat the surface with a special protective compound.

Quartz conglomerate: what's special about it

It is relative the new kind artificial stone. It is stronger than acrylic material and better tolerates high temperatures (up to +150 degrees). It looks like granite or marble and is just as laborious in processing. Quartz conglomerate is produced in the form of slabs. Slabs of 1400x3050 mm are used for tabletops.

Depending on the thickness of the stone and the brand, prices for it can fluctuate between 12-29 thousand rubles per 1 sq. M. The import brands QuartzMaster (Germany), Silestone (Spain), Caesarstone (Israel), HanStone (South Korea), Samsung Radianz (South Korea), Cambria (USA) deserve special attention.

Why choose liquid stone for countertops

Liquid stone is called the facing of the prepared surface with mixtures of polymer resins and special fillers. First, a chipboard sheet is cut out in shape, covered with a primer, and a layer of finishing compound is sprayed on top.

The technology of applying liquid stone is fundamentally different from the manufacture of products with sheet material, which is attached to the surface using a composition of the same color so that the joints are not visible.

The coating is resistant to corrosion, retains its color for a long time, and resists mechanical damage well. Fungi and mold do not grow on the material, it does not absorb dirt. Damaged areas are easy to restore.

The disadvantages of liquid stone include its strong dependence on the changes occurring with the base. Chipboard and fiberboard sheets are subject to deformation under the influence of moisture. Due to the fact that the material is applied in a thin layer, it can change its shape just like the base.

The choice of colors and textures of liquid stone is less than that of acrylic, but many buyers still choose it. The priority in this case is the ease of application of the coating. The buyer can make a one-piece countertop with a liquid stone sink with his own hands. The coating will be neat and seamless.

Original kitchen design with liquid stone

How to make a stone countertop with your own hands

To begin with, they prepare a sketch and a drawing of the future product. When it comes to replacing elements of an existing headset, there are no design problems: you can simply copy old countertop and based on the dimensions obtained, make a new one. If you need to make new furniture, then it makes sense to find on the Web and consider a photo of countertops made of artificial stone. It can enrich with new design ideas.

The simplest option is a rectangular countertop for a linear kitchen. The most difficult thing is to arrange a headset with a U-shaped configuration. If there is no experience, then it is better to entrust the design and manufacture of such furniture professional craftsmen... They will make a solid surface with a sink, on which seams and joints will not be visible.

Stage 1: measure and design

The dimensions for the new tabletop are removed from the headset base. The optimum working surface depth is 600 mm. In this case, it is necessary to take into account the allowance for the end and edge - 5 mm. Accordingly, the depth will be 605 mm.

Next, a sketch of the product is prepared on graph paper. This is a draft; technological holes are not marked in it.

Drawing of a simple rectangular table top

The next stage is the preparation of a cardboard layout at a scale of 1: 1. It is best to take a solid strip of rigid material of the correct size.

The finished model is "tried on", laying in the way it is planned to make a stone countertop. It is important to make sure that there are no gaps between the wall and the cardboard and that the product is not skewed.

If necessary, the layout is adjusted. If the kitchen is angular, then the cardboard blank is cut into pieces.

Stage 2: preparing the form

To make a countertop from an artificial stone with your own hands, you will need a casting mixture and a mold. If the mixture can simply be bought in a store, then difficulties may arise with the form.

The cheapest option is to make the formwork yourself from chipboard. You can also find a polyurethane or silicone mold industrial production... Such expenses will pay off if you plan to use it more than once in the future. For a one-time use, do not spend so much.

Work order:

A template of the future product is made from chipboard, installed on the assembly table.

Chipboard strips are pressed close to the template, and the stops are attached to hot melt glue. It turns out the formwork. Its seams should be sealed with plasticine.

The plasticine is carefully leveled, and the excess is removed. The work should be done as carefully as possible, because the appearance of the edge of the future product depends on it

The finished formwork is thoroughly cleaned, dedusted, and covered with a layer of wax from the inside. It is important that it is uniform, without drops. The wax is needed to separate the hardened mixture from the mold.

The formwork is completely ready for pouring acrylic gel with filler and hardener.

Stage 3: making the countertop

It is necessary to prepare the casting mixture. It consists of resin, fillers, colorants and curing accelerators. All components are mixed strictly in accordance with the manufacturer's recommendations.

The finished mixture is evenly distributed in the formwork. You should get a layer of 5-6 mm.

A chipboard template is placed on top, and a load is placed on it. Care must be taken that the template does not squeeze the casting mixture outward.

The product should be under the load for 25-30 minutes. After that, it is removed, and the next one is poured onto the first layer of the mixture. The resin must flow into the gaps and crevices to form the edges of the countertop.

It will take a day for the mixture to dry. Then the formwork is carefully removed, and the finished product is grinded, polished, and the headset is mounted on the frame.

Casting mixtures and release agents

Plaster mix. Gypsum grades G5 - G7 are suitable. The compositions set quickly, so they are prepared in small portions. To slow down the hardening process, citric acid is used (0.3% by weight of the base material). To select a shade, the components are mixed in different proportions and test samples are made. The best composition for separating the formwork from the product is wax + turpentine (1: 7).
Concrete mix. To prepare such a mixture, alkali resistant pigments are selected. The base is sand (1 part) and cement (3 parts). It is best to use polymer additives to increase strength and abrasion resistance. A suitable release agent is cyatim, emulsol or lithol.
Acrylic blend. It is made from acrylic (1 part) and filler (3 parts). The volume of the pigment should be 2-6% by weight of the filler. A hardener is added to the resin and only then the filler with the pigment. To reduce the cost of manufacturing, you can take crumbs of any breed or gravel as a filler. It is possible to separate the form and the product. Option - a solution of stearin in styrene (1:10).

Advice. The cheapest option is concrete mix. Appearance the finished countertop is not as effective as when using plaster or acrylic, but the product will be durable, repairable and extremely durable. Concrete countertops are forever.

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