What Do I Need Wizard - Countertops

Not sure exactly what to buy for your concrete countertop project? This guided ordering wizard does the thinking for you. Answer a few questions about your project and we'll recommend the right products — and the right quantities — for every step, from forms to sealer. Tap any product for full details and reviews.

1. Countertop Forms

Step one is to select your edge forms. Tell us about your countertop edge and backwall, and we'll recommend the right form packages. Different forms will provide different edge profiles.

ft
ft

2. Concrete Mix

Enter your total square footage and pick a mix. We'll calculate how many bags you need. Select either White Countertop Mix or Liqui-Crete .

sq ft
Which mix should I use?
  • White Countertop Mix — all-in-one 47 lb bag, just add water (and color if desired). Extremely high strength but heavy to ship. Required if you want white countertops, but easy to pigment with any color thanks to its white base.
  • Z Liqui-Crete admix — combined with a store-bought 60 lb bag of Quikrete Sand/Topping Mix. Makes the concrete more flowable and stronger. Base color is natural light gray. Not compatible with EuroForms.

3. Accessories

Reinforcement, clips, screws, and sink hardware.

sq ft

4. Coloring

Pick a colorant based on the look you want and whether your countertop will be indoor or outdoor. If you want to leave the natural color of the concrete (white or light gray depending on mix), skip this section.

sq ft
Which colorant should I use?
  • Terra-Tint — integral color, best for solid uniform results. 1–4 scoops per bag of mix (2 = standard, 4 = darker). ~20 scoops per bucket.
  • Color-Pack — integral color, pre-dosed for one bag of White Countertop Mix or one box of Liqui-Crete. Do not exceed 1 box per bag/box of mix. Swatches were made with White Mix, so colors with Liqui-Crete (gray base) will differ. Black color is Indoor only.
  • Aqua-Stain UV — topical stain. Deep, vibrant colors, great for mottled effects, mixable, indoor or outdoor. ~50–75 sq ft per bottle.
  • Aqua-Tint Dye — topical dye. Deep penetration with lighter, mottled colors. Indoor only. ~50–75 sq ft per bottle.

5. Sealers

Sealers protect your countertop. Pick a finish (satin, semi-gloss, or high-gloss) and tell us whether the project is indoor or outdoor — we'll narrow the options.

sq ft
Which sealer should I use?
  • SiAcryl 14 — water-based penetrating sealer with a natural low-luster (satin) finish. Indoor or outdoor. Very little darkening. Best when you want a natural look. Apply 3–4 coats.
  • Aqua-Thane M35 — two-part polyurethane, satin finish, excellent stain/abrasion/UV resistance. Indoor or outdoor (covered areas only). Slight darkening on colored concrete only. Apply 2 coats.
  • Aqua-Poxy — water-based epoxy, semi-gloss finish, little to no darkening. Indoor only. Can be built up with multiple coats or used as a primer under Ultra Z Poxy. Apply 2–3 coats.
  • Aqua-Thane G40 — high-gloss polyurethane. "Wet look" — darkens concrete significantly. Indoor or outdoor (covered areas only). Excellent durability. Apply 2 coats.
  • Ultra Z Poxy — high-build epoxy coating with crystal-clear high-gloss finish. Indoor only. Maximum scratch and heat resistance. Use Aqua-Poxy as primer to prevent darkening.
  • Counter-Shine — a superficial polish that adds gloss to a sealed surface. Only use over SiAcryl 14 (or a similar penetrating sealer) to increase gloss. Choose one sealer for your project — the only exception is pairing SiAcryl 14 + Counter-Shine.

6. Texturing

Add a textured edge (form liner) or textured top (texture mat). You can do one, both, or neither.

A few notes
  • Form liners only work with Square Edge forms (Standard, EuroForm, or Commercial). Each form liner comes in sizes matching those form profiles — we'll auto-select the right one.
  • If you pick a woodgrain form liner, we'll only show the woodgrain texture mat (so your edge and top match).
  • Polyester Mounting Tape is needed to adhere form liners to the inside of the forms.
  • Z Release is needed as a release agent when pressing texture mats into the top.

7. Tools

Choose whether you need finishing tools and we will recommend the correct ones based on your selections. We always recommend a mixer, Vibra-Blade, and Trowel-Slick regardless.

8. Sanding / Polishing

Choose your finishing approach: wet polish for an exposed-aggregate look, or dry sanding for a smooth, uniform finish.

Which abrasive should I use?
  • Grit-Disc (silicone carbide sandpaper) — for light sanding to remove minor imperfections and dustiness. Used on a random-orbit sander.
  • Diamond-Disc (electroplated diamond pads) — for more intense sanding and minor aggregate exposure. Used on an orbital sander.
  • Diamond Polishing Pads — used on a wet polisher to grind and polish the surface to a very smooth finish (required for full wet polishing).
  • Gem-Pad — diamond hand pad for easing edges and removing burs / sharp corners. Useful regardless of finishing method.

9. Support Brackets

Support brackets are needed for bar overhangs, knee walls, and any countertop section requiring extra support.

Spacing tip

Brackets should be placed roughly every 24 inches to properly support an overhang.

10. Grills, Griddles & Access Doors

Building an outdoor kitchen? Add a Broilmaster grill, griddle, or stainless access door to your project.