Countertop Maintenance

Once your countertop is installed, you’ll want to take care of it. If left in its natural state, concrete is porous and will stain. Therefore, concrete countertops are sealed for water and stain resistance, and care should be taken to preserve that seal. There are a number of things to keep in mind:

• Don’t cut on concrete countertops. Though your knife wont hurt the concrete, it will damage the sealer and allow water and staining liquids to penetrate. Always use cutting boards.

• Avoid placing hot pans on concrete countertops. Concrete is very heat resistant, but again, the concern is damage or discoloration of the sealer.

• Consider asking your contactor to build in trivets of steel, brass, or copper. These not only contribute to the total design of your countertop and kitchen, but they’re functional too.

• Avoid abrasive soaps or cleaners.

Daily Care and Cleaning

• Pre-cast element surfaces should be wiped down immediately and regularly, to minimize long term exposure to oils and acids that may discolor the surface.
• Clean using any mild, non-abrasive, non-ammoniated products.
• Soap scum and hard water build-up can be removed with a mild solution of cold water and vinegar or CLR.

Like any other material, concrete has properties that require special care and attention. One of the biggest questions that comes up is whether concrete countertops will develop cracks. The answer: not always, but concrete countertops can develop hairline cracks. These tend to be more non structural and result from the natural shrinkage of the concrete. Many people view this unpredictable, imperfect quality as one of the many assets of concrete.

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