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Professional Dallas, GA on Mar 11, 2012

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Here is a concrete countertop with sliding cutting board

This Countertop has a sliding cutting board over the sink, it can be removed when not in use but it gives a good look that is pretty unique. The homeowners couldnt find a new sink they wanted in time for the install so we just installed the cheapest stainless steel sink made until they get what they want. I was actually shocked (along with the homeowner) that the sink didnt look bad at all.

26 Comments Displaying 25 of 26 comments | See Previous

Burco Surface & Decor Dallas, GA

I love cutting boards too, yours sounds nice. We are actually trying to find a company to make nice cutting boards to the dimensions we need to fit the slides we build into countertops. We can make great things with concrete, but wood working isnt our specialty. We just dont have the wood working tools to make one like a wood shop.

on Mar 11, 2012 · Like 0
KMS Woodworks Nederland, CO

custom is not a problem...
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kmswoodworks/se...
http://www.etsy.com/listing/36882961/mixed-h...

on Mar 11, 2012 · Like 0
Burco Surface & Decor Dallas, GA

I will call you this week where we can talk more about it.

on Mar 11, 2012 · Like 0
Peace Painting Co., Inc. Alpharetta, GA

I like the concrete tops.
Do you have to keep them sealed?
CP

on Mar 11, 2012 · Like 0
Core Landscape Group, Inc. Atlanta, GA

Really nice, do you have a ballpark s/f price for concrete countertops? How does it compare with say granite in terms of cost? Thanks

on Mar 11, 2012 · Like 0
Burco Surface & Decor Dallas, GA

We seal everything before it leaves the shop, how much it needs resealing in the future will depend on the care the countertops get. They will not need to be resealed for many years if they are not used to cut on(some people do it), cleaned repeatedly with a steel wool pad, or basically abused. They need the same type of resealing as granite would need. We dont use topical sealers period. Typically we dont use a penetrating sealer topped with wax unless the customer wants their countertops ...»
to develop a patina as quick as possible. The sealer we use does not alter the appearance of the concrete like topical sealers, nor does it make the concrete look like it has a plastic coating put over it. We polish to get the desired level of gloss then seal. The sealer we use is a reactive sealer, it is 100% food safe and it by far provides the best protection out of all the sealers on the market. I have poured muratic acid and acetone on a sealed piece, left it for a few hours, come back wiped it off and you could not tell where the acid or acetone had been poured.
as far as sq.ft. price, a good ball park figure for basic concrete countertops is around $50-$65 sq.ft. Of course the more custom it gets the more it will cost.

on Mar 11, 2012 · Like 1
Burco Surface & Decor Dallas, GA

here is a better picture of these countertops before they left the shop, The lighting in the house along with the unfinished walls and backsplash made pictures difficult to take.
on Mar 11, 2012 · Like 0
Steve G Fort Collins, CO

How easy is it to clean on and under this cutting board? It seems tricky.

on Mar 11, 2012 · Like 0
Burco Surface & Decor Dallas, GA

Takes less than a second to remove, you just pick it up. you can put it in the dishwasher if you want.

on Mar 11, 2012 · Like 0
Steve G Fort Collins, CO

OK, I couldn't tell it was removable from the photos.

on Mar 11, 2012 · Like 0
KMS Woodworks Nederland, CO

Never put wood cutting boards in the dishwasher...the heat and water are killers. Hot water scrub then towel dry....treat with mineral oil as needed. This conditions the wood, is food safe and prevents "sticking" of some materials and makes clean up a snap.
BTW .... Wood cutting boards have been tested against plastic cutting boards and are better at being "cleaner" for germs and such. ...»

Here is a study from UC Davis food lab.
http://faculty.vetmed.ucdavis.edu/faculty/do...

on Mar 12, 2012 · Like 1
Burco Surface & Decor Dallas, GA

That's good to know, thanks for the advise. I didn't know the dishwasher was bad for cutting boards. I won't be putting mine in there anymore!

on Mar 12, 2012 · Like 0
Burco Surface & Decor Dallas, GA

Is mineral oil all you use on cutting boards? What about the stuff at home depot thats made for butcher block, I cant remember the name of it, or is it just mineral oil being called something else? Is there anything that you should not use to seal a cutting board, poly?

on Mar 12, 2012 · Like 0
Karen S Morgantown, WV

I would not use mineral oil on cutting boards mad or wood. I would use veg. oil. Think the mineral oil would get into the food and not be so good.

on Mar 12, 2012 · Like 0
Burco Surface & Decor Dallas, GA

KMS said its food safe, he does it for a living so i imagine its ok for contact with food.

on Mar 12, 2012 · Like 0
KMS Woodworks Nederland, CO

Karen S...the trouble with vegetable oil finishes is they tend to get rancid, this can "flavor" foods prepped there with this "off taste" Mineral oil does not get rancid and is "flavor" neutral. As far as "food safe" mineral oil is actually consumed as a natural laxative and is sold in drug stores for that primary purpose. The amounts used to treat a cutting boards are minimal. I use about a tsp to treat my 18 x 26" board. This is rubbed in with a 2" sq of paper towel...then after ...»
about 10 min to be fully absorbed the excess is wiped away with the rest of the paper towel. I do this treatment "as needed" which in our home is about every 2-3 months.
Burco...most butcher block "oil" treatments are mostly mineral oil...some add a little lemon oil or bees wax, some more exotic "fragrant" oils like rosemary...it adds a pleasant smell...but is most marketing. The Mineral oil does the grunt work.
I'm not the only one to shy away from veggie oils on cutting boards...the following link is from one of the larger producers of butcher block counters around. They offer a "commercial" cutting board oil that is "souped" up mineral oil as well as recommending plain ol mineral oil.
http://www.mapleblock.com/detail/butcher-blo...

on Mar 12, 2012 · Like 0
Karen S Morgantown, WV

KMS....Thanks for the info. Never had a problem with the oil on my cutting board. I wash it after every use with hot water and soap.

on Mar 13, 2012 · Like 0
KMS Woodworks Nederland, CO

Karen...I avoid the "soap" with my cutting boards...its far worse at tainting foods. Keep in mind that soaps are designed to remove oils, due to the hydrophillic / hydrophobic nature of the soap itself. If you use soap on your cutting board you set your self up with a never ending cycle of adding oil and then washing it away...back to adding it again. I never use soap on my cast iron cookware for the same reason. The patina and "seasoned" nature of cast iron is a lot like the good ...»
"seasoning " of a well oiled cutting board...hence my oiling every 2 months of so.

on Mar 13, 2012 · Like 0
SheilaG, Plum Doodles Acworth, GA

Ok, I'm off topic now, but KMS, you mentioned that you don't use soap on your cast iron pans- do you just use hot water on them? I've always used hot soapy water, but have noticed the seasoning is affected. How do you get things like bacon grease off them, or is it ok to leave a residue? Won't that get rancid just like the cutting board?

on Mar 13, 2012 · Like 0
KMS Woodworks Nederland, CO

I use really really hot water on my cast iron, and a green kitchen scrubbie. These pans are used nearly every day and the heat cycle "seasons" them with this frequent use....a cutting board's oil is not "refreshed" as often and therefore has a longer time to fester and become rancid...
When cooking with acidic things ( tomato based pasta sauce or soups) the seasoning is affected more dramatically on the cast iron...In many of those post cleaning events I will hit them with a ...»
little veggie oil and do a quick stove top Mini-seasoning. Then after it cools a bit put them away.

on Mar 14, 2012 · Like 1
SheilaG, Plum Doodles Acworth, GA

Thanks! I guess my problem is that I don't use mine often enough (or any cooking utensils for that matter....).My grandmother always washed hers with soapy water and never had a problem, but like you, she used it every day.

on Mar 14, 2012 · Like 0
Peace Painting Co., Inc. Alpharetta, GA

Kevin, you would make a great Boy Scout leader, it already sounds like you've been reading the handbook.

on Mar 14, 2012 · Like 0
Burco Surface & Decor Dallas, GA

I know whos house i want to come eat at. To know that much about how to clean pots and pans you have to know even more about how to prepare the food going inside them! What times dinner?

on Mar 14, 2012 · Like 0
KMS Woodworks Nederland, CO

Burco...you bring the Beer...I'll put on some of my special Teriyaki smoked Fajitas.
Some of our favorites are our "cowboy" cobbler, and the Slow Roasted Dutch Oven Turkey.
http://kmswoodworks.wordpress.com/2010/11/17... ...»

http://kmswoodworks.wordpress.com/2010/06/17...

on Mar 15, 2012 · Like 0
Burco Surface & Decor Dallas, GA

I had a feelIng you might have a few good receipes up your sleeve. Anybody that knows how to clean a pot like what you were talking knows how to cook. Me on the other hand, I'm a soap and water guy, I can grill and use the microwave.

on Mar 15, 2012 · Like 0