by LWellborn
Asked on Aug 27, 2016
Using a cement board as a countertop
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Answered
Can you use a cement board (I.e. Hardie board, Duroc) on top of the original countertop and seal it to get a "cement" countertop? If so, will it be heat resistant?
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No
It would be rough, not really suitable for a counter top. You might be able to skim coat and seal it though, and you would have to find a way to finish the edges.
Cement is closer to drywall than it is to concrete. It has paper, top and bottom, like drywall so it would not be suitable for your purpose.
Decided not to try it.
I got around to doing the bars ( https://www.hometalk.com/35268069/one-shipping-crate-equals-two-home-bars?r=2). The discussion will reveal some pluses and minuses, but for the most part I am quite happy. The one I sealed with acrylic varnish became blotchy and then had to be painted to look like concrete and then sealed with oil based polyurethane. The second one just has multiple coats of the urethane and looks like light colored concrete. Consequently it is only as heat resistant As the polyurethane.
5/8/2019. Please see my recent reply to Peter- I ended up replacing the cement board with reclaimed lumber, primarily for aesthetics.
One Shipping Crate Equals Two Home Bars.
Peter,
i just wanted to let you know that I replaced the cement board with reclaimed lumber and then they sold. I think it was an aesthetics, not functionality. One I did with acrylic varnish- it was quite blotchy and I over sprayed it with some gray, silver, and black spray paint. It looked uniform and had the color of concrete, but didn’t really look like concrete.
the other I sealed with oil base polyurethane and it really took on an amber hue- kind of an old Formica look.
From a durability point of view, I don’t see why you couldn’t coat it with epoxy. I simply don’t know what it will look like.
Best wishes.
John
Thanks, John, for your quick reply!