How much do they costs?
As a general indication of our pricing, its $1,100 per square metre, up to 40mm thick. This includes gst, installation and a two year structural warranty.
How do we get started?
The best way to proceed is that you send us the approximate dimensions of what you are wanting. It’s best to include a basic drawing with the dimensions if the design is not obvious. We don’t need cutout sizes yet. With that we can give you a quote. If you decide to proceed, you can either come to our showroom in Collingwood to see our work and samples. Or you can pay the deposit to get you into our production schedule and we will arrange the measure up day to go over all the details before any work begins. Our lead time is typically around 6 weeks.
It’s not pavement concrete concrete, right?
Pavement concrete = 30mpa (compression strength)
High Performance Concrete = 60mpa
Ultra High Performance Concrete = 80mpa. The concrete we use.
Quality concrete makes the surface more dense, the starting point for us to lock up that surface as tight as possible. Quality concrete also helps us handle and deliver large and difficult pieces.
Can my cabinets support it?
Yes, in nearly all cases your cabinets will be able to support our benchtops. We will advise you if adjustments need to be made. Regardless of the edge thickness appearance, your benchtop's actual thickness will be about 30mm thick. Our High Performance Concrete is a little lighter than normal concrete, but we also use a lot of hidden reductions in thickness where its not needed. Most standard cabinets will support our benches.
Colours?
We will try to match any colour you desire through the use of pigments, and concrete stains for brighter colours. Your benchtops will also be influenced by the amount of sand and aggregate exposed with grinding. Most people today prefer no grinding. Leaving the cream layer for a natural concrete look.
Glossiness, you have a choice of:
glossy
semi-gloss
matt
What sealer do you use?
On our kitchen benchtops we use a polyurethane sealer. It leaves a stunning coating over the concrete and has outstanding stain and abrasive resistance. We have tried many different sealers over the years and have tested this one in the background until it was working good for us. You will have trouble to stain it!
Other concrete surfaces sometimes require different sealers for different conditions. We use many sealers.
“Digitizedconcrete built our amazing polished concrete benches for our new kitchen. The service was great and the product went well beyond meeting our expectations. We would highly recommend these guys for anyone wanting polished concrete!”
— Matt Ferrara, Nurrabunda
Jamie took the time to listen to our concerns, provided guidance on our choices along the way and gave regular updates on progress. We would highly recommend Jamie and would not hesitate to use Digitizedconcrete again in the future”
— Ray and Christine Hezkial, Harrison
“Jamie made and installed our polished concrete kitchen and laundry benchtops and we couldn’t be happier with the result! He was very professional and very accommodating with us as we changed our minds many times. He worked with us to find the right colour and pattern by making many samples for us. Jamie is very passionate when it comes to finding the right design for his customers. His experience was very appreciated making sure we ended up with a benchtop strong enough to accommodate our extremely large sink (commercial size). When it came to installation, he was meticulous with his measuring and templating. The install only took a couple of hours and our three benches (large kitchen L, coffee station and laundry) all fit snuggly. The benchtops have been installed for a number of months now and with two kids and a clumsy husband they still look as good as they did on the day of install. Jamie was a pleasure to deal with and the overall result was fantastic. We will definitely be return customers for our next project!”
— Adam and Michelle Bryant
“Jamie - We wanted to thank you again for the wonderful concrete benches and table tops you produced for Eighty/Twenty, we still get compliments most days about them! From the moment we engaged in you, we recieved a professional and creative service that kept us assured of our desired results. We were blown away by your ability to customize our benches with your computer skills. Your design changes to our logo to fit the space and have it protruding out of the bench really gives the cafe an established and permanent feel. Thanks again Jamie, we are happy to recommend you to anyone wanting polished concrete”
— Tihana and Klarisa, Eighty/Twenty Cafe
Concrete sealer types - the pros and cons
February 11, 2016
This is a guide I've been wanting to put together to help my clients better understand concrete sealing options. This is a high level guide covering the two most important features of concrete sealing for the home-owner - aesthetics and performance. For concrete benchtops I encourage people to use our polyurethane sealer for both its aesthetics and durability.
This is not a brand specific guide, its focus is on the different types, as many brand of one type will have similar characteristics. I hope you find it useful.
Penetrators
Penetrating sealers completely soak into the concrete and will not leave any coating or film on top. There a numerous types of penetrating sealers, but they generally make liquids bead on the surface. Its final look is completely dependent on the final polish of the concrete - raw, matt through to a high polish. Some will darken the concrete.
Stain resistance - poor on raw concrete but good on highly polished and exposed aggregate concrete.
Heat resistance - good
Scratch resistance - very good, you are scratching the stone
Outdoors use - yes
Aesthetics - slight enhancement
Acrylics
On polished concrete acrylics will sit on the surface and create a coating. Solvent based acrylics will give you a deep wet look and water based will look more dry.
Stain resistance - average
Heat resistance - average
Scratch resistance - poor
Outdoor use - yes
Aesthetics - semi gloss to high gloss, a slightly plastic look and feel
Polyurethanes are also pretty easy to repair.
Reactive Hybrids
Hybrid concrete sealers both penetrate and ever so slightly coat the surface. It leaves the concrete feeling like it should - as concrete. My preferred sealer for kitchen benchtops.
Stain resistance - good
Heat resistance - good
Scratch resistance - good
Outdoor use - yes
Aesthetics - matt to high gloss, looks and feel like concrete
Epoxies leave a plastic look, are very stain resistant but they can peel away from the surface.
Penetrating sealing leaves water beading on the surface.
Wax
Wax by itself is not a very effective concrete sealer, don't use it. It can be used in combination with a penetrating sealer, but this is still on the lower end of stain resistance and not ideal for concrete kitchen benchtops. Wax can be polished to a high gloss.
Stain resistance - poor
Heat resistance - poor
Scratch resistance - poor
Outdoor use - not really
Aesthetics - raw to high gloss
Polyurethanes
Creates a coating over the concrete but only a slight plastic look to it. Its tougher for scratches than acrylics. This type is our go to for kitchen benchtops.
Stain resistance - very good
Heat resistance - good
Scratch resistance - average/good
Outdoor use - yes
Aesthetics - semi to high gloss
Epoxies
Epoxies are a 2 part component sealer. They leave a thick coating and have high performance. Aesthetically, they leave a high gloss and give off a plastic look.
Stain resistance - very good
Heat resistance - poor
Scratch resistance - good
Outdoor use - no
Aesthetics - high gloss only, a plastic look
Created by Jamie O'Toole at Digitized Concrete
Understanding Concrete and Stone Surfaces for High-End Kitchen Benchtops
When selecting materials for high-end kitchen benchtops, it’s important to understand the characteristics of concrete and stone surfaces. All surfaces, regardless of material, will eventually show signs of wear such as stains and scratches if mishandled or used over time. However, natural stone and concrete are porous by nature and are more prone to staining, even when sealed, compared to materials like glass or certain plastics. That said, when polished, these surfaces are highly resistant to scratching if cared for properly.
Types of Concrete Surfaces
Concrete surfaces generally fall into two main categories:
Raw Concrete
Exposed Aggregate
Raw Concrete (The Cream Layer)
Raw concrete surfaces maintain the cream layer of the concrete, which is the topmost, minimally ground layer. This finish is highly favored for its aesthetic appeal, offering a sleek and subtle look compared to the busier appearance of terrazzo or exposed aggregate. However, preferences are subjective and vary from person to person.
While raw concrete is visually striking, it is slightly softer than exposed aggregate or natural stones, with a hardness comparable to marble. This softness makes it more susceptible to staining. Unfortunately, penetrating sealers, which are often used for other surfaces, do not work effectively on the cream layer. This is because the cream layer doesn’t allow the sealer to penetrate deeply enough to protect against stains.
To seal raw concrete and protect it from staining, a protective coating is required. However, this coating is softer than the concrete itself and can scratch more easily. Therefore, with raw concrete, you essentially choose between prioritizing stain resistance or scratch resistance. For the best results, we recommend using our polyurethane sealer, which offers excellent stain resistance and is the most durable coating we’ve tested.
Exposed Aggregate Concrete and Polished Stones
Exposed aggregate surfaces and polished natural stones are more robust when it comes to scratch resistance. These surfaces are sealed with penetrating sealers, which are widely used in the natural stone industry. Penetrating sealers are particularly effective at preserving the surface’s natural scratch resistance while providing moderate stain resistance.
Exposed aggregate finishes involve grinding down the concrete to reveal the sand and aggregates beneath the cream layer. This creates a textured, durable surface that works well with penetrating sealers, offering a balanced compromise between stain and scratch resistance.
Balancing Stain and Scratch Resistance
It’s important to note that no sealer provides perfect stain and scratch resistance for stone or concrete surfaces. Each type of sealer involves trade-offs:
Protective Coatings (used on raw concrete): Better stain resistance but prone to scratching.
Penetrating Sealers (used on exposed aggregate and polished stones): Better scratch resistance but average stain resistance.
Conclusion
When choosing a concrete or stone benchtop surface, consider both aesthetics and functionality. Raw concrete offers unparalleled beauty but requires careful sealing and maintenance to prevent stains and scratches. Exposed aggregate concrete and polished stones provide a more durable option, with a balance between stain and scratch resistance. Ultimately, the choice depends on your priorities and how you plan to use the surface. For optimal results, we recommend consulting with professionals to ensure the right sealer is applied for your specific needs.
