This was before we realized our fingers would be taking a beating from all of the sandpaper gripping. Speaking of sanding… the first step was to rough up the existing counters with some high grit sandpaper. Protective gear: During the sanding process the glasses and dust mask helped keep stuff out of our faces (Sherry preferred our heavy duty respirator) while the gloves were great for keeping our fingers from getting crazy raw.We also taped off some areas too (more on that later). Stuff for keeping walls clean: We kept a sponge and paper towels on hand to clean up any drips or splatters on the wall.The big 10″ drywall knife was good for big flat areas, the 4″ putty knife was great for backsplash and edges, while the small guy helped us get into tight spots, like around the sink. Spreading tools: We used the flat trowel (on right) for mixing in the bucket, then used the other three for spreading.Sandpaper: A variety of grits – both high and low, as well as a sanding block for easy gripping.Measuring buckets: We used these (one for water, one for Ardex powder) to make sure we were mixing the right ratio in our red bucket.We made pretty small batches, so this was a great size. Mixing buckets: We used one of these small red buckets for mixing our Ardex (it mixes with water).It’s not easy to come by, but you can hunt for a local distributor on their site or just follow this affiliate link to get it on Amazon. We ended up using 2.5 bags, though I think we applied it a bit thicker than necessary. We took a bunch throughout our four rounds of applying/sanding the Ardex and I’m just using the ones that are most helpful. Forgive our photos for not being chronological. It wasn’t very complicated or difficult, just more labor and time intensive than we realized we were getting ourselves into. Maybe it was because we’re first timers, or maybe it was because our work area was especially large (we were dealing with 45 square feet of counters thanks to the U-shaped area in the cooking zone and the nook area by the table), but it turned out to be a tiring and messy job that spanned across five days. Somewhere between all of their pretty pictures and the low price tag for Ardex ($19 per bag) I had assumed this would be a quick and easy task. We did this using Ardex Feather Finish, which we’ve been really interested in trying since seeing a few other attempts like these from Kara Paslay, Little Green Notebook, Sarah’s Big Idea, and A Beautiful Mess. We haven’t sealed the counters yet (we haven’t been able to track down either of the two products that our research points to using), so the color will probably get a bit deeper after that step. In addition to the main kitchen area, we also gave the concrete treatment to the nearby nook by the eat-in part of the kitchen. We had creamy-yellow laminate (with the occasional burn mark or scratch). Here’s a reminder of what the counters looked like before. It’s giving off kind of a stark/cold vibe in these photos, but after we add some colorful window treatments, stuff on the shelves/counters, and remedy that bad faux brick flooring (and that almond stove) we think it’ll feel like a whole new room. Pictures don’t do it justice, but the whole room feels a lot more updated and less laminate-y. We’re really happy with how they turned out. Sherry shared this quick peek at our first coat in Friday’s post, and we’re back with the final results, the details of how we got there, and an in-action video to hopefully help explain the process. We concrete’d our kitchen’s laminate counters.

If ingested, rinse mouth with clean water and seek medical advice.So we did it. If irritation persists seek medical advice. Dust may be an irritant to eyes, sensitive skin or respiratory system. A suitable face mask should be worn if sanding. The work area must be ventilated or move to fresh air. Keep out of reach of children and animals.Easy to sand in preparation for decorating Designed for jointing plasterboards when drylining and and for levelling wall irregularities.Drying times can be impacted by site conditions/temperatures and/or the thickness of the layer applied, For oil based paints a suitable primer must be used, Clean your tools with clean water after use. Once the surface is clean it will be ready for decorating using matt or silk vinyl paint.

Brush or wipe down the sanded surface to remove any dust created from sanding.

Once set hard, gently rub down using sandpaper. Allow approx 90-120 minutes for the base layer to dry and apply a second layer, finish to achieve a smooth and level surface. Using a trowel apply the first layer - an even surface can be achieved with a skim coat not exceeding 5mm in thickness.

Skim coat countertops with concrete