concrete counters sealed again

Time to seal the concrete…

Since this will be my third attempt at sealing my concrete countertop, I decided to go with the specific product intended to seal concrete.

Unfortunately, after applying it I realized it wouldn’t be durable enough for me. The surface still absorbed water even after three coats of sealer.  When I wiped the counter with a wet washcloth it absorbed water and darkened.  Which means oil will also absorb into the surface and leave permanent stains.

On to plan D.  The wax was not good for heat and oil.  The polyacrylic was good at repelling water and oil from the top, but the oil from the previous coat seeped up from underneath.  Plus it seemed to sit on top of the concrete and not really soak in and penetrate it.  Therefore it started to chip leaving raw concrete which then absorbed oils.

This leads me to oil based polyurethane.  What do I  have to lose?  I figure if it’s oil based then it will penetrate the cement and it should resist water, right?  Oil and water don’t mix.

So, that’s just what I did.  I had a quart in the garage already so I went for it.  The first coat soaked in so much that it appeared to leave raw spots.  I sanded with 220 grit sandpaper between each coat.  I’m down three coats so far and it’s looking really nice and water beads up nicely.It’s still wet in the photo above.  I used a small all purpose roller because I didn’t want any pesty brush strokes.  I applied extra layers on the inside edge next to the stove in hopes of keeping it from staining again.

I managed to get four coats down.  It looks much better and it feels like butta.

I left a lot of the surface texture…

The cement has some variation in color that may change with time.  We’ll see.  All in all, I still really like the finished product, even if it has to be re-applied once a year.  You just can’t beat the price point.

I’d love to hear what kind of results others are having with this feather finish technique after living with it for some time.  I’m really curious about using it in a sink like this post.  How does it get clean?

I think it’s a fabulous solution for a dry area like a laundry room or play room.  However, I’ve really put it to hard use in my kitchen!  I don’t think there’s another place in my house that gets more traffic than my kitchen island.  Specially because my stove is smack dab in the center and I’m everything but careful about spills and drips.  Nor am I quick to wipe up said spills and drips.  So, if your thinking about this finish for your kitchen I highly recommend it.  I don’t have it directly around my sink but I think as long as your sink is not integrated it would be great.