How to get the concrete look — without the drawbacks — SteedForm

1*0yqhv-JE4WtGxNvgXCkAag.jpeg — Cloudburst Concrete by Caesarstone, photographed in our Wingfield showroom.

Thanks to the rise of industrial and rustic style kitchens — concrete bench tops are everywhere. The issue? They come with a fair few cons.

I know what you’re thinking — ‘what, a surface that is used for driveways can’t withstand everyday kitchen use?!’ Oddly enough, in some ways, no!

Concrete as a bench tops major issues —

Susceptible to stains & scratches.

Almost all surfaces stain and scratch — the thing with concrete is that it really shows. The reason is because it’s a porous material, meaning it absorbs liquids and bacteria easily.

Think of it like this — if you put a wine bottle on your bench top and it left a ring of red — could you live with it?

They require maintenance

In order to avoid these stains and scratches you will need to be pretty regimented with your care routine — and not everyone has time for that. You will need to get your bench top sealed on install, and continue to re-seal it every three years. You should also wax your tops monthly and only clean with products that won’t harm your sealer.

They can crack

Possibly the biggest con is that — cracks can happen. There are ways to go about reducing their likelihood, and there are ways to fix imperfections, but both will come at an additional cost.

Despite their shortcomings — concrete bench tops are still popping up everywhere. They are a modern solution to the vein craze, and undoubtedly, look great.

But, how can you get the look without these issues? Well, we have one answer — Caesarstone’s Concrete Series.

Check out the video below to have a look at all the colours — Fresh, Rugged, Raw, Cloudburst & Sleek.

Caesarstone describe the Concrete Series as a response ‘to the growing trend for an industrial utilitarian aesthetic.’

What does Caesarstone’s quartz lookalikes have that concrete don’t?

Low maintenance, high performance

These bench tops, despite offering the appearance and texture of concrete, are easy to clean and never need sealing. This is due to them being a man made quartz surface.

Everything you’ve ever heard about Caesarstone’s ease of care/maintenance apply to their Concrete Series — a major win for people who want the look, without the hassle.

It can be a more affordable option

Man made concrete bench tops come at a pretty penny. The price is a direct result of the time and energy that is required for an individual to set and perfect the top.

Caesarstone’s inclusion of concrete inspired benchtops means that the look just got a little cheaper. Liam Holland, SteedForm’s Stone Estimator, told us that three of the colours in particular — Sleek, Raw & Fresh — come in at a very affordable price point.

Three of the colours are consistent.

One thing about Concrete, is that it can have major inconsistencies across the pour. Some people love this look (and for those who do check out the next point) but others want a seamless look across their surface.

For those who want even and ‘matching’ panels, three of the concrete series colours (sleek, raw & fresh) are consistent across every panel. Meaning if you need a join, it should match nicely.

Two of the colours can give you the spontaneity of hand-poured concrete.

Continuing from above, if you hate consistency and are all about the spontaneity that hand-poured concrete can give, then colours Cloudburst and Rugged are for you.

Both of these colours go through a process that leave them with concrete-like texture, and also result in complete individuality. This means that Cloudburst and Rugged will never produce two panels identical to the last. Pretty cool!

Whilst there’s no denying that the real-deal is stunning — if you’re looking for a product with a few more guarantees — then check out the Caesarstone Concrete Series, available from SteedForm!

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