how much does a Concrete Countertop Cost?

The cost to install a concrete countertop can range from $60 - $130 per square foot. This cost includes building the forms, designing, pouring, and finishing the concrete as well as installation. 

What you're paying for mostly is the skill and experience of the concrete contractor installing your countertop, not the materials and supplies needed to build it.

The average cost to have a concrete countertop installed is around $7500.00 with a low range of $5000 and a high range of $10,000.

the average cost to install concrete countertops

$60 - $100 Per Sq. Ft

Basic gray concrete countertop

Has rounded or square edges

Sanded smooth or lightly polished

Clear matte or gloss sealer for finish

$100 - $130 Per Sq. Ft

Gray or colored countertop

Adding glass, Shells, or other objects

Higher polish - exposed aggregate

Clear matte or gloss sealer for finish

$130 - More

More thickness or unique mix design

Special design like higher back splash

Adding special aggregate or inlays

Highly polished - matte or gloss sealer

Cost of concrete countertops diy

$500 - $1000 to diy a concrete countertop 25 - 30 square feet total

There's no question you can diy a concrete countertop and save a lot of money. 

Just know it is a lot of work and there are some unique skills required that involve knowing how to work with concrete that will either make or break you as far as your final outcome.

With that said, if you do the research and are handy with forming, working with power tools & pouring concrete, you can save thousands of dollars doing your own concrete counters.

Average cost of materials for diy concrete countertop 25 sq ft

7 bags Quikrete 5000

2 Sheets Melamine for forming

Caulking

Concrete color

Misc. supplies & tools/rentals

Total diy cost:

$40.00

$60.00

$12.00

$42.00

$350.00 may vary for your situation

$500.00 

Check out this diy concrete countertop by Pete. He demonstrates how to install your own in this video!

cost comparison of concrete countertops vs other countertops

CONCRETE

LAMINATE

TILE

CORIAN

GRANITE

QUARTZ

MARBLE

$60 - $130 PER SQ FT

$19 - $49 PER SQ FT

$21 - $69 PER SQ FT

$49 - $89 PER SQ FT

$71 - $150 PER SQ FT

$79 - $139 PER SQ FT

$109 - $240 PER SQ FT

The above cost comparisons are average costs to install various types of countertops with the average costs taken from multiple different sites in the web.

pros and cons of concrete countertops

PROS:

  1. Can be custom made to any size or shape to fit your needs and desires.
  2. Concrete is very scratch and heat resistant.
  3. Can make unique designs using glass, shells, stone, color, and fiber-optic lighting.
  4. If sealed properly they're easy to clean up and maintain.
  5. Can add to home value.

CONS:

  1. Initial cost can be expensive to install (unless you diy it :)
  2. May need to be sealed every year.
  3. Very heavy to install - may need to reinforce existing cabinets.
  4. Cracking is a possibility and repairs can be difficult to do.

the cost to hire a concrete countertop contractor

All Concrete countertop costs will vary in price among the many different contractors who build them.

I'll give you the perspective from one, my friend, Jon Meade of Jon Meade Design. Jon has been building and installing concrete countertops for 15 years.

He's built many kinds of concrete countertops from plain gray with a polished finish to highly decorative with special stone, glass or metal embedded into the surface and polished to a gloss finish.

He builds and installs them in homes, bars, restaurants, villas, condos, and much more.

Although each concrete countertop he builds is unique, the average cost of a concrete countertop he builds is $100.00 dollars per square foot.

The one below is a basic colored concrete countertop Jon installed for a customer's kitchen.

What's included in a basic concrete countertop price?

  1.  His own high strength mix design
  2.  Rebar, mesh, and fiber reenforcement
  3.  2 inch thick countertop
  4.  Countertop precast in his own shop
  5.  Concrete stain if a color is desired
  6.  Densifier/Hardener for the concrete
  7.  Polished up to a 3000 grit finish
  8.  Delivery & installation
  9.  Maintenance & care instructions


If you're comparing costs between concrete countertops and granite, marble, or corian, you're not really comparing apples to apples.

Concrete countertops are hand crafted every step of the way. The forms are made by hand, the mix is poured and leveled by hand, the concrete is colored, finished, and polished by hand. You just don't get that kind of unique quality from any other type of material.

Try incorporating a drain board into granite or embedding decorative glass, sea shells, or stones you found at the beach into marble or achieving the translucent effects of concrete stain on corian, you just can't get the same desirable looks that you can by using concrete for your countertop.

So the question is, is the concrete countertop cost of $100.00 dollars per square foot a lot of money or is it a bargain?

I think it's a bargain.

As you get quotes for concrete countertop prices, make sure the estimate is hand written in proposal or contract form and very detailed as to what is included in the price and what is not.

If you're trying to decide how to choose a concrete countertop contractor, look for one who will educate you about how the concrete will perform as a countertop.

He or She should be very clear about the durability, maintenance, what to avoid, and how a problem would be fixed. They should make you feel confident you've chosen the right person to build your concrete countertop, remember, this will last a lifetime.

IN CONCLUSION:

Take your time and review the costs above. It's not just about the price in some cases. It's about what you want to live with. You use your kitchen a lot and you want to be happy with what you choose for a countertop.

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