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Caring for your new countertops
Congratulations! You have brand new, custom-made concrete countertops. Your Owner's Guide will instruct you on how to care for them long term. In the first few days, there are some special care instructions that will help your countertops settle in to their new home. The sealer on your new countertops will still be curing. We know you're excited to use your beautiful new countertops, but in order to ensure that the sealer has time to cure, it is best to "baby" them for the first two weeks.
- Wipe up spills as they occur. Use a damp cloth or natural cleaning solution. We recommend regular cleaning with water & vinegar (4:1), or other "green cleaners".
- Never use your counter top as a cutting board
- Use coasters or felt pads below anything with sharp edges
- Avoid pots or pans directly from stove or oven directly on the surface
If you have a sink or cooktop with 2 seams in the front, please be aware that the narrow front piece is prone to tilting until the adhesive has fully dried. Do not touch that piece for 24 hours, in order to ensure that it remains straight and level.
If you have an undermount sink, the seam between the sink and the countertop is filled with a high quality kitchen and bath caulk specifically made for sinks. This caulk may appear milky white at first, but it will dry clear. This may take some time.
In the next day or two, you may notice streaks or swirls on your countertop, in the same color as the caulk. While we do our best to clean up after caulking your seams, sometimes we are unable to see some caulk residue, and this appears later as streaks or swirls. Wait for one week, then simply use a mild cleaner such as Simple Green, following the directions to use sparingly and rub gently with a damp sponge.
Your seams are filled with the highest quality caulk available. However, you might still see some caulk shrinkage as the caulk dries over the next few days. If this happens, use the following instructions to touch up the caulk:
- To best fill the seam, first make sure it's clean and dry.
- Next, apply a thin bead of caulk to the seam in the area that needs more caulk. The caulk is water-based and can be cleaned up with a damp sponge.
- Wet your finger and carefully spread and smooth the bead of caulk, filling in the gap or depression. Use a damp sponge to clean up any excess. It's best to let the caulk sit for a few minutes before wiping the excess with a sponge, since the fresh caulk gets a bit runny if it's wetted too soon.
- Let the caulk dry overnight.
By using a little extra care in the first few days, you will ensure that your countertops remain beautiful for years to come.
Important Note:
For several weeks after applying the sealer you may notice the concrete darken in the areas where water and things are left on the surface. This is normal as the cross linking of the sealer continues. Darkening of the surface is not an indication that the sealer is not working; in fact it is a normal reaction as the sealer continues to cure.
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About Concrete Countertops:
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