System is supported by a steel tube frame so that most of it hovers 12' above the floor to keep the space feeling larger, and to eliminate that void-space behind the toe-kick at the base of the cabinets.
A work in progress still . . . This section of countertop is poured in one piece. 1-5/8" thick, 15'3" long. The counter is a full 30" deep. The GE cooktop is recessed so that the cook surface is flush with the concrete. The concrete is a 5000psi base mix with Euclid's Plastol 57 super-plasticizer added to get a higher final strength, and a smoother, more dense and varied cement surface at the form. There are #3 bars at about 9" o.c each way with mesh reinforcing around the cook-top cutout. The piece was pre-cast on melamine surface for the smooth finish and then carried in, hanging on edge on a hoist. No visible cracks--so far. The finish is LM Scofield's CS1 Black concrete acid stain with Euclid's Super Diamond Clear as the final surface. The texture turned out pretty well, color patterns ranging from pure black to dark & light grey to brown hues with the varying density and distribution of the cement content at the surface--somewhat due to the super-plasticizer.
The raw, dark concrete contrasts with the light clean, maple of the bar top. And will become even more contrast with the white birch that forms the cabinets & shelving around it.
The sink counter piece is to be installed next. Steel frames will be anchored to the existing CMU wall which had to be reinforced with steel & filled cells, but of course there are both electrical and plumbing drain & supply lines in the wall as well. So the challenge increases a bit.
The counter has a recessed strainer surface sloped to the sink with ridges set level to support a drain rack, glasses, cutting boards, etc. The Grasshopper 5 axis CAM definition that we developed was used to generate the carving code for the foam sink form. This ensures positive, uniform slope at the bottom surface, and uniform, curved corners that will hopefully be easily cleaned.
Right: The melamine form for the 15'3" north counter section.
