Over the past few years concrete countertops have become very popular for many different applications from your local dive bar to some of the nicest kitchens in America. The draw is the flexibility and for the DIYers the price. In terms of possibilities the options seem almost limitless color, finish, texture, durability, shape, even imbedded LED lights are not a problem. When done by a professional a new concrete countertop could cost even more than granite, depending on how elaborate the project. For the Do It Yourselfer however it can be a great way to save a few bucks… or a great way to really mess up you home if you don’t know what you are doing.
For concrete professionals or those looking to do more work with concrete countertops the Diamond Products DS301 ($1,942, Ohio Power Tool) is really the top of the line tool for the job. The unit features three 5” rotating orbital heads with a Fein variable speed motor powering the unit. To get a mirror finish a job could involve up to 9 steps of grinding and polishing and obviously a large powerful unit like the DS301 is going to save a significant amount of time in the process. The good news is with proper preparation in building the forms several steps can be eliminated.
The grinding wheels and polishing pads are easy to attach and switch. Step 1 is grinding which there are 5 options of grits for the Diamond Grinding Wheels ranging from 25/35 to 140/170 grit. If the concrete is really rough you may want to break step 1 into 2 or even 3 steps. The grinding wheels run $320 for a set of (3) 5” wheels. For steps 2-8 you will use the Resin Polishing Pads which range from 50 grit to 3000 grit for a mirror finish.
If you have any questions about any Diamond Products tools from concrete saws, core drills to polishing products give the pros at Ohio Power Tool a call 800-242-4424. Check out the video below for more details on the DS301 unit and the proper grinding wheels and polishing pads.
