Concrete Furniture

Concrete furniture has been around for as long as concrete countertops have. In those early days, concrete furniture was primarily made out of precast concrete. Since it needed to be reinforced with steel, the concrete tended to be thick, massive and heavy. This made large, thin and delicate pieces impractical or impossible.

The current trend towards using glass-fiber reinforced concrete (GFRC) has changed that. GFRC is a form of concrete that has inherently high flexural strength. It can be easily shaped into complex, three-dimensional shapes that don’t need to be thick to be strong.

Furniture-making in and of itself can be challenging, since the object being made often has to be functional, ergonomic, durable, lightweight and portable. Plus, it has to be aesthetically pleasing. These challenges can be daunting when it comes to using concrete as the material of choice. Even GFRC, with its higher flexural strength and ease of molding, has limitations.

GFRC is concrete, but it’s the fiber reinforcement that creates the high flexural strength necessary for thin, lightweight shapes.

Flexural strength is also called bending strength, and it is this characteristic that is the most important when it comes to making a durable, high-strength material.

Conventional steel-reinforced concrete has two important and very different components: the concrete and the steel reinforcing material. The concrete is often an aggregate-based mix, but it also can be a mortar or all-sand mix.

Because the steel must be embedded inside the concrete and the concrete piece still has to be easily constructed, strong, steel-reinforced concrete beams tend to be relatively thick and therefore heavy.

In contrast, GFRC is essentially a single material that encompasses the concrete and its reinforcement. Yes, there is a thin, decorative, nonstructural face coat that hides the fibers, but the principal strength element is the GFRC backer coat, the bulk of the material. Because the glass fibers are mixed into the concrete, the strength is more or less the same everywhere. Not only is the material much easier to cast, but it behaves more uniformly, a great benefit to furniture that gets pushed and pulled and moved often.

That said, GFRC must be made correctly. The right kinds of fibers should be used in the right amounts and the concrete should be cast in the correct way. 

Put Countertops in a New Light

Decorative concrete contractors can add an exciting new technique that always elicits a “wow” reaction from clients: embedding fiber optics in concrete countertops.
Imagine peering into a telescope at the clear night sky. With fiber optics, that scene can be replicated on a gleaming, polished bar top. The tiny points of light can form many patterns, a company logo or even an outline of your favorite character.

While the effect may not be for everyone, producers who master the technique can give themselves a competitive advantage. It demonstrates skill, patience, innovation, creativity and an attitude that they’re not afraid to try something new. And it definitely attracts attention.

All that’s seen from the underside of the counter is one black cable. The light source is placed elsewhere. There’s no electricity running through the countertop, and no fancy maintenance program is needed. “It’s a lot less complicated than you may think it is.



The technique is actually more tedious than it is technical, says Jeff Kudrick, product manager of J&M Lifestyles LLC. It’s labor-intensive and involves handling up to 1,000 individual strands. “If you’re an impatient person, don’t even attempt it,” he says.

A contractor who is well versed in lighting techniques and presenting new ideas to a client has a better chance of being successful selling concrete countertops with fiber optics, Kudrick says. “You really have to have a knack for imagining how it will look before you’re done.” At $125 to $175 a square foot, the costs add up pretty quickly on bigger pieces, he says.

Outdoor kitchens are hot now, and concrete countertops with fiber-optic designs would be a great addition. Since a separate illuminator provides the light, it’s safe for outdoor use. Kitchen and bath designers are starting to become interested in the technique, and requests for residential applications – in home bars, powder rooms or children’s bathrooms – are starting to increase.

Clients are looking for creative ways to enhance concrete walls, islands and fireplaces with fiber optics. Hard Rock Concrete Design and Distribution is always looking for new ways to use decorative concrete, as their clients are requesting innovative applications.

“Clients who want to distinguish themselves from the norm and those with a sense of cutting-edge or modern taste tend to request this concept,” McKnight says. Selling fiber optics to someone unfamiliar with it could be a challenge, though. Throwing out the term “fiber optics” in the midst of a general discussion about concrete countertops can confuse matters. “But it definitely adds a sense of flair for a customer wanting to raise the bar in terms of modern design.”