For some concrete countertop artists, much of the creative magic is in their finishing techniques.

If you've embedded decorative objects or aggregates into your countertop, you'll need to grind the surface to expose them. This can get rather messy, but can produce very satisfactory results in short order.

If you have bugholes, these are typically filled with a slurry mix that matches or contrasts with the color of the concrete, depending on the result you are seeking.

Rhodes uses voids to great effect by pressing a slurry into them in several applications, allowing it to set up, and grinding between applications. This results in a veined appearance.

Ralston also uses a slurry coat to fill voids and bugholes. Then he grinds with finer and finer grit to a polished finish. "People seem to prefer a light polish," he observes.

On the other hand, as Eyler points Out, "The higher the polish the less permeable the surface."

Still, regardless of individual preferences, Ralston echoes the sentiments of many contractors when he says, "We're always looking for something new and different [in our finishes]. It becomes an evolution of design - texture, colors, embedded objects. It's Much more unique."

Curing, transporting and filling seams
How long you should allow the countertop to cure before you deliver and install it depends on your process and the specific recommendations of the manufacturer if you use a prepared mix.

Cheng gives his precast countertops 10 to 29 days to Cure.

Girard says, "We can completely finish a countertop from template to install in 14 days. [However] we set expectations at 4-6 weeks, since we have multiple projects going on at the same time, and we're not going to be able to push a single project through at maximum speed."