Concrete kitchen set up.

[eyecatcher]

Want to make this task as easy as possible and not be influenced by any Thai methods.

Really do not want to be messing about with shuttering and concrete as a substrate for granite but the practicalities of a using a cementitious board such as viva I think fall apart when it comes to finishing the front seen edge.

So resigned to concrete; I want to know if anyone has used plywood as a permanent shuttering to a less deep concrete slab 50mm or 75mm simply to support a 20mm granite top.

The process of shuttering individual boxes and battens and props potentially damaging the q con walls does not appeal.

So, 15/18mm ply under the connie and left in.?

My support walls are mostly at less than 800mm c/c. Incidently termites and ants are not a concern for me.

[zyphodb]

I've done exactly that in my kitchen, 3 years later still no problems...

[eyecatcher]

Thats good to know. How thin did you on the concrete bench.

[sirineou]

I am trying to understand what you want to do

You want to use plywood for the forms to make a kitchen counter, and you want to live in in permanently?

if that's what you want to do, Not a good idea

assuming yo will use 5/8s thick plywood, the plywood will eventually degrade or become termite food, and your counter will drop by 5/8s

[eyecatcher]

I am trying to understand what you want to do

You want to use plywood for the forms to make a kitchen counter, and you want to live in in permanently?

if that's what you want to do, Not a good idea

assuming yo will use 5/8s thick plywood, the plywood will eventually degrade or become termite food, and your counter will drop by 5/8s

Do you know how long 15mm will take to disappear if you left it out in the rain?

....years

How about roof deckings here or anything come to think of it thats made of ply.

Frankly it doesnt matter if its treated.

My suggestion is to use ply as a permanent shutter inside the house so why would it disintegrate.

And theres me living in a 100% wooden house .....how stupid could I be.

[IMHO]

I don't see the problem... maybe I'm missing the point?

Just use plywood to support the base of the countertop until it's cured, and support it with eucalyptus wood 'legs'. No need to damage the walls to support it. Pull it all out after a few days. 5cm thick concrete with wire mesh is plenty for the countertop - you could have a party on top of it

Edited November 16, 2015 by IMHO

[kannot]

I am trying to understand what you want to do

You want to use plywood for the forms to make a kitchen counter, and you want to live in in permanently?

if that's what you want to do, Not a good idea

assuming yo will use 5/8s thick plywood, the plywood will eventually degrade or become termite food, and your counter will drop by 5/8s

Do you know how long 15mm will take to disappear if you left it out in the rain?

....years

How about roof deckings here or anything come to think of it thats made of ply.

Frankly it doesnt matter if its treated.

My suggestion is to use ply as a permanent shutter inside the house so why would it disintegrate.

And theres me living in a 100% wooden house .....how stupid could I be.

Come here that plywood will be gone in 1-2 months chomped away by termites

[eyecatcher]

I dont particularly have a problem. I am just trying to save myself time and effort creating 6 individual compartments and all the cutting and props when one sheet of ply ripped down the middle can just drop on and finished.

Yes i thought 2/3inch was sufficient especiaĺy with ply insitu.

[bankruatsteve]

I don't know crap about this but why not make the concrete counter top somewhere else where you don't have to deal with these issues? Like make it, sand it, polish it, whatever at a place where it is easy to do that. Then put it on top the counters like you would a piece of granite. Or not?

[nev]

Just use sheets of fibro supported underneath until the concrete goes off, then simply remove the supports, and then you can remove the fibro, 50 to 70cm concrete with wire mesh should do the trick, I have used this method a few times now with no problem.

[Crossy]

If you really want a leave-in-place shutter use one of the cement sheets (Shera or the like).

To be honest the minor work of creating removable shuttering would add little to the overall timescales.

[kamalabob2]

You could use VIVA board which is available at most Global House Stores, including the Buriram Global House Store. Viva board which is often used for sub roofing, might be less expensive at a family owned builders merchant store and a family owned builders merchant store might be more agreeable to cut Viva board or marine plywood to the exact size you wish. Another option is to build a kitchen or bathroom counter with Q Con Counter material. There are several videos from Q Con on youtube to show the installation.

https://youtu.be/keyj_MABui8

[eyecatcher]

Yes looked at all those options. I think the viva board would be adequate enough to eliminate concrete all together but how to finish the downstand to the head of the doors.

Q con counter perfect but my block supplier cannot get it but i have the qcon for the walls and base.

Still dont fancy cutting 50props though anf individual soffit panels.

Have watched dozens of counter top making videos. Seems very popular in the states. In the uk i have never seen anyone attempt it. Even the videos......not an English accent amongst them. We are still into cheapy chpboard with vinyl wrap same the cabinets.

[blackcab]

Build the form with uprights using 600mm centres and you will have ready made units underneath.

Just add doors/drawers, shelves and kickboards. You could save good money on the unit carcasses and use them to (mostly) support the pour.

[eyecatcher]

Thanks for the opinions boys. In the end i went with tradition and cut each shutter individually. Not one prop in place as the qcons can just nail timber battens.

This was my effort and ready for concrete.....almost...if you can read my sink cut out question.