Buncombe Custom Countertops is the leading Buncombe County specialist for concrete countertops in Asheville, NC, specializing in precast kitchen countertops, integral sink tops, and pigmented island slabs. We offer shop-cast tops and poured-in-place counters.
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Or call (828) 470-1105. Calls only, we do not receive text messages.
Our team provides sealing on every finished piece, delivering a handmade countertop for kitchens and a hard-working counter for cafes, bars and shops, for both residential and commercial projects. We template on the installed cabinets, cast each countertop section in our own shop molds, and we walk the drive and the carry path before a heavy piece is loaded.
From reinforcement laid into every mold to the last coat of sealer on site, our team handles every detail. We are serving Asheville, Arden and Swannanoa, plus the rest of the county, with in-home measures and written quotes.
Why Buncombe Custom Countertops
The crew that measures your kitchen is the crew that sets the tops.
Most concrete countertops are precast, cast in molds in a shop and brought to the house finished, and the choice between that and pouring in place changes your schedule more than anything else. Precast concrete is cast in a reusable form, cured in a controlled setting and then moved into place. Cast-in-place concrete is poured into forms built on your cabinets and cured right there.
Shop casting gives better control over the mix, the curing and the finish, which is why most concrete countertop makers work this way. Your kitchen stays usable while the pieces are cast and finished, and install day is a set-and-seal job. The trade-off is seams: a long run is cast in sections sized for the carry, and each piece is heavy.
Pouring on site can give one long piece with no seams, which some owners want on an island. It also puts the mess, the forms and the curing in your kitchen, and it keeps the kitchen out of use until the top is ready to finish and seal. We discuss both at the measure and recommend the one that suits your layout.
Glass fiber reinforced concrete lets a piece be cast thinner, which makes it substantially lighter than standard precast. That helps on a wall-hung vanity or a long carry up a mountain drive.
The sealer is what protects a concrete countertop, and it decides both how the top performs and how it looks. Concrete is porous. Without a good sealer, oil, wine and coffee soak in, and acids can mark the surface.
Pigments are mixed into the concrete, so the color runs through the piece rather than sitting on top. Gray, charcoal, warm sand and white-based mixes are all possible, and we cast a sample so you see the real color before your top is made.
A top can be troweled smooth, ground to show some of the sand and stone in the mix, or left with the natural variation of a hand-cast piece. No two tops come out identical, which is the point for most owners.
Penetrating sealers soak in and keep a natural look; many concrete makers prefer them. Topical coatings form a harder film on the surface and hold up to more kitchen use. Wax alone gives only short-lived protection and is best as a top-up, not the main seal. We tell you which sealer your top carries and how it should be cared for, and we seal again on site after install so any handling marks are covered.
Hairline cracks in a concrete countertop are normal and cosmetic; they are not a sign of poor quality and they do not weaken a properly reinforced top. Concrete shrinks as it dries and moves with heat, and fine surface lines can show up from that stress over time.
Structural cracks are different, and they are what the build prevents. They come from the top flexing, for example when a house settles or a faucet is overtightened into an unsupported spot. That is why each piece is reinforced for its length and why we check that the cabinets under it are solid and level before we cast.
If a hairline line bothers you, it can often be filled with a matching mix. Owners who choose concrete tend to see those lines the way marble owners see patina.
Concrete can be cast with the sink built into the top, a sloped drainboard shaped into the surface, or a thick waterfall-style end on an island. Those shapes are a big part of why people choose it over stone.
For an integral sink we cast the bowl and set the piece; a licensed plumber handles the drain and water connections. Outdoor concrete needs its own mix and sealer choices, which we cover at the measure.
A concrete kitchen is typically estimated at roughly $2,500 to $6,000, and concrete usually runs about $65 to $135 per square foot installed, with the number of pieces, their shapes and the sealer moving the price most. A simple rectangular run sits near the low end, an integral sink and a long island near the top.
All figures here are estimates, and they may change with your design and site. Your written quote after the free in-home measure sets the final price.
Concrete starts with a visit. We look at your cabinets, the sink you want, the floor and the way into the house, then talk through color, finish and sealer. Once you approve the quote and the cabinets are set, we template, cast in the shop, and bring the finished pieces back with the same crew.
Restaurants, coffee shops and designers can send drawings and a finish schedule for a quote on concrete counters and bar tops. Homeowners across the county can call for a free in-home measure.
Drag the handle. The cabinets stayed; only the top changed.
BeforeAfter
BeforeAfterThe process
We come to the house, look at the cabinets, the walls and the way in from the driveway, and talk through materials and edges.
You get the slab, the edge, the cutouts, the seam plan and the dates in writing. Nothing is cut until you sign off.
Once the cabinets are set and level, we template them, then cut and finish the tops in the shop to that template.
We set and join the tops, then walk the finished kitchen with you before we call it done.
Questions
Most are cast in molds in a shop, reinforced, cured, finished and sealed, then installed. Fine hairline cracks can appear over time and are cosmetic. A well-reinforced top on solid cabinets should not develop a structural crack.
Precast suits most kitchens because the work happens in the shop and your kitchen stays usable. Pouring in place can avoid seams on a long island but keeps the kitchen out of use longer. We recommend one at the measure based on your layout.
Unsealed concrete stains easily. A good sealer is what keeps oil, wine and coffee out, so we seal every top and tell you how to maintain it. Wiping spills promptly still matters.
The number and shape of the pieces, thickness, integral sinks, pigment and the sealer drive most of it, plus tear-out and access. The final figure is whatever your written quote says after we measure.
It depends on the layout, the number of pieces and our casting schedule, so we set the dates at the measure and write them on your quote rather than guessing here.
Sound, level cabinets usually can. Concrete is heavy, so we check the boxes at the measure and add support where a long overhang or an old base needs it.
Often, yes. Hairline cracks can be filled with a matching mix, and worn sealer can be stripped and reapplied. Replacement is for a top that has cracked through or sits on failed cabinets.
Yes. We cover all of Buncombe County, including Asheville, Arden, Swannanoa, Candler, Woodfin, Fairview, Weaverville and Black Mountain.
Free measures across Buncombe County. Builders, cabinet shops and property owners can send drawings for a bid.
Licensed, bonded & insured. Calls only, we do not receive text messages.
