Don't drip soap on them repeatedly:

Would your walls ever look like that? If not, then your concrete counter will never look like that. Some materials require more care than others, but some folks just don’t know how to care for anything. That image is from a restaurant bathroom. My guess is you will have no problem with a concrete kitchen or bath counter. May I ask why you want them?

My only insight is to have them done professionally.

I am a fabricator. The advantage of concrete tops is the color selection and the lack of seams. However, for kitchens the unavoidable settling of the cabinets often results in cracks in the concrete. We have replaced concrete tops only a few years old because the concrete

I think there are several other options out there that you would be happier with in the end.

Have you looked at Ikea?

Butcher block is a much cheaper option and if cared for properly can look really fabulous even with a little wear and tear. Ikea, as Mark suggests, is a great place to start.

I think he meant this:

http://ths.gardenweb.com/discussions/4190726/has-anyone-seen-ikeas-new-concrete-effect-countertop?n=16

Take a look at the photos of the lookalike laminate in the thread I just posted...it looks pretty cool to me.

I did a concrete countertop in my bathroom, it was cheaper than any other countertop (except maybe formica) and I could get the color I wanted. I like it.

In my area, concrete is as expensive as granite and quartz. I tried about 10-15 years ago to sell it though a new company jumping on the bandwagon. I only know of one person who has it (my old neighbor) and she hates it. Everything she sets on the counter leaves a mark of some kind. Water is the biggest culprit. She has rings all over her countertops. Other than that, I have no personal knowledge of it as I never even sold one top. It was as expensive as granite. I've heard if you can DIY, you can save, but not everyone is capable of doing it. Or have the time and patience to do it.

Cover your eyes Sophie Wheeler...

We didn't choose our concrete countertops, they were in the house we purchased, but I like them! I am a patina is okay- knife marks don't freak me out kind of person, and NO, I don't cut on countertops, but someone did. The one thing I do worry about though, is the fact that I'm not training my children to protect counters because it's easy to plunk hot stuff down on them. I did the same on my honed AB in my last kitchen even though that's a no-no. I do think if you have a newer house that hasn't gone through some serious settling, I'd worry about cracks. This house is from the 1920s. You can have a lot of fun with concrete. A friend of mine, who is much more adventurous than I, put red tops in her last house.

"Is that sealed? how old is the countertop?"

Sorry, I can't answer either question. I doubt sealing makes much difference. It is in a restaurant.

I've got another nasty concrete top picture, taken in an airport somewhere.

Hi there - I was in a similar situation, just did not have the budget for quartz or any other solid surface. I can happily recommend the laminate I wound up with: Nevamar is the brand, and the color or pattern - whatever - is called Rush. I picked it mostly because I just liked it, but it has a similar look as concrete or soapstone. I also had a Karan under mount sink installed, and we are truly happy with all of it so far. This laminate has surpassed my expectations for sure. If you call or email them at Panolam Surfaces, they will send you a decent sized sample. I do not work for them or even live remotely near them. I just love the laminate. Pardon the mess - and the cabinets have not been painted yet, lol, but you can kind of see the set up here.

http://www.nevamar.com/

That looks great!

If you are talking to me, mercurygirl, thank you!

If it's a decision between concrete and Formica or equivalent, I would go with Formica in a heartbeat. We've done three kitchen remodels in far too short a time. Each time I look at the state of the art in concrete countertops and each time we went with something else. Have you looked at a tile countertop? Our first remodel we went with tile and loved it. The only issue you might be concerned with is grout lines getting dirty. It happens. We used 4-inch tile, but you could easily use 24-inch tile and have only a few grout lines. The new photo imaging they put on tile makes them look so much like stone it is hard to tell the difference without a magnifier.