DIY Concrete Desk

If the word "concrete" conjures images of basement walls and floors, consider this: Concrete is making its way upstairs as a sleek, contemporary finish for surfaces throughout the home. Although concrete is frequently used on kitchen and bathroom counters, it makes a bold statement as a resurfacing treatment for a desktop. Skim coating the desktop surface with a concrete resurfacing kit instead of mixing the concrete yourself or pouring a slab makes this an affordable, do-it-yourself project. Begin with a sturdy desk. A cement skim coat is appropriate for any surface, so it doesn't matter if your desktop is made of wood, laminate or another material.

Dropcloths
Sandpaper in fine and coarse grits
Damp cloths
Concrete resurfacing kit with concentrated liquid primer and base- and top-coat cement mixtures
Ounce and quart measures
Pails
Paint stirrers
Paint roller
Color pigment for cement
Trowel
Acrylic cement sealer
Paintbrush

Instructions

- 1
  Protect the floor under and around your desk with dropcloths.
- 2
  Sand the desktop, including the top surface and the sides, with a fine-grit sandpaper to dull the finish. Remove all of the sanding dust with a damp cloth.
- 3
  Mix the concentrated polymer with water according to the manufacturer's instructions. Stir until the polymer is well mixed.
- 4
  Pour a small amount of diluted primer onto the desktop. Spread the polymer using a paint roller. Apply a light, even primer coat of polymer to the entire surface of the desktop. Allow the primer to dry until it becomes tacky.
- 5
  Add color pigment to the remaining polymer if you'd like your desktop to be a color other than white or gray.
- 6
  Mix the liquid polymer with the base-coat powder according to the manufacturer's instructions. Blend thoroughly.
- 7
  Pour a small amount of base coat onto the desktop. Smooth it over the entire surface -- top and sides -- of the desktop with the trowel. Smooth the sides using the trowel, as if frosting the sides of a cake, to neaten the sides and keep the corners sharp. Spritz the bond coat with liquid polymer if the base begins to dry before you've finished smoothing it. Allow the base coat to harden overnight.
- 8
  Sand the base coat to level raised areas and smooth out imperfections. Use coarse sandpaper for ridges, then smooth the surface with finer paper. Remove all the dust with a damp cloth.
- 9
  Mix the top coat with the liquid polymer according to the manufacturer's instructions.
- 10
  Pour some of the top coat onto the desktop. Smooth it with the trowel across the entire surface of the desktop, including the sides. Continue smoothing until the surface is even and the corners and edges are neat. Allow the top coat to dry.
- 11
  Sand the desktop using fine-grit sandpaper to smooth and level the surface. Remove the dust with a damp cloth.
- 12
  Apply another top coat if imperfections remain. Allow the top coat to dry. Sand the surface using very fine sandpaper, and then remove the dust using a damp cloth.
- 13
  Seal the desktop with an acrylic sealer to protect the concrete against staining. Apply the sealer to the surface according to the manufacturer's instructions, using a paintbrush or roller.

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