Care and Maintenance - Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some of the most frequently asked questions we get asked at
Kelham Island Concrete, by our customers, about our concrete products. We
hope that they help answer all your questions, and ease any worries or
concerns about our products.
However, if they don’t, please feel free to
get in touch with us either through the
contact form on the website.
Although this is stain resistant, it creates a stain resistant barrier and is not stain proof. Like any other kitchen surface, our concrete will uphold most spillages of water, liquids, wine etc, but the harshest of chemicals, acidic, strong coloured or oil based liquids, should be wiped up more quickly.
With normal use you won’t have any problems but nothing is indestructible. The sealer does need to be cared for though so no abrasive sponges or brillo pads, as these will wear away the sealer exposing the concrete.
Bespoke unique handmade pieces of furniture – all of our concrete is hand made to order and isn’t mass produced, making each custom piece unique and not like any other. Therefore, it is personalised to your space and needs. Each concrete piece will have its own character and therefore will form as a statement in the home and not just a work surface.
Dynamic style – concrete will go with most styles of décor and living space. It can also come in pretty much any colour, size, texture and patina that you wish. Hard wearing – due to the high grade sealer that we use, and through proper care and attention through our care package**, our concrete products are built to last and be hard wearing. With this in mind you should get many years out of your concrete worktops, and appreciate them more as the years go on.
Imperfections - At Kelham Island Concrete, we actually think the more imperfections there are, the better. Our concrete worktops will look even better with age and use; perfection is definitely found in imperfection with our concrete.
Dare to be different – all of our concrete products are different and like no other. As concrete has a range of ingredients and variation, each worktop and piece we create will be different. The sheer exquisiteness that concrete has is that it always has its own character and natural beauty. The texture and patina produced by concrete will provide an appearance like no other.
Lead time: as all of our products are made from scratch, we work towards a lead time of 3-4 weeks, from order to installation stage.
Scratches and marks: while the sealer is very durable it is possible to scratch it. A re-coating service is available, but some degree of maintenance is required to make sure that you look after your worktops. If you maintain the surface well with our care package, you can avoid marking the surface as much. It is important to note that the surfaces will get marked over time and if you don’t want this sort of character in your product, concrete may not be the material for you. Finally, if your worktops do get damaged we do offer a repair and reseal service. Please get in touch for details.
In order for us to quote you for your project, you will need to send the following to help us quote accurately for the job:
1) Your location – address for delivery and installation prices.
2) Any detailed plans, drawings, sketches or photos – with the dimensions of the pieces of concrete and clearly indicating where there are appliances or storage/cabinet units which are not part of the worktops.
3) Any cut outs - sinks, hobs, drain grooves.
4) Details of any upstands, splashbacks, waterfalls and their measurements.
5) Details of any sinks.
6) Installation date you are aiming for.
You can send over these details in a contact form on our website contact form on the website.
Our care package provides all our customers with the best way to maintain their worktops, keeping the natural and beautiful finish, whilst protecting it for life. After some research, we found that the best wax product available on the market to maintain concrete is Cheng Concrete Countertop Wax.
Our care package comes free with all of our kitchen worktops and is available for £50 if you buy our other concrete items. The package contains some Cheng wax, two special Kelham Island Concrete gifted microfiber cloths to apply the wax to your concrete surface, and finally a little gift from us!
One of the unique things about Kelham Island Concrete is the service we offer to all of our customers, and the fact that we challenge ourselves every single day and don’t limit our horizons in what we can achieve with our concrete products. We don’t just make concrete worktops, sinks or tables, but our ethos is to break the barriers faced surrounding concrete, be pioneers in developing almost any product from the material, and develop our customers' visions into a concrete reality.
Every project that we take on is different and special to us in every way. We therefore aim to make each piece of concrete bespoke and personal to the client’s needs and specifications. We take on pretty much any concrete challenge, whether it be different shapes, style, colour or patina. With so many pigments, textures and finishes now available to us, we can help you create stunning spaces that make a lasting statement. Our concrete offers a robust, durable solution for living and working spaces of all kinds. From our workshop in Sheffield’s oldest industrial district, we’ve built a portfolio of outstanding work. Whether in a private or commercial setting, Kelham Island Concrete will serve all of your concrete desires. If you are passionate about innovative design and have a love of concrete, then Kelham Island Concrete is the place for you!
* PDF sealer - https://www.surecretedesign.com/tds/xtreme-series-xs-327-tds.pdf
** care package - our care package costs £50 and is added automatically to your invoice – it contains a microfiber cloth, one pot of Cheng’s Concrete Countertop Wax, application instructions and a little gift!
