Resealing Concrete Countertops, The Overlooked Skill That Protects Your Work and Your Reputation

"With modern dry diamond pads and dust extraction, resealing concrete countertops is no longer a messy gamble, it’s a professional service clients are grateful to pay for." - Jon Schuler

 

This one feels like the end of a long day in the shop. Tools put away, lights still warm, and a moment to look back before stepping forward.

In the final Concrete Podcast of 2025, Jon and Brandon slow things down with a little gratitude for the makers, craftsmen, and artisans who have carried this craft forward, some for years, some just finding their footing. If you have ever mixed a batch late at night, chased a finish that mattered, or stood behind your work when it would have been easier to walk away, this episode is for you.

The heart of the conversation centers on something many in decorative concrete avoid talking about, resealing and rejuvenating concrete sinks and countertops. Not as a weakness, but as an opportunity. An opportunity to serve past clients well, protect the reputation of concrete as a material, and build a steady, honest revenue stream that fits naturally into a craftsman’s business. Whether you cast the original piece or not, this is work that keeps concrete in a good light and keeps you in front of people who already believe in it.

They also tackle a question that never seems to go away, how to make the blackest concrete possible. Brandon shares a recent sample that demanded true depth and richness, breaking down what actually moves the needle and what is just noise.

This episode is a thank you, a reflection, and a practical roadmap. A reminder that doing the right work, with the right tools, builds trust that carries into the next year and the next project. Here’s to closing out 2025 strong and stepping into 2026 with clarity, confidence, and concrete that lasts.

#ConcretePodcast #MakersMindset #Craftsmanship #ConcreteLife #CreativeBusiness #ArtisanStories #BuildingBetter #GrowthThroughWork #LegacyCraft #SelfDevelopment

TRANSCRIPT SUMMARY:

Introduction: A Christmas catch up, then right into shop truth (Concrete countertops and concrete sinks)

Merry Christmas, Jon Schuler.

And Merry Christmas to you, my friend.

We start where a lot of us start this time of year, favorite Christmas movies, a little laughter, a little nostalgia. Then we do what we always do, we get back to work.

Because if you build concrete countertops and concrete sinks, you already know this: the craft is the gift, but the details are what keep you in business.

Quick announcements (Kodiak Pro and Ramm-Crete)

Maker’s Holiday Haul (Kodiak Pro promo)

[0:00 to 2:54]

Before we jump in, quick reminder: the Maker’s Holiday Haul (Kodiak Pro promotion for Yeti gear) is almost over. You’ve got about one week left to place your order before the end of the year and land wherever you land in the reward tiers.

If you want the details, it’s on the Kodiak Pro site under the Maker’s Holiday Haul page. Or just place your order, and we’ll reach out in January to confirm fulfillment details.

Workshops (Concrete Design School)

[2:54 to 3:52]

Two classes coming up in Goddard, Kansas:

  1. Ramm-Crete Workshop (January 24 to 25)
    A 1.5 day class focused on the Ramm-Crete aesthetic (that rammed-earth look) for thin sections: furniture cladding, tile, sinks, planters, and more.

  2. Fundamentals Concrete Workshop (February 21 to 22)
    The entry point. If you want to learn the basics of DIY concrete, avoid expensive mistakes, and start on the right foot, this is the class.

Workshop Recap: The “Spirited” detour, then Case walks out the door (and into a real install)

[3:52 to 5:09]

Jon finally remembers the name of the movie: Spirited (Will Ferrell). We laugh, we move on.

Then the real life stuff hits: Case just left the shop. He’s installing a huge kitchen today, and that job sparks the first technical question of the episode.

Fiber Loading and Flowability: Do you really need to acid etch after diamond pads?

[5:09 to 8:12]

Here’s the setup:

  • Case cast a big kitchen using Maker Mix with casting powder for movement (an ECC-ish consistency).

  • After demolding, he did some slurry to fill voids (the casting powder can create them).

  • He processed the surface using Kodiak Pro dry diamond pads on a Festool.

So the question is simple:
If you’ve already machined the surface with diamond pads, do you still need an acid wash or acid etch?

Jon’s answer: yes.

Not because you are trying to “remove cream” in the traditional sense, but because acid is a final cleaning step.

Even with wet processing, pad resin can leave residue. With dry processing, the same thing happens. Diamonds are embedded in resin, pads wear, and that resin can end up in the pore structure.

So the acid step becomes your last chance to get the surface as clean and receptive as possible before sealing, meaning raw, open, and ready.

Jon’s practical note: this does not need to be aggressive. Vinegar strength (acetic acid) can be enough for a lot of real-world situations.

Surface Quality in GFRC: Vinegar vs muriatic acid (cleaning vs aggressive etch)

[8:12 to 12:52]

Brandon shares the practical challenge: Case needed to etch big pieces, but couldn’t move them to the washout area alone. That led to a call with Joe Bates.

Joe’s method (low mess, high control):

  • Wet the surface with a sponge and clean water.

  • Wipe with 30% vinegar using a separate sponge.

  • Follow with clean water sponge wipe-downs, wringing into a dirty bucket as you go.

It’s controlled, it doesn’t flood the floor, and it works.

So what’s the difference?

  • Muriatic acid is much stronger. If you want a heavy, aggressive etch (some guys chase that “cat tongue” texture), muriatic is the tool.

  • Acetic acid (vinegar) is milder, safer, and far less likely to leave burn marks. It is often “just enough” to clean residue without destroying texture created by casting powders or leather-ish finishes.

Bottom line: for many Maker Mix surfaces that have already been diamond-processed, acetic acid is a smart finishing clean.

DIY Concrete and Profitability: Reseals, restorations, and why the market is wide open

[12:52 to 38:21]

This is the heart of the episode.

Brandon admits he pushed against reseals for years because of one nightmare job from early on: a homeowner project that was poorly made, and he got called in to “polish a turd.” It took far longer than expected, and the result could only ever be so good.

But Jon reframes it with something that hits hard:

A lot of us took a “diva-ish” stance toward reseals.
If we didn’t build it, we didn’t want to touch it.

And sure, back in the sealer chaos era, that fear was earned. Unknown sealers, failure rates, messy tooling, no clean dust extraction. Taking on a reseal meant inheriting a mystery and a liability.

But the world changed.

What changed (and why reseals make sense now)

1) Tooling got real

  • Modern sanders + HEPA vacuums + proper extraction make in-home work cleaner and safer.

  • Kodiak Pro dry diamond pads make it possible to process efficiently without turning a kitchen into a dust storm.

2) The sealer landscape stabilized
Not perfect, but far better than it was 15 to 20 years ago.

3) The market exists, and it’s hungry
There are concrete countertops, vanities, outdoor BBQ tops, and architectural surfaces everywhere from the early wave of concrete popularity. They need service.

And when you restore the center of someone’s home, you are not just fixing a surface. You’re restoring pride.

Jon’s point lands: clients are grateful, willing to pay, and there’s little apples-to-apples price comparison. You show up professional, you get paid like a professional.

The “win-win” bonus

Brandon and Jon both see the same thing:
A reseal often turns into new work.

You revive a kitchen, suddenly the client starts thinking:
“We should do that vanity.”
“We’ve talked about an outdoor BBQ.”
“We might do a fireplace surround.”

When concrete looks good again, people want more of it.

Pricing restorations: Hourly is the escape hatch that keeps you profitable

[38:21 to 42:20]

Brandon asks the practical question: what should someone charge?

Jon’s approach:

  • Look at what professionals in your area make (electricians, plumbers, contractors).

  • Price yourself on the higher end if you show up like a pro.

  • Set a minimum to protect your time.

  • Then go time + materials.

Jon shares his structure:

  • $800 minimum

  • $180/hour

  • Plus consumables (sealer, rags, pads, etc.)

Brandon adds a key point:
Hourly protects you when a “simple reseal” turns into a multi-day surprise.

And it keeps you out of the trap of underbidding a nightmare.

Also, customer experience matters. A client does not want you living in their kitchen for three days. Clean setup, fast execution, no mess, and a professional finish is the whole game.

Work-Life Balance for Makers: Systems that prevent “oops” moments

[42:20 to 53:59]

This section is equal parts funny and painfully real.

Jon’s on-site rules:

  • Pull the stove out, don’t sand next to it.

  • Remove faucets and trim around sinks.

  • It prevents accidental damage and makes work faster.

Brandon shares an old Tempe story where an employee sanded through the finish on an irreplaceable custom-plated drain, even after being warned repeatedly.

It’s a reminder for every shop owner:
If a mistake can’t be undone, the system has to make it hard to mess up.

The hidden lesson: the more “in-home restoration” work you do, the more you’ll rely on process, checklists, and habits that reduce risk, protect the client’s space, and protect your margin.

Surface Quality in GFRC: Dry pad speed and protecting your hook-and-loop

[23:03 to 28:32]

Brandon brings up two common issues CASE raised:

  1. Pads wearing out too fast.

  2. Backer pads losing grip over time.

Jon’s guidance:

Best speed range

Run your sander moderate, roughly 2 to 4 (if it goes to 6).

Why:

  • Too fast can heat the resin and cause glazing (pads stop cutting even though they look fine).

  • Too slow can overheat the tool because many sanders are air-cooled and need airflow.

Stop chewing up your backer pad

Use pad protectors (interface pads).

They go between the sander backer pad and the diamond pad, taking the wear so your expensive backer pad doesn’t get destroyed.

Jon’s workflow:

  • Buy a pad protector for each grit you commonly use.

  • Attach each protector to each diamond pad and leave them on.

Pro tip: universal versions with lots of holes work well across brands.

Getting the “blackest black” in Maker Mix (Pigment load, timing, and Boost)

[53:59 to 1:03:38]

Brandon wants a deeper black sample:

  • He cast Maker Mix with 3% Jet pigment.

  • It looks good, but he wants darker.

  • He tested a black water-based stain on one side, and it went nearly jet black with one coat.

Jon’s advice for Maker Mix:

1) Pigment loading

  • 4 to 5% Jet pigment is the practical max.

  • Above 5% has little “bang for buck.”

2) Add pigment later in the mix cycle (this matters)

This is the counterintuitive part.

Jon’s reasoning:
Modern plasticizers are better than what we had years ago. You want plasticizer to coat the cement particles first, then introduce pigment so dispersion improves and agglomeration risk drops.

Result: deeper, richer saturation. Jon claims you can see a meaningful difference.

Brandon’s concern is clumping, based on old pigment experiences. Jon says with Kodiak Pro pigments and Maker Mix behavior, adding later should still stay clean and consistent.

3) Use Boost for richer color (especially if you want that “premium” depth)

Jon recommends:

  • Boost at 0.5% to 1% of dry materials.

  • Over 1% is typically not worth it.

  • Treat Boost as an addition (no need to subtract water).

How to add it:

  • Dilute Boost 50/50 with some of your mix water.

  • Add it after slake, once you break the slake.

Jon’s claim: Boost can make 3% pigment look dramatically richer, and it elevates perceived quality.

4) Cure well

Good cure equals deeper, more even color and better overall quality.

Closing: Gratitude, and the real invitation (Kodiak Pro and concrete craftsmanship)

[1:03:38 to 1:05:27]

They wrap with the same energy the best shops carry into a new year: gratitude, clarity, and momentum.

Brandon thanks the Kodiak Pro family, longtime customers, and the new makers who joined in 2025. He and Jon reinforce that they are here to help, and they are looking forward to 2026.

Adios, amigo.