8/31/19
(Above: The sealed primary kitchen countertop.)
Building Summary: Today, by way of Jacobhouse activities, I accessed and watched/read the Concrete Countertop Institute’s manual on applying Omega Sealer. This was followed by my venturing down to Sparr Farm Supply, collecting the materials I did not have (paint strainers, large foam roller, large roller ‘tub’, and acetone), and then by my bringing down those supplies to the farm.
There, I prepared the surfaces for sealing by first wiping the entire area* with a slightly damp shop-towel and then with an acetone ‘drenched’ shop-towel. This was followed by opening and mixing together the two sealer components with 60 CC syringes**. I commenced to put together a couple batches of primer for the first two coats (1:7 ratio with one being urethane and seven being water). This was followed by six finish coats (1:1 ratio). More description of application process can be found in the TIL section.
The morning ended with my cleaning up the sealing materials in the barn’s still-new and still much-appreciated deep sink.
TIL: Today I learned how to apply Omega Sealer from the Concrete Countertop Institute. To summarize, the first primer coats were applied as flood coats; the surface had to remain wet for 2-5 minutes straight so the concrete countertop could soak up as much as possible. After the time was up, I backrolled*** the entire surface.
The second ‘finish’ coats were applied as light coats via spraybottle which were then promptly ‘backrolled’. In both the primer and ‘finish’ layers, I knew when to add the next coat via appearance (it certainly took much less time than the 15-30 minutes prescribed in the videos, though that is likely because I was working in a 90+ degree environment). As soon as the surface began to dull from a glossy to a matte sheen, it was time for another coat.
Another thing I learned today was how to make noodles using just flour (3c.) , water (1c.) , and olive oil (2 tbsp). Simply make a dough from those three ingredients, knead for 8-10 minutes until smooth, let rest for a little bit, flatten with a rolling pin, cut with a knife, and boil for 45-60 seconds. For a sauce I used ½ cup pasta salt water (remember to liberally salt the water before the boil), ¼ block of shredded Parmesan cheese, and 4 tbsp. butter. Tender and tasty, I will be making this type of noodle again.
Commentary: It took quite some time to read up on and prepare for the sealing of Jacobhouse’s concrete kitchen counter. As a matter of fact, I would say that almost as much thought went into the sealing process as went into the forming / pouring process. It has yet to be determined whether the latter task was worth the time, currency, and effort, but so far I am impressed. The surface is very shiny (if not a bit tacky), and if all goes well, it will be impervious to water / staining within the next 24 hours after it has cured****.
Now, seeing as it is quite late, I’ll leave this picture of some mushrooms I found growing just outside of oldhouse.
Final Note: Tomorrow I will likely begin preparing Jacobhouse for flooring. This will include cleaning the whole place up, stowing the boxes of building supplies under the bed, and moving the boxes of sticky-tile out to the container (they need to be acclimated to my abode’s internal temperature before application). The countertop I sealed today will likely be moved out on Monday with the help of Primo, Wag, and Padre.
*Plywood table included; I didn’t want any debris to get stuck on the roller and then ‘rolled’ onto the counter’s surface.
** An excellent suggestion made by the man in the videos I watched; I was actually wondering if such a method would work beforehand, and he affirmed my suspicions.
*** Simply rolling the foam roller back toward myself (easiest) or in any one direction just so long as I did not go back and forth with it.
**** The sealant is also temperature resistant, easily enduring temperatures of up to 500 degrees Fahrenheit.