Having 20 years concreting experience in concrete factory tilt-ups and suspended concrete beams this bench top design is virtually a miniature version of those building principles. After working out the material quantities, a 3.5m x 1.2m suspended bench top with 4 concrete uprights, it can be built for under $300. When completed this 100mm thick bench top will act as a large bench and a divider between the back room and the front studio space.

The supports for the bench top are poured onto a flat concrete base, pouring each support separately, and stacking them on top of each other exactly like a factory wall tiltup but on a way smaller scale. Designed to be broken in two so as moving the supports dont require mechanical means, once pieced together then set to height inside the studio, suspended formwork is then built, dropping away once the bench top has been poured over the supports.

Set at a height of 750mm it acts as a desk for my computer which allows for my office chairs to fit comfortably underneath and more importantly as a work bench where I can spread out my artwork over a span of 3.5m. Bench top Sketch

Once I have completed this bench top there is a kitchen I need to build and all going well I shall use the same concept in building the kitchen bench top with sink and taps built into it.

For anyone that gives a shit I will be detailing and supplying photo's of the progressive steps in making the studio benchtop from a concretors perspective. Stay Tuned! looking forward to this.

24th May 2010: Working in such a scaled down version than a tiltup has taken me a little longer than I had thought. Working in such a scale one notices that the smaller you go the more attention to detail that is required.  I have changed the upright design slightly and have formed them up to act as one (instead of 2 pieces for less weight when carrying), 3 people should still be able to move them once they have cured for 28 days. The concrete mix chosen is 32mpa and has been mixed by hand using a ratio of 1.5 cement: 2 sand and 3 10mm aggregate. I have inserted Y12 bar to the outer perimeter with F62 slab mesh to cover. Inserted are 5 Y12 200mm  dowel bars to act as a top securing point for the benchtop mesh and also to anchor the uprights to the studio floor.

I poured the first upright today and have discovered that the sand and aggregate mix will be too course for the benchtop, there are not enough sand fines and the mix is rather course which made it a battle to get a flat smooth finish. I persevered and got the desired flat finish however I will source out a more finer sand for the benchtop. In 20 years that I have concreted I have only ever purchased concrete by the truck load. Mixing by hand is a novelty and one notices the subtleties of a concrete mix and how easy it is to get it wrong. After pouring the first upright it has begun to rain which will delay me for a day or so. Everything is properly covered so as it doesnt fill with water or rot the makeshift formwork. Today I shall start ripping out the old bench in the studio and mark it out where the uprights are to go.