C-Grid is used around the sink hole. Photo courtesy of Concrete Countertop Institute.

Concrete Counter Top Reinforcement
Concrete counter tops can be reinforced with various materials including rebar, ladder wire, wire mesh and structural carbon fiber. Learn how to choose the right kind of reinforcement for your concrete counter tops, and get tips on placement as well.
by by Susan Brimo-Cox

Concrete countertops are works of art. They are also structural pieces of concrete. Just as you don't have to be a trained artist to create an aesthetically pleasing concrete countertop, you don't have to be an engineer to build a concrete countertop that is structurally sound, but it helps to understand the physical stresses at play.

Unfortunately, there is not a simple rule of thumb when it comes to concrete countertop reinforcement. Each concrete countertop has its own criteria: span, width, thickness, load and the material properties of the concrete itself. But if you understand where load, compression and tension occur in concrete countertops, you can figure out the appropriate reinforcement design.

It's probably a good idea to point out at the start that there are two kinds of reinforcement: primary and secondary. Primary reinforcement you can't do without. Rebar, ladder wire and structural carbon fiber grid are all primary reinforcement materials and each has different characteristics and uses.

Secondary reinforcements can contribute additional characteristics that may make a better product, but are not absolutely necessary.