Concrete countertops in India

I recently had the privilege to visit Bangalore, India to train someone on how to make concrete countertops. To my knowledge, this is the first introduction of concrete countertops to India. The student, Ajaay Srinivaas, is a successful business person with a tile importing business and an incense business, and has now created Nuance Studio to offer concrete countertops, sinks and elements. I will write a more thorough account of Ajaay’s company later, but for now I want to share a few photos of my trip.

Before the trip, I had Ajaay acquire all the tools and materials he would need. This was a challenge, as the types of tools and materials available in India vary widely from the U.S. For example, we had trouble finding foam rollers for applying sealer. There are no Home Depot or Lowes stores. Here is a photo of the local hardware store.

men standing in hardware paint store in India

However India does have several good brands of portland cement.

Ultratech brand portland cement in India

Most of the items Ajaay imported from the U.S. These should look familiar to you.

tools for concrete countertop making imported to India from the US

And this too, although usually you don’t see flowers on a miter saw! The day I arrived was the Ugadi new year festival, and all the machines were blessed with flowers and greenery.

flowers on Bosch miter saw in India during Ugadi new year festival

India was the most exotic place I’ve traveled to so far. It was amazing! Cows really do roam the streets. I couldn’t get over that.

black cow sitting in middle of street in India

This cow walked by next door to the shop. She wanted to help make concrete!

cow standing on sand and gravel piles

And the traffic is harrowing – constant honking, swerving, tailgating, with cars, trucks, buses, rickshaws, motorbikes with whole families on them, pedestrians and cows all mixed in.

closeup of traffic in India

My wife Lane had a fabulous time shopping. The clothing and fabrics were stunningly beautiful, and there were lots of treasures to be found.

shelves with fabrics in sari shop in India

We visited a palace and a Hindu temple and rode an elephant!

Mysore Palace in India  Hindu temple in India  people riding an elephant at Mysore Palace in India

It was an amazing experience. There are lots more photos on the CCI Facebook page.

I look forward to seeing lots of photos of Ajaay’s future concrete creations. Thanks Ajaay for a great experience!

three people standing in front of concrete block shop with bags of cement

 

Thanks for signing up for our seminar! Check your email for further instructions.

How-to-make-GFRC-concrete-countertop-free-seminar

Thanks for signing up for our seminar! Check your email for further instructions.