White is the classic countertop color and the hardest one to get in concrete. The short version: you cannot make white from gray. Gray cement plus white pigment gives you a soft ash tone — attractive, popular in modern kitchens, but not white. A genuinely white countertop needs white cement in the mix.
Prefer to listen? Shawna Turner explained why gray Portland can never give you a true white, in a 5-minute episode. The player is at the end of this article.
White concrete countertops.
Shop Countertop Stains & Trial Kits →
Can you make white concrete from a gray mix?
No. A true white can only be achieved with a white cement mix. Add white pigment to gray concrete and you get a sleek ash look — genuinely desirable, just not white. If you are building from scratch, use a high-quality white countertop mix containing white Portland cement, chopped fiberglass for reinforcement, and white sand — then add white pigment to that.
The cheaper route: skim-coat what you already have
Replacing a countertop averages about $3,000 in the US before labor. A skim coat of white overlay over the existing top gets you a clean white finish for a fraction of that. The kitchen below is Liz Morrow Studios of Tacoma.
Tiles to titanium
A two-surface project: vertical overlay tinted with titanium pigment over the tiled backsplash, and pearl white overlay across the Formica counters.
— DIY Customer
Three other ways to get white
Sealing and living with a white countertop
White shows everything, so the sealer matters more here than on any other color.
Shop Countertop Stains & Trial Kits →
Common questions
Can I get a white concrete countertop from a gray Portland mix?
No. This is the single most important thing to know before you start. A truly white result requires a mix containing white Portland cement. Adding white pigment to a gray mix gets you an ashen or light gray — the gray cement is still the ground color, and pigment cannot overcome it. Source a white mix, or accept gray and change the surface color instead.
What can I use to make white concrete if I can find a white mix?
A white powder pigment mixed into the wet material. Concrete Powder Pigment in color 205 is the white, and it goes into the mix before you place it, not onto the surface afterwards. White concrete mixes are frequently hard to source locally, so ask a concrete supplier rather than a hardware store.
How do I get a white look on a countertop that is already gray?
Change the surface rather than the mass. A white surface color is the practical route: Vibrance™ 339 White or ColorWave® 601 White. For a food-contact surface, confirm the topcoat through the free project consultation before buying. Direct Colors no longer sells the white tinted sealer or the countertop overlay discussed in the episode, but the approach — opaque white on top, then a durable topcoat — still works with materials from a concrete supplier.
Can I use an epoxy sealer on a white countertop?
Not outdoors, and cautiously indoors. Epoxy yellows over time under direct sunlight, which is exactly the failure you will notice most on a white surface. Never use it outdoors, and think twice on an indoor top that gets strong direct sun through a window.
Listen to this episode
Direct Colors DIY Home Improvement · Episode 28
How to Get Brilliant White Concrete
Tommy Carter and Shawna Turner · 5 min 15 sec · read the full transcript
What's Next
- All countertop projects → DIY Concrete Countertop Ideas
- Resurfacing method → Refinish a Formica Countertop
- White projects → White Stained Concrete
- Marble look → How to Make Countertops Look Like Marble
- Applying stain outdoors → How to Apply Outdoor Concrete Stain
- Choosing a sealer → The Best Concrete Sealer
- Prefer a reactive, mottled look? → Acid Stain Colors Guide
- Shop → ColorWave® · AcquaTint™ · Trial Kits
Direct Colors. Shawnee, OK. Manufacturing the full decorative concrete system since 1997.
