Concrete bench tops and decorative concrete pieces are a good idea if you like the solid look. I certainly would not recommend asking a general concreter about a concrete bench for your kitchen. Normally the bad rap that concrete bench tops get are when they are manufactured like a driveway or footpath. Kitchen bench tops require different characteristics. They should be constructed dense (to help prevent staining), flexible (to prevent cracking), lightweight (so can be manufactured off-site). With the materials that are available now, concrete can have all these characteristics. Sealing is another topic for the professionals. There are three different methods of sealing concrete. Penetrating, Topical, or Reactive. Sometimes all three are used to seal a concrete kitchen bench. This is because the way a kitchen bench is used is different to a floor. You are not only trying to prevent staining, you are trying to prevent etching that could occur with acidic foods. There are companies around that specialise in concrete bench tops for kitchens. Try them you may be surprised at the options available for "concrete" bench tops.

thanks how2girl, but I guess my question is more about polishing concrete that has been sealed/oiled than it is about concrete benchtops (hence those threads were a bit generic). A bit more research suggests to me that a sander is the tool to use. I'm thinking of attaching some used carpet to a sander. I'm still unsure of whether to use a polishing cream - I think it perhaps can't do any harm though, and may add to the shine. Then the question becomes whether it makes sense to add bees wax over the top. To me, it seems it would protect the shine. But I'm guessing all of this.

Hi Tina, Granites are non-pourous and really easy to maintain. When they are installed you should wipe them over with a liquid sealer; something like Rainstop and this will just give it an added protection, but you should not be concerned about staining (not sure where you heard this because it really is not a problem with Granite). The sealing process can be done once a year and it really is as easy as wiping your tops over with Rainstop, which is a thin liquid consistency like Terps, leaving it to dry for around 15 minutes and then wiping this over again with a dry clean cloth; it's that simple. Hope this information helps, regards Malcolm.

What material is it and by integrated does that include basin?