After rejecting more than 100 sealers for their concrete countertops, Chris Keown and his colleagues at Concrete Canvas created their own formula.

The proprietary treatment differs from penetrating and topical sealers in that it alters the concrete's chemistry. Applied to concrete after it cures, the formula makes the concrete tougher, less permeable and more stain-resistant, Keown says. It also resists scratches and heat and does not impart an artificial sheen. Tests indicate the product wears well and will not etch, but Keown recommends wiping up spills and rinsing the area with water, as with any countertop surface.

Concrete Canvas manufactures custom countertops in its Greenville, S.C., studio for shipment anywhere in the United States. For more information, visit www.concretecanvas.net.

The company recently won an Industry Partner Honor Award for aesthetically and functionally exceptional products from the Carolinas Chapter of the American Society of Interior Designers.