Lawyer embarks on new career in concrete

By Libby James
Correspondent

When Mark Berkner was a kid in Verona, Wis., he made pots. Messing in the mud and creating fanciful shapes made him happy.

As he grew older, he left the mud behind. Rowing became a dominating influence in his life, and he earned an undergraduate degree in history at the University of Wisconsin in Madison.

His passion for rowing led him to choose Villanova University, not far from the banks of the Schuykill River in Philadelphia, for law school. There he perfected his oarsmanship to the point where he qualified for the U.S. Olympic Team that competed in Barcelona, Spain, in 1996.

Now, at age 43, with 14 years of law practice behind him, his preoccupation with mud has returned. Instead of heading to his downtown office in a suit and tie, these days he's more likely to don a T-shirt and jeans and slip down to the basement where his new business awaits his attention.

He's in a transitional phase, committed to completing work for his law clients at the same time that he's embarking on a career in concrete. While kitchen and bathroom countertops are the bulk of his business, he also creates mantles, sculpted pieces, outdoor fireplaces and even fountains.

Berkner was comfortable with the practice of law; it's just that he's ready to nurture his creativity.

"Concrete offers endless possibilities," he said. "You can use different colors and textures, and you can add design elements using bits of metal and glass to make each piece unique."

He derives great satisfaction from envisioning a piece, doing the work and producing a tangible product. "It's very different from the inevitable adversarial atmosphere of the law," he said.

His discovery of concrete's possibilities came about when he and his wife, Amy, remade their small old town bungalow into a spacious home for themselves and their two daughters. "I didn't want to pay for granite countertops," he said, "and in the pursuit of saving a few bucks, I came across the idea of using concrete."

He was acquainted with the process of pouring concrete through odd jobs creating a patio and driveway during law school, and once he had applied a stucco finish to a basement wall. Armed with that slim background and a strong sense of his ability to accomplish the task, he proceeded to read up on the fine points of producing concrete countertops, and then he made his own.

He built forms to specifications in his basement, mixed and poured, and added the suggestion of a fish to the surface using braided wire. After a weeklong curing process, seven strong bodies moved the pieces into place. By this time, Berkner was hooked.

"I must have been looking for a reason to take a break from the law," he said.

It's been a couple of years since the remodel, and slowly Berkner has been working toward reinventing himself as a concrete man. He has produced and installed several countertops and has clients waiting in the wings.

He describes himself as a patient craftsman, willing to persist until he's got it just right. The final product rarely disappoints him. Working in concrete suits his artistic gene, and he finds the unpredictability of the material exciting.

"You never know exactly how a piece is going to turn out," he said. "You need to be somewhat of a risk-taker to commit to concrete."

Berkner said it's necessary to accept the limitations of the material. It's not indestructible. Salts and acids can stain the surface, even through a stone sealer applied to the surface. A quick polish, however, makes the surface new again. Heat will not damage concrete, but it should not be used as a cutting surface. The fact that the aggregate Berkner uses is from a local source makes the product, in his words, "green as can be." While the raw materials are not expensive, the labor involved raises the price so that it is not the least expensive surface around.

Amy Berkner, herself a lawyer by training, is an enthusiastic cheerleader for her husband's new business plan. The pair practiced together until five years ago when she left the law to return to an old love. Now she teaches Spanish at Wellington Junior High School and plans one day to orchestrate an extended family visit to South America.

Cecelia, 10, and Elsa, 8, just know that dad's having a whole lot of fun and that they have the most unusual countertops around.