Paint Countertops with a Faux Finish
First of all, why would you paint countertops to look like granite, one may wonder? Initially, I was skeptical about painting countertops or any other DIY attempt at a kitchen makeover. So what would the motivator be to paint countertops like granite?
- The need to save money on renovation.
- You can’t stand the old countertops any longer.
- Seriously, they are ugly!
- You love DIY!
Secondly, surprisingly, paint really does make a countertop look better! I spoke with my sister-in-law Kaylee about her experience with painting her kitchen countertops and we will look at what I learned.
We have other countertop DIY for you to explore!
Supplies to Paint Kitchen Countertops
To begin with, I asked Kaylee if she used a prepackaged kit for painting faux countertops or got her supplies on her own. She used a number of materials that she had and purchased the rest on her own. Next I asked what supplies she used to create her granite look.
- Sand paper
- Primer
- Small bottles of acrylic paint – 3 or 4 colors, she used 1 bottle of each
- Sea sponge
- Polyacrylic for the sealer
- Paint rollers and covers, she preferred the foam
- Painting supplies, such as painters tape, etc.
She only spent about $30 on this project, which doesn’t include the items she had around the house. Talk about cost savings!
Paint Countertops to look like Granite
Next we talked about the steps she took. First, she primed the laminate by lightly sanding it. Secondly, she painted the surface with a primer. She had leftover from a previous project, so that saved her some money. I was surprised to learn that she did not put a solid color as the next step. She painted directly onto the dry primer and used all three colors simultaneously.
She had practiced her technique on a paper plate, then used the sea sponge to dot the different colors on the countertops. If she felt an area needed to be lighter or darker, then she added more.
She used did not wait for the colors to dry between coats as she dotted the sponge. She continued, section by section, until she achieved a look she was happy with.
Sealing and Durability in Painting Granite look Countertops
Finally, after the paint had dried, Kaylee used Polyacrylic to seal her countertops. She followed the directions and applied 4 layers of sealer. She tried several different application methods, but found that the foam roller gave her the smoothest finish, though it was not completely smooth. That actually worked in her favor, as it gave the countertops the feel of real granite. It even fooled a contractor!
Lastly, we discussed how her countertops held up with the following concerns:
- Regular wear and tear with a not careful cook
- 2 toddlers
- Relative who set a boiling pot directly on the surface for over 5 minutes
- Sitting water
In the following year before they moved out of that house, the only real problems that she had were two spots where the sealant “wrinkled”. One time it was due to a boiling pot set on the surface. Another time, due to water sitting too long in a repeated manner. She found that light sanding and reapplication of the Polyacrylic removed the damage. All together, she was very happy with her countertops and would highly recommend a faux granite finish to anyone who wants to make their ugly countertops more attractive.
Check out Kaylee’s entire procedure at MamaandMore,com.
For additional inspiration: CLICK HERE to view our Pinterest Board. We love the ideas we get and hope they help you envision your new countertops.
We can’t wait to hear about your projects!
Sandy
