How to Paint Laminate Countertops
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I was always a little intimidated to paint our laminate countertops in our first house. It seemed like such a commitment and could so easily go wrong and then what would I even do?! But they were pretty horrible. They were plain old white laminate countertops, and to add to the bleakness of the situation, they had large knife cuts in several spots, and were even a little burned on the corners by the stove? Never really figured that one out. See below for the “before” of our white kitchen countertops.
I finally got the nerve to paint them after we finished painting the kitchen cabinets. It made the countertops look so plain and yucky with all the fresh paint on the cabinets, so I gave in and decided to try out painting the countertops. I used this Giani Countertop paint kit from Amazon in White Granite. I wanted it to be light and have a look similar to granite, so this seemed like the best bet for me.
The paint kit provides all the detailed instructions, but I will walk you through exactly how I did it.
STEP ONE: Clean & Prep
First, I prepped the countertops. So I got all the stuff off our countertops first, then scrubbed them with a wire sponge and soap, and then made sure I got all the soap residue up really well. For this project, I also taped where the countertops meet the wall, as well as around the sink and stove top to protect everything. It gets kind of messy so I would say taping is a MUST.
STEP TWO: Roll the Base Coat
Next, I used the small roller provided by the paint kit to cover all the countertops in the base black color. The small roller honestly kind of sucks because it doesn’t spin around the handle holder very well. I found the less pressure you put on it the better it rolls. Once you’ve put a good first base coat on your countertops, you have to let it dry for a minimum of 8 hours. I actually did the base coat right before I went to bed, and then got back to work in the morning!
STEP THREE: Sponge on the Top Layers
After your base coat is completely dry, you can move on to sponging the granite look on! I believe the directions tell you to cut the sponge up into 3 or 4 pieces, and then use one for each color you sponge. This part is going to get messy, so maybe put on some gloves – my hands were a nightmare after all the sponging work!
Use the lightest color first (if using the White Diamond kit) and sponge a small section. Don’t do it too thick but get enough on there to cover maybe 65% of the black. You still want to see some of the black in the end, so definitely don’t over sponge the area. Then, use the other sponge pieces for the slightly darker colors and gently and lightly sponge onto the section you just did. The paint all needs to be wet so it blends well. However, this proposes a slight problem with the colors mixing on your sponge. You may want to keep paper towels or a paper plate around to blot each sponge after you use it on top of another wet color.
Sponging each section is going to take a lot of time, but I encourage you to go slow and take your time. The more time you spend sponging and getting the “pattern” right, the better! Take it in 4×4 sections and once you’ve completed the 4×4, move to the next spot over.
Once you finish sponging on the granite looking pattern, go over all your work and touch up anywhere needed. This coat needs to dry for another few hours (follow the directions specific amount of time here), so maybe break for lunch & an iced coffee at this point!
STEP FOUR: Seal & Set
After the paint has completely dried, it’s time to put the final coat of sealant on there. This is fairly easy to roll on with a fresh roller pad. It’s a little hard to see, but is tinted purple to help visibility. Again, the roller spinning isn’t great, so go slow. You’ll want to get a fairly thick coat on there. Let dry for several hours.
Once your paint sealant is all dry, you are ready to go!! Remove the painter’s tape, add back your countertop appliances and decor, pour yourself a glass of wine, and enjoy your new kitchen view!
