kitchen counter update.

the last major update to the kitchen was to the laminate countertops. as much as we loved the salmon pink color of those counters, we knew the color had to go. since we didn’t want to make a huge investment into replacing counters yet, i decided to try a new paint by rust-oleum that is meant to resurface laminate counters. there is no sanding, priming, or sealing & for about $25 it seemed like an easy decision.

supplies:

• cleaner (i used fantastik degreaser)
• rust-oleum countertop coating (home depot or lowe’s)
• paint tray
• smooth paint roller (i used a leftover roller from painting the cabinets)
• paint brush
• paint thinner (i didn’t have this but highly recommend it to clean your brush)
• painter’s tape
• painter’s paper (optional)

{the basic supplies}

{we decided on grey mist for our counters. it seems a little bit lighter in person than that little swatch.}

first, i taped & papered the door trim, tops of appliance, anything i didn’t want paint on. i didn’t tape off the tile because when we took out the old caulking, it left me just enough space under the tile to get a paint brush. {sidenote: if you get this paint on tile, immediately remove it with a wet papertowel or rag, or else it won’t come off!}

then, i began painting the edges of the counter with the paint brush. i then moved onto painting the rest of the counter with the roller brush. {sidenote: i recommend using a paint brush as little as possible with this paint because it leaves brush marks. also, i found painting in small sections helped: paint a foot or so of the edge of the counter with a brush, switch to roller & paint the rest of that counter section, move onto the next section & begin with brush, etc.}

i ended up doing just two coats, letting the first coat dry 24 hours before beginning the second. then, the paint needs 3 full days to fully cure.

i am pleasantly surprised with the finish as it is really smooth & even. there are a few places where you can see brushstrokes, or where something stuck to the paint & dried, but all-in-all i am really happy. this countertop paint is a really great & economical way to update & change the color of your laminate countertops.

{we also began the caulking process once the counter was dry. this was sort of a fail & we still need to caulk under the tiles.}

stay tuned next week for a total kitchen reveal! it is really amazing how much a few coats of paint have completely transformed our kitchen.

are you looking to upgrade your countertops? have you considered painting them (if they are laminate)?

M

disclaimer: i was not paid by rust-oleum for this post. i used its new countertop coating product & was happy with the results.