How to Give Laminate Countertops a Faux Stone Look
If you’re doing a kitchen makeover and your old laminate kitchen countertops don’t blend with the new look, instead of springing for pricey new countertops, give the old ones the look of stone by painting them. Learn how to give laminate countertops a faux stone look in this DIY Network video:
1. Start with clean countertops. Scrub the countertops vigorously with a heavy-duty degreaser and let them dry. Do a little sanding if there’s a gloss on the surface.
2. Tape off all the edges that don’t get paint.
3. Bonding primer is the key to making sure that this project will be successful. Make sure the area is well ventilated. Apply the first coat of bonding primer thinly and evenly with a velour roller to minimize air bubbles. Use a brush for tight areas like around the sink. Bonding primer dries very quickly, so work in small areas and only pour out what you need from the quart. Apply two coats of primer before moving on; let each coat dry a couple of hours.
4. Add two coats of oil-based paint (oil paint creates a more durable surface once it’s dry). Again, make sure the area is well ventilated. Let dry for 24 hours in between coats.
5. Apply a faux stone finish. Sponge on small portions of the oil paint to add a bit of texture; this gives dimension and a real stone look to the countertops. Once dry, add some veining with chalk paint and a small artist brush. Paint diagonally and spin the brush; this gives a more natural vein look. Immediately use a dry brush to mix in the vein. Chalk paint dries very quickly and works great for a faux finish. It helps to have a photo of marble to reference while doing this. Just keep adding layer upon layer of paint until it has lots of texture and only hints of vein. Keep sponging, veining and adding layers of paint until the counters have a look of marble.
6. Once everything is dry, use a velour roller again to apply polyurethane. Add it thickly at first, then smooth it out in different directions to get any brush strokes out. Apply two coats of poly.
