Tips for Painting Kitchen Countertops

Tap to Read ➤ Tilottama Chatterjee

If you're giving a serious thought to give your kitchen a new look, this story is for you. Let's see how to go about painting your kitchen countertop.

When you're low on funds, but want a way to inject new life into your kitchen, then painting the countertops of your kitchen is a great idea. Remodeling can be expensive and time-consuming, whereas painting can transform a dull workplace in no time, at a low cost.

With innovations in the painting techniques, there's a plethora of options for every possible finish you could desire and enough shades to ensure you get it just right. Countertop painting needs a little preparation, a few materials, and lots of patience.

How to Paint

There are a number of considerations to take into account while decorating your kitchen, one of the most important being the finish you desire. Depending on the surface you're starting off with, the painting techniques will differ with respect to preparation and tools used to achieve the desired look.

Laminate, wood, and Formica can all benefit from a coat of paint. There are even ways of faux painting to give the countertop a stone look. Here are some steps to get you started:

1. The first step when painting anything is to ensure that the surface is clean. If the surface isn't completely clean, then the paint will cover the dirt in splotches, or worse still, not adhere at all, giving you a patchy finish. Ideally, using a cleaning agent like TSP (Trisodium Phosphate) will take care of this.

2. Use masking tape to cover any surfaces that you don't want to paint.

3. Now, use a medium-grade sandpaper and clean the surface. Then vacuum the dust off the top.

4. Next is the application of primer. It prepares the surface for painting, so while it may seem like a pointless exercise, skipping this will result in a far from perfect finish.

While most primers come in base, neutral colors, use a primer that's tinted with the shade you're planning to paint, for best results. Let it dry completely.

5. Once dry, sand the primed surface very gently to ensure a completely smooth and bump free finish. The countertops are now ready to be painted.

Different Methods

There are innumerable methods to choose from, when it comes to painting countertops. If you are among the creative ones, then let your imagination flow and experiment with different methods for different looks. Listed here are a few methods which are sure to give your kitchen a beautiful and new look.

The Granite Look

Painting Formica countertops to look like granite is a great way to completely transform your kitchen. It's fairly simple to do. Sponge on a combination of black and white acrylic paint using a sample picture as a guide.

Let this dry completely and then follow with four or five coats of clear floor polyurethane, letting each coat dry completely before you start on the next.

Spray Painting

While you may be apprehensive about this method, the following tips and techniques may help quell your fears. Shake the can of spray paint well, then holding it about 12 inches from the surface, gently spray it over the countertop.

Use slow back and forth motion, to cover the entire surface. Repeat this process at least 3 times, to ensure that you don't miss out on any spots, then let it dry completely. Once dry, use a clear protective spray to finish.

Painting Tile

Painting tile is a bit more cumbersome than other surfaces because of the surface depth differences. To begin with you have to repair any cracks or imperfections in the tile, and wait for it to dry completely. Use semi-gloss or high-gloss-oil based paints for ceramic tile painting, and use at least 2 to 3 coats.

Wait till each one is completely dry before you start on the next. Finish with two coats of clear polyurethane. Tile is also a great surface for stenciling, so all you need is a pretty design and you're good to go.

Painting countertops is a great way to give your kitchen a new life on a low budget. All you have to do is get together some painting supplies, throw on some old clothes, and let your creative side loose. You may well be pleasantly surprised with the results.