DIY Countertop – A Tutorial and 2 Year Review

When we moved into our house, the upstairs bathroom had an ugly blue laminate countertop. I never liked it, but I also never liked the idea of paying $200+ for a new one. After much deliberation I decided to try painting them. I figured if it didn’t turn out, I would just buy a new top and be done with it.

Tutorial:
First, deep clean the surface. If any dirt remains the paint won’t adhere well and will eventually chip.

Next apply tape to protect the wall. Do not worry about taping around the sink*. Apply a few coats of primer using a small roller and a paint brush. The number of coats will depend on the darkness of your countertop, I did 3 coats.

*I taped around my sink, but after putting that many coats of paint on and letting them dry, I had to use a utility knife to break the seal between the paint on the countertop and the painters tape. Looking back, I would use a fine paintbrush and carefully paint around the sink. If any paint gets on the sink it should scratch right off, but keep a damp cloth with you to immediately wipe up any unwanted paint.

Next apply enamel paint**. I found mine at Lowes.

**Another method for the topcoat could be to paint it with regular paint and then seal it with a few coats of polycrylic (Polycrylic will not yellow the surface but is not quite as durable) or this polyurethane (this poly is much more durable, but MAY yellow the surface. I would do a test coat of this to make sure, but I have had good luck with this particular polyurethane as a topcoat to other white paints).

Before removing the tape, lightly run a utility knife or box cutter along the seam. This will break the seal between the tape and the paint. Pull off the tape and you are done!

Review:
I have had paint on this countertop for 2 years now and I have loved it! I would recommend it for any bathroom. What started out as a short-term fix turned into a long-term solution! It looks amazing and it super durable. That being said, I have had one small spot next to the sink bubble up and peel off, it was because my daughter frequently leaves water puddles around the sink and over time it warped the paint. The spot was a quarter inch wide and a half inch long, I simply added a little bit of primer again and applied a top coat of enamel. Easy peasy and it looks good as new.

What about for a kitchen counter? I can’t say for sure how it would hold up. My suggestion would be to paint a kitchen counter for a short-term fix. Kitchen countertops get so much use I wouldn’t expect it to hold up as a long-term solution. If you do use it in your kitchen, I would recommend applying a couple coats of this polyurethane or polycrylic (see durability comparison above) annually to maximize the durability.

Have you had success with painting countertops? Please share your experience in the comments!

As always, thank you for all the love and encouragement. I truly appreciate your support of this little blog of mine.

With love,