Make Your Laminate Countertop Look Like Granite

Granite countertops are elegant and sophisticated but very expensive. However, you can make those old ordinary laminate countertops look as if he had an expensive restoration; you can paint with a brush and a sponge. If you do it right, your faux granite countertops will look so real that people who see your finished project will have to do a double take.

Instructions

  1. Get samples of granite styles from paint stores, magazines or the Internet. Narrow your options to the look like what you want. Select a color base and two primary colors to speckle and splash on your base color for a faux granite finish. For example, you can opt for a dark gray base and a clear and black for a dark gray granite. Alternatively, you could choose three shades of beige to get a clear look of granite.
  2. Experiment with your colors on a wooden block. Apply the base color and let dry. Use a flat or wide brush to make you feel comfortable. To splash, use a sponge to splatter on to the base color. Another way to speckle is extending your index finger and tapping the brush so that an effect of consecutive spots on the base color is created.
  3. Fill a spray bottle with water. Experiment with paint run to determine which technique you want to use to mix colors and achieve the style you want. Keep practicing until you determine the technique that works best. Keep your reference test wood and notes, if necessary, to replicate the technique you used on your countertop.
  4. Clean the countertop thoroughly with a grease remover and detergent. Hide any chipping or cutting that has on its surface countertop with wood filler. Let dry and sand the repaired areas and the entire surface slightly so that it is smooth and uniform. Clean any excess dust with a damp cloth and let dry.
  5. Apply a base coat to the counter and let it dry for at least four hours. Apply two coats of the base color of your paint using a foam brush or roller and leave at least 12 hours.
  6. Use your test block and your notes to double the technique that you used for your second and third color. Start with a corner using speckled or spotted techniques. Moisten the counter slightly after you finish running or mix the paint application. Let dry for 24 hours.
  7. Apply two or three coats of polyacrylic over the counter. This will allow it to keep its color and not become yellow, especially if you’re using light colors. Let each application of the cover dry and “cure” for 24 hours.
  8. Start again if your faux granite was not satisfactory. Paint the counter with the base color again and let dry for six hours. The start the process again.