Hi everyone! My daughter recently got married and bought her first home. Needless to say I've been painting and "fixin" for about 2 weeks to help them get moved in. Although they bought a stick built home, we came across a way to fix her really awful kitchen countertops. I thought it might be of interest on this site. Hers turned out so well I would love to do it. The link giving directions and different options is http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf999197.tip.html. I'll post photos of hers (yes we did step by step photos of the whole process) as soon as I figure out how to post photos. If worse comes to worse I'll post a link to photobucket or something. Hers really turned out well.
We first cleaned the counter with a really good degreaser, then sanded with 220 grit paper. We filled in any bad places with wood filler, let dry and sand smooth. We primed with a dark gray latex primer, let dry and cure. Then we did a base coat of black latex. When that was dry we prettied it up. There are several different way to do this as explained on the thrifty fun site. I dipped a stiff bristle brush in regular old craft paint from walmart (maybe a buck fifty for the bottle) It was metallic silver. I just splattered the paint from the brush on the counter with a clean wood shim ( I used a shim cause it was the only thing handy other than my husbands new screwdriver) When that was dry we applied the sealer. We used a product called Envirotex. It cost about 24 bucks a quart. It contains a resin and a hardner. They were mixed in equal parts and poured on. We sort of spread it out and over the backsplash, letting it drip over the edges of the counter. It is a 2 person job. We let it alone and the next morning it looked beautiful. We added a second coat of Envirotex just in case. (I'm a mom--I live for Just in Case) I just sanded lightly, tacked ragged it really well and wiped it with alcohol. Then we put on a second coat of the Envirotex. The next morning it was beautiful.
Word of warning using this stuff--cover your floors walls and cabinets really well . Don't spare the tape cause this stuff is like working with really thick pancake syrup and it has to drip over the edges of your counters to seal. Also, we took the sink out because it dries really hard and a person might want or need to remove the sink for some reason later on down the road.
Just thought someone might be interested.
countertop
Moderators: Greg, Mark, mhrAJ333, JD
Hi Sherry,
Just checked your account and you are able to post pics to the site.
Go to the "website questions forum", there are several threads there that explain how to do this...
Look forward to seeing your personal photo album.
Thanks for sharing the link.
Yanita
Just checked your account and you are able to post pics to the site.
Go to the "website questions forum", there are several threads there that explain how to do this...
Look forward to seeing your personal photo album.
Thanks for sharing the link.
Yanita
The difference between success and failure is who gives up first!
this is a link to my photo site http://i263.photobucket.com/albums/ii15 ... ter012.jpg
http://i263.photobucket.com/albums/ii15 ... dblack.jpg
Counter painted black
Counter painted black
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Kimpossible
- Posts: 12
- Joined: Thu Nov 01, 2007 1:23 pm
- Location: Kansas
Oh oh oh! I can hardly sit still long enough to post a thank you. I have hated my counter tops for a very long time now. I do believe a colorblind man picked the schemes for my home & they just aren't....appealing. Gray....throughout. How depressing.
I've lived with these counters for 11 years now & thanks to Sherry there is now a light at the end of the tunnel (just hope it isn't a freight train!). I've never wanted to go to the expense (& labor!) of yanking out the counters in 2 bathrooms & kitchen, & replacing them with something else (I really like the clean look of tile but wasn't sure I could tackle that on my own). From what I am reading I don't see why I couldn't create a tile look but at a fraction of the cost.
My next project was to be to tape & mud the seams & repaint the living room/hallway but now I think I would like to try to paint the counter in the small bathroom (redecorated: textured & painted in turquoise/aqua so gray doesn't really go that well in there). If I can pull this off then the kitchen & master bath are next. I can hardly wait to take some vacation now! I luuuuuuuuuvvvvvvvvv this kind of thing (especially when it turns out nice!). And I really like the idea of turning a "plain ole run of the mill mobile home" into a home that looks like a lot of money was put into it & rivaling the $250,000 stick builts down the street.
Thanks again Sherry for the link. This is just what I was looking for & didn't even know it.
I've lived with these counters for 11 years now & thanks to Sherry there is now a light at the end of the tunnel (just hope it isn't a freight train!). I've never wanted to go to the expense (& labor!) of yanking out the counters in 2 bathrooms & kitchen, & replacing them with something else (I really like the clean look of tile but wasn't sure I could tackle that on my own). From what I am reading I don't see why I couldn't create a tile look but at a fraction of the cost.
My next project was to be to tape & mud the seams & repaint the living room/hallway but now I think I would like to try to paint the counter in the small bathroom (redecorated: textured & painted in turquoise/aqua so gray doesn't really go that well in there). If I can pull this off then the kitchen & master bath are next. I can hardly wait to take some vacation now! I luuuuuuuuuvvvvvvvvv this kind of thing (especially when it turns out nice!). And I really like the idea of turning a "plain ole run of the mill mobile home" into a home that looks like a lot of money was put into it & rivaling the $250,000 stick builts down the street.
Thanks again Sherry for the link. This is just what I was looking for & didn't even know it.
Kimpossible,
You as so welcome, I had to chuckle when I read your post. You sounded just like my daughter when I found the information. Newly married with an old house to try to fix up and really broke--she could hardly contain herself with excitement. She mentioned the "light at the end of a tunnel"herself. I hope it works out well for you. If you have any questions, feel free to ask!
good luck
Sherry
You as so welcome, I had to chuckle when I read your post. You sounded just like my daughter when I found the information. Newly married with an old house to try to fix up and really broke--she could hardly contain herself with excitement. She mentioned the "light at the end of a tunnel"herself. I hope it works out well for you. If you have any questions, feel free to ask!
good luck
Sherry
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jessi-poo
Dear Sherry,
As you daughter I must point out the flaws in your post....that being the fact that it was MY idea to paint the counters. Mine. Mine. Mine. But it's ok...I'm sure people will still think you're cool
Love you...And yes folks the countertops do look really good
As you daughter I must point out the flaws in your post....that being the fact that it was MY idea to paint the counters. Mine. Mine. Mine. But it's ok...I'm sure people will still think you're cool
Love you...And yes folks the countertops do look really goodLOL, you two remind me of my daughter and myself. I just spent 2 1/2 days in Tn, working in her mobile home, and have the sore neck to prove it. 
I did the tissue paper treatment on her LR walls almost 2 years ago, and just now got to do the glazing step, which to me, makes it. I also got to texturize the hallway, prime, and paint. Maybe next year she'll let me glaze it too. It's hard with me in N.C. and her in Tn. I have to cram as much as I can into a couple of days here and there.
You all are going to inspire me tremendously; I can alredy tell, in the short time I've been here. I'm so glad I found this board, thanks to someone on another board, posting the link.
I did the tissue paper treatment on her LR walls almost 2 years ago, and just now got to do the glazing step, which to me, makes it. I also got to texturize the hallway, prime, and paint. Maybe next year she'll let me glaze it too. It's hard with me in N.C. and her in Tn. I have to cram as much as I can into a couple of days here and there. You all are going to inspire me tremendously; I can alredy tell, in the short time I've been here. I'm so glad I found this board, thanks to someone on another board, posting the link.
It's a nice effect, but if you do it, don't make the mistake I did. I spackled the seams, then sanded when dry. They still showed through the thin tissue paper.sherry wrote:Trudi,
I'm glad I'm not the only mom with a nutty daughter. I'm really glad I found this site too. I've been itching to do the tissue paper thing on my walls here at home.
Next time I will definitely use seam (drywall) tape and joint compound.
