The short answer is no. The majority of worktops are made from laminate, and one of the characteristic qualities of laminate is that it's impermeable. This makes it impervious to water damage, as well as stains from liquids or foodstuffs, but it also means that the varnish or paint won't bond properly with the surface.
In short, no. No, you should not paint your countertops. You should not epoxy your countertops, you shouldn't paint your countertops, and you shouldn't pour cement on your countertops. These are all lovely solutions, but they also all require a professional to really look good.
Many recommend a water-based acrylic primer, paint and top coat. Acrylic paint dries to provide the hard surface needed for heavy-use areas like countertops, while water-based acrylic paint cleans up with water and is low on odors. Either way, you'll want to create proper ventilation in your kitchen while painting.
The average lifespan of refinished countertops is 5-7 years. However, we have seen some homeowners have beautiful looking countertops a full decade after refinishing. It all depends on how much you use your counters and how well you care for them.
Refinishing Costs up to 60% Less than Replacing Countertops
On average, homeowners save between 30% and 70% by refinishing versus replacing countertops. The better your DIY skills for home projects, the more you can save when refinishing countertops.
Painting Countertops
This is possibly the least expensive way to cover up old countertops, especially old wood or linoleum countertops. It's very easy to paint your countertops yourself. Just sand, prime and then paint. You can use a pad sander, but sanding by hand will work just fine.
Once the paint is dry, you'll need to protect the surface with a top coat or glossy resin. You'll want to do two coats to ensure the longevity of the countertop, but the kind of top coat will depend on the original surface.
After your final paint coat has dried 48 hours, apply 3 thin coats of water resistant sealer 3 hours apart using Brush & Roll method. Allow water resistant sealer to cure 3 full days (72 hours) before wetting.
Resurfacing Is a Cost-Effective Option
Resurfacing your kitchen countertops, though, is still a cost-effective alternative—not to mention a low-cost investment that will last for years to come.
White and stone-colored paints are popular colors used for painted countertops. If you're feeling bold, you may opt for a fun color like bright blue paint or banana yellow. When painting your countertops, you'll need to add a fresh coat every couple of years.
More than one coat of countertop paint may be required if you're making a significant color change. Apply a second coat within 1 hour of the first coat. If more than one hour has passed, allow the first coat of paint to dry for at least 24 hours before recoating.
Before you think about replacing your dated laminate countertops entirely, consider painting kitchen counters to improve their style quotient for less. An easy and fun project for do-it-yourselfers, painting kitchen countertops is a cost-effective way to make a statement in the kitchen.
Painting bathroom countertops is a simple enough job, even if it may be time-consuming. Make sure you follow our interior painting tips and prepare well before you start adding paint to ensure that you have a smooth finish without brush strokes, and a beautiful bathroom counter worth the time and effort.
To give you an idea of quality and longevity, most warranties max out at about five years. However, if the countertops are in a high-traffic space you'll likely see signs of wear much sooner than that, even with a higher quality product.
Seal the paint with countertop resin to finish the job.
The resin will harden shortly after you apply it and will protect your newly painted countertop from chipping or scratching. You can buy commercially available resin anywhere painting supplies are sold.
Formica® Countertops - Can I just paint them? "Yes"... Formica® countertops can be painted and over time people have used latex paints, epoxies, and even cans of enamel spray paint.
CHOOSE THE RIGHT PAINT
For this project, you can choose between a Rust-Oleum Spray Enamel or Spray Lacquer products, or even a Rust-Oleum Automotive Spray. These spray paints are more paint than solvent and formulated to be tough, which is what you want for a finish on a countertop.
You absolutely do not need to buy a special countertop painting kit unless you really want to. If you use a good primer and a high quality sealer, it doesn't matter what paint you use on your countertops. The paint is simply the color – the sealer is the actual finish that takes all of the abuse.
Installing a brand new countertop in your kitchen can be a costly and time consuming project. Peel and stick tile on countertop surfaces is a cost effective way to update your room in just a little time and with few tools. Often, peel and stick tiles are used to mimic expensive material, like stone.
You'll need to apply 3 coats of oil-based polyurethane to seal the surface before applying a typical seal coat of our epoxy. Caution: if the oil-based paint isn't fully dry, and you attempt to apply epoxy to it, there's a good chance the epoxy will be unable to adhere to the surface, and it may peel off months later.