DIY countertops using textured spray paint!
We had to get creative at the Kay House Reno.
In another post, I'll get into why, but we had to keep the existing bathroom vanity. I was super upset about it because it was just so...plain. It didn't have a wow factor at all.
The existing countertop was a plain laminate. Although it was in good shape, it was just so basic & builder grade.
I wanted to give it an upgrade!
I'm always on Pinterest looking for ideas & one day, a pin popped up about spray-painted countertops! I immediately clicked over & discovered the world of textured spray-painted countertops! But would they work in real life?
I decided I was going to try it with this little vanity! I knew it would be perfect because the countertop is super tiny, so it would be a good test area.
Here's what we did:
1. Lightly Sand The Countertop
First, we removed the sink. Then we gave the entire laminate surface a light sanding. This roughs the surface, so the spray paint will adhere better. We also wiped off the counter so it was clean & nothing would get in the paint.
2. Prep The Surface
Since we were going to paint the walls & installing flooring, we didn't worry a lot about taping things off because there wasn't much the paint would ruin. However, we weren't sure at the time if we would paint the vanity, so we taped some paper around the edges. In addition, we put a tape line along the wood part of the vanity to ensure a crisp countertop line. We also filled the sink with thick plastic so the spray paint wouldn't fly all over the place!
I will say that when you start spray painting the surface, it goes all over the place, so it's best to over-prep things! Tape papers or plastic to the walls, the vanity & even the floor!
3. Spray paint
We used Rust-Oleum American Accents® Stone Spray Paint.
The painting took several coats. First, we did a few light coats & built up to the texture we wanted. Then, we waited between coats to ensure the paint was mostly dry. It does take a bit to dry & it's so tempting to want to touch it, but don't do it! When the paint is wet & it's touched, it kind of squishes down & messes up the look. My husband found this the hard way when he accidentally stuck his hand in it!
Also, if you try to repaint it while it's still wet, it just goes all over the place & doesn't build up texture. Waiting until it's dry allows the surface to build because you're painting on top of the previous coat.
4. Top Coat
The paint will definitely chip away if you don't use a top coat to seal it in. At first, we used regular water-based polyurethane & gave it a couple coats. However, the surface still had a super rough texture from the spray paint & we thought we would be applying polyurethane forever…
Then we found triple thick polyurethane! It was a game-changer & worked perfectly! We put several coats of that on the countertop until it was smooth!
I also would recommend looking into heavier top coats. They can cost much more, but they'll probably hold up better.
Overall, I was thrilled with the results! It gives the counter a high-end look with a low-end price! I even loved it so much that we did the master bath vanity the same way!
You've inspired me to try this! I just purchased everything I need... we have an an old 1894 farmhouse and I've been doing a lot of home diy projects to spruce things up before we can replace them down the road. I had previously covered the bathroom vanity with contact paper... which didn't hold up to 3 kiddos and a husband. Your post inspired me to paint it!
ReplyDeleteI'm happy that I inspired you! Because this was for a house we flipped & sold, I can't tell you how well the countertops held up but they looked really good when we did them. Good luck & let me know how it turns out!
DeleteDid you find that the top coat changed the color of the spray paint?
ReplyDeleteI don't think so. I think it just made it shine more & look like granite. It may have darkened just a little but I don't remember a dramatic change.
DeleteHello I am looking to do my counertops. How many cans for your project? How long did it take to dry between coats? Did you lightly sand between coats? I have seen with different products they do. I like the fact it's not as many steps as some of the countertop kits
ReplyDeleteI think this project took maybe 2 cans? It was a really small countertop. Because this was for our flip house & we had multiple projects going at once, we didn't really time the drying process. We just made sure each layer was completely dry before adding the next. Sorry I can't be more helpful!
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