If your laminate countertops are getting old and worn, yous may exist thinking about replacing them with new ones for a fresh await for your kitchen. Yet, there are several methods of reviving and restoring older laminate countertops for a fraction of the price of replacing them. With minimal expense and a piffling endeavour, your countertops can exist looking similar new.

Here are 3 ways you can revive laminate countertops:

  • Pigment your laminate countertops with faux granite.
  • Recoat the plastic laminate.
  • Use prepackaged refinishing kits.

These methods will relieve you lots of money and are relatively easy to do by yourself without hiring a professional. Read on to acquire about these do-it-yourself revamping methods for your countertops. By using them, y'all'll see excellent results without all of the hassle and expense.

i. Paint Your Laminate Countertops With Imitation Granite

There are several steps in painting your laminate countertops with faux granite. They're simple to perform, and it'll take yous very little time to finish them.

Here'southward a step-past-footstep guide to renew and revive your aging countertops with minimal expense by painting them with a imitation granite finish.

  1. Choose and buy your materials. Study different granite patterns and note which colors and patterns yous find bonny and that coordinate with your kitchen. Cull iii or 4 complementary colors in a satin or apartment latex, i every bit the base colour and the others the emphasis colors. You'll also need a light-green cleaner or a vinegar and h2o solution, alcohol, two-part epoxy putty, sandpaper, oil-based primer, brushes and roller.
  2. Clean the countertops with a cleanser. Using a soap and water solution, thoroughly clean the countertops to remove any soiled areas or smudges. You tin also apply a green cleaner or mix equal parts of warm water and vinegar to clean the surfaces.
  3. Wipe the surface downwardly with denatured alcohol. Using a textile, wipe downwards the countertops with denatured alcohol, which is booze with additives to brand information technology not-beverage. Try to avert touching it once more after wiping downwards the entire surface, as oils on your fingertips tin can leave marks or smudges.
  4. Keep all children and pets out of the piece of work expanse. It goes without proverb that you need to secure your pets and keep children away while doing this. They can get curious and might wander into the kitchen expanse, where information technology'south not safe.
  5. Remove old caulk from crevices around sinks and faucets. Using a utility pocketknife, scraper, or caulk removal tool, take intendance not to scratch your work surface. Pull out any loose caulk and wipe away modest pieces of droppings and cloth. Cleaning the surface with lather and water will also assist eliminate any dust or caulk shavings and rinse thoroughly. Then, wipe the seam with alcohol to remove all remaining balance.
  6. Repair chips and cracks . If yous take pocket-sized dings or damages that are more than ⅛ inch (0.32 cm) broad, y'all should fill these in with ii-function epoxy putty and allow them to dry completely as the next step in this process. One time the putty is dry out, you should then sand it until information technology's smoothen.
  7. Employ painter's tape to protect areas you don't want to paint. Apply painter's record to carefully encompass whatsoever areas yous don't want to paint, including the sink, faucet, and backsplash. Make sure your tape is adhering to all surfaces, and be sure fifty-fifty the tiny spaces are covered.
  8. Degloss the countertops with sandpaper. Employ 100-grit sandpaper to sand down the countertops earlier kickoff to prime number and paint. Sanding will help to create a textured surface to which the primer and paint will more than readily adhere. Be sure to wipe up whatever residue with a tack rag.
  9. Employ oil-based primer. Using a paint roller, apply the oil-based primer to the prepped and sanded laminate, allowing it to dry for at least four hours. You should bank check your primer label for recommended drying times, every bit they can vary from ane brand to another. Choose a primer designed for sealing a non-porous surface.
  10. Utilize three shades of paint in layers with a sponge. When you're ready to paint, utilize 3-4 layers of dissimilar colors, going from dark to light or light to dark. Add the layers with a sponge, dabbing in a random pattern to reach a granite-similar cease. Begin with the base color, adding a 2nd coat if necessary. Utilise each successive coat only before the preceding i is fully dry out. The dampness will help you to reach a blended await.
  11. Add details such every bit grain and veins sparingly. You tin can use a feather to add together grain sparingly or add together veins with a fine-tipped artist brush. Y'all can also use a few tiny bits of gold or argent glitter flakes over the last coat only before the topcoats to mimic flecks of quartz that you would notice in granite.
  12. Apply ii-three coats of polyurethane topcoat with a foam roller. Once the pigment is dry out, you should utilize at least two to three coats of polyurethane topcoats. Use a dense foam roller to apply each coat. Let each coat to dry according to the instructions or a minimum of four hours.
  13. Sand the surface with fine-grit sandpaper. Once the polyurethane is completely dry, employ extra-fine-dust sandpaper to sand the surface until it feels polish to the bear upon. Be sure to wipe abroad whatever remaining grit or residue from the sanding process with a dry cloth.

In instance y'all don't how to remove old caulk from crevices around sinks and faucets, sentry this YouTube video for a sit-in:

2. Recoat the Plastic Laminate

Another method of reviving your laminate countertops is to recoat them with clear acrylic. Applying the coating is an inexpensive manner to give your countertops a shiny stop. This process should prevent peeling or discoloration, spills volition wipe up speedily, and you lot'll have a beautiful finish for your countertops.

The steps for completing the process of recoating your laminate countertops are listed below:

  1. Purchase materials. You should purchase a not-yellowing clear acrylic like Polycrylic by Minwax. This acrylic is available in several sheens.
  2. Sand the countertops. Sand countertops well using 320-dust abrasive, removing all stains while sanding. Wipe away the dust with a cloth.
  3. Use acrylic. Apply a sparse coating of acrylic using a soft, lint-free cotton rag. Exist certain to cover only small-scale sections at a time since the acrylic dries quickly. Smooth out awarding marks right away with the rag, using long strokes. Continue the process, moving from one section to another. Information technology's essential to minimize overlapping as much equally possible.
  4. Use a second coat. Later the first coat is dry out, this process of applying an additional coating of acrylic should eliminate any lap marks on your surface.
  5. Allow drying. Let the surface of the countertops to dry for 2 hours.

iii. Use Prepackaged Refinishing Kits

A last option is to purchase prepackaged refinishing kits, which contain all the elements needed, including the pre-selected paints.

With these kits, just follow the instructions given to revive and restore your laminate countertops. They're an easy and inexpensive way to exercise information technology yourself without the hassle of having to select private materials.

Some pop refinishing kits on the market which you might desire to try include the post-obit:

  • Armor Granite. This kit is a bit pricier than some others; however, it includes all paints, brushes, rollers, and finishes needed to complete the process. It likewise yields a thick, heat-resistant end, which is unique and desirable. The only downside of this brand is the express color selection.
  • Giani Granite Countertop Paint Kit. To achieve a realistic granite wait, you can use the Giani Granite kit, which includes the unlike tones of paint that you apply successively and the sealer needed for the finish. Available on Amazon.com, this kit consists of a wide variety of paint colors.
  • Rust-Oleum Countertop Transformations.  RustOleum provides a kit specifically for laminate. Stone-similar chips are sprinkled on a base glaze of paint to achieve the granite look. Available on Amazon.com, the kit includes a sanding block to exist used for deglossing the surface.
  • Countertop Transfauxmations. This product can be used as a tutorial to guide you through the procedure of painting your laminate countertops. Information technology contains an instructional DVD or downloadable file, a guide to color combinations, and a castor and dabbing sponge. Below is a link to a YouTube video demonstrating the procedure:

Decision

When you notice your laminate countertops looking old and worn, you lot can choose any of the methods mentioned here or other options for reviving and refurbishing them to make them smooth once more.

Each of these methods is relatively cheap and cost-efficient, and you tin can finish the project over a day or a weekend. Rather than hiring an expensive contractor to repair or replace your laminate countertops, doing it yourself is a smart way to eliminate expense, especially since they're non that difficult to practice.