I tried to repaint my countertops today and it was a disaster. Please tell me the process to get the marbled or granite look. I used craft paint and my second color would take off the first color. How long do I wait to apply the paint between colors and do I smear the paint or just dab it? How do I get the different colors to look like different texture? What size are the sponges used to apply the paint? Thanks very much for any help.
RE: Trouble With Techniques For Painting Countertop
By Beth in NJ (Guest Post)
I agree with the other posters. I used BIN when priming and had no issues. I also used 5 different colors of acrylic craft paints to obtain the color counter I desired. The primer took a few hours to dry (check paint can for exact times) and the craft paints were dry to the touch in about 30 minutes. I used sea sponges and dabbed paint onto the counter. In some areas, I did a light smearing as well to give some variation. I purchased a bag of sea sponges (about 5 sponges in the bag all about the size of my palm or smaller) from a craft store. I tore the sponges apart and used different sides of the sponges with different colors to get different textures. Once the sponging was complete and the craft paints were fully dry, I began sealing the top with an oil-based poly. I put on 5 coats, sanding in between coats, to obtain a shiny finish. I then gave the counters a few days to fully dry/cure before I began using them again or placing anything on them. It took me a whole weekend to finish the project (sealing with the poly took awhile b/c you need to wait a few hours between coats) but I am very happy with them! I also just painted by ceramic tile backsplash and that came out great too! I have attached a before pic of the kitchen and counters and will post the after in a separate post. Good luck!!
I agree with cohippygirl. You should prime first and I also agree that Bin primer is the best. Also, make sure to remove any pant you have already put on before the primer will adhere. Then clean it very well. Rubbing alcohol wiil work. And easy and effective way to do the sponging to make it look authentic is to go to VictoriaLarsen.com and purchase her stencil for getting the granite look. They are a very easy company to deal with and it will look great if you follow the directions.
RE: Trouble With Techniques For Painting Countertop
By cohippygirl (Guest Post)
What did you prime your counter with? For the best adhesion on a laminate surface, you need to use a shellac-based primer, like BIN. I didn't always let one coat dry before I applied the next color, and I didn't have any trouble with colors coming off, so all I can think that was wrong with yours was the wrong primer.
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