Did you know y'all could resurface laminate countertops for under $50? It's true, and I'll evidence y'all how! Now, be gone ugly laminate counters.

Photo showing freshly painted laminate countertops in white, with decorative cutting boards and backsplash.
Guess what? I recently resurfaced the kitchen counters in my studio, added leather drawer pulls, and whipped upwardly a DIY backsplash. And today, I'm sharing how you can practise it too: how to resurface your laminate countertops for less than 50 dollars!

Whether changing the color of your laminate countertops is a temporary or permanent solution, you'll learn everything you need to know to get it right the starting time time.

It's a great budget-friendly pick for anyone looking for a uncomplicated solution to their ugly laminate countertop woes. And will drastically change the look of your space for a very reasonable / affordable price.

Click through to learn how to resurface laminate countertops for under $50.

How to Resurface Laminate Countertops

Laminate countertops are an affordable option for counters, just overtime they begin to wear and can look outdate fast. If you want to modify the await of your kitchen without spending a lot of money, resurfacing your laminate countertops with the technique I'm sharing today, is a great option.

Not just can you completely transform your countertop for less than $50, but you lot can make those tired surfaces feel fresh and new again, without a costly remodel.

I did the unabridged resurfacing project by myself and inverse my ugly blackness laminate counters to a clean, modern white. And love the results, especially considering the toll (under $50 for this total transformation).

All white kitchen with bold pattern backsplash and newly resurfaced white laminate countertops.

Materials Needed for Resurfacing Laminate Countertops

  • countertop coating (about $thirty on Amazon)*
  • high quality paint roller
  • pigment castor (i that won't go out brush marks – like foam)
  • sandpaper or sanding sponge
  • old material and mild kitchen cleaner
  • respirator mask
  • painter'south tape (and painter's plastic, if needed)
  • one-time sheet or drib fabric
  • polyurethane blanket (optional)

*This countertop coating tin be tinted to sixteen colors, only you'd have to purchase information technology at a home comeback store in order to accept it tinted a particular color (light greyness, beige, charcoal, etc).

I decided not to get any tinting put in at all because I wanted the counters to be white (which is the color of the countertop blanket without whatsoever tint added).

If y'all want to pigment your counters white similar mine, y'all tin can order information technology online and do not have to become to a home improvement shop (though it is available there too). Here'south a link to the aforementioned one I used, but on the Home Depot site.

What Kind of Pigment to Use for Countertop Resurfacing

While it may seem similar countertop paint is only similar regular paint, I tin can promise you it's not.

It is a dissimilar consistency (that is unfortunately not as easy to utilize as regular paint), is much more durable (and cleanable) when finished, and has a VERY strong smell when painting.

Considering of the stiff smell, you want to make sure you lot use a respirator and do your best to permit air circulate while the blanket is drying – open windows and doors as well.

Using regular paint to resurface your counter is Non a long-lasting option. And will most probable result in paint peeling, bubbling, etc. So brand certain to use the specialty countertop coating I specified in the materials list.

This particular countertop coating that I used (–) is fabricated for laminate, vinyl tiles, wood surfaces, and metal. When used on bare metal or wood, however, it is recommended that you first apply a primer before the countertop blanket.

Please keep in mind that this product is recommended for utilise on laminate, vinyl tiles, metal, or wood surfaces. When using over blank metal or forest the use of a primer is highly recommended. To ensure proper adhesion, it is important that the surface is properly cleaned and prepped post-obit the instructions. To make clean the surface, nosotros recommend using nonabrasive cleaners.

How to Resurface Laminate Countertops (Instructions)

Step 1: After you lot surface is completely clean (use a non-abrasive cleaner), start by sanding the entire countertop and backsplash / lip areas to rough the surface upwards a little and help the pigment stick permanently.

And so, wipe away any droppings and clean the surface with a mild soap and h2o (or another non-abrasive cleaner). Wait for the surface to completely dry before moving onto the next stride.

Sanding dark laminate countertop before applying new countertop coating.

Step two: Next, tape off whatever areas that you don't want the countertop blanket to stick to and make certain to cover the floors with something as well, simply in case. I used painter's record around the refrigerator, the sink, the backsplash, and underneath the countertops.

And so, I added a painter's plastic underneath the counter to protect the cabinets below, forth with an old sail on the floor. Better safe than sorry on this one.

Tape off the laminate countertop to prep the surface for countertop coating

Step 3: Then it's time to paint. Be sure to start at the dorsum and work your manner forrard, so you're not leaning over the paint when information technology's moisture.

Start with the backsplash lip and paint a thin layer, as shown in the photo below, working your manner to the crevices and so painting about an inch or two on to the counter as well to make it easier for the next step.

I used cream brushes for the item areas and the backsplash lip. Y'all don't desire to use a bristle brush considering this blanket doesn't seem to be self-leveling, so you'd likely come across the brushstrokes when it stale if y'all were to use a bristle brush.

The step by step tutorial for resurfacing laminate countertops (cheap)

Pace 4: Then grab a pigment roller and cover the rest of the counter (top and and so sides / edges) with a thin layer of countertop coating, again working your way from the back to the front end.

Co-ordinate to Rustoleum, you should use long, overlapping strokes when using a roller and exist careful not to stop in the heart of your stroke.

Painting countertop coating onto surface.

You will definitely demand to apply more than than one coat for this project, if y'all are going from a dark countertop to a low-cal color like I did. And you lot may fifty-fifty need more than ane coat if going from a light color to a night color. And then, just continue that in mind.

Y'all'll accept to wait for each coat to completely dry out to the touch earlier applying another coat.

It took me half dozen thin coats (that's a lot of coats) to go from a blackness countertop to a solid white one. But if you're going from a light counter to a darker one, it will take less coats than mine.

The fact that each of my coats were very sparse amy have also contributed to the loftier number of coats needed to completely encompass the counters.

In process photo of DIY resurfacing of laminate counter.

Step 5: Once that first layer of paint is completely dry to the touch (somewhere betwixt one hr and ii seems to be the sugariness spot), add some other thin layer of pigment to the entire counter and backsplash (if applicable), the same way you did the first time.

Then wait for information technology to dry out to the affect again earlier calculation some other glaze. You'll know you've added enough thin coats when you can no longer see the previous counter color at all and the new counter blanket looks solid and even.

Pace six: Once all the coats are on and you're happy with the finish, remove the painter's tape and permit the counters cure for at least 72 hours before using.

It will be dry to the bear on within hours, only if you put stuff back on the counters also soon, it can cause chipping, etc. Then, wait the total 3 days if you can, earlier using the counters as normal.

UPDATE 4/26/xx: If you have any problem with your counters drying fully after those three days or you seem to have firsthand chipping (I didn't have issues with either of those things), you may want to add together a polyurethane coating on top.

I did not add together a poly coat to mine, but I just read some recent reviews and information technology seems that a couple people who had those bug were able to set up information technology with a poly coat or two. I added information technology to the supplies list as an optional add together-on.

Before and after photos of resurfacing laminate countertop from dark black to light and bright white (for under $50)

Clean, white laminate countertops for under $50

And that'due south how to resurface laminate countertops for under $50. It's really a pretty easy project, even though the coating itself is a niggling flake of a hurting to work with because of the stickiness (before it dries) and the strong, strong odor.

Merely if yous're willing to put in the elbow grease, it'south definitely worth the investment. It is far, far, FAR cheaper than replacing your countertops, even in a larger kitchen where you would need multiple cans of coating to consummate the chore.

Permit me know if y'all have whatever questions!

How to Resurface Laminate Countertops for Less Than $50

UPDATE: How My Resurfaced Countertops have Held Up

I painted the counters about two months ago now (as of 9/6/17) and they've held upwardly really well, with the exception of a tiny 1/2 inch expanse nigh the lip that chipped off.

It happened BEFORE the blanket was fully dry out (I think early on 24-hour interval 2) when I sat something on it for an 60 minutes or and then and then picked it dorsum upward, forth with the pigment. Whoops! And then, be sure to wait the total 72 hours if you tin can.

Looking for more DIY kitchen upgrade you tin complete?

Cheque out my DIY backsplash featured in this post.

And my tutorial for leather drawer pulls also.

How to Resurface Laminate Countertops (Under $50)

Laminate countertops are an affordable option for counters, but overtime they begin to wear and can await outdated fast. If y'all want to alter the expect of your kitchen without spending a lot of money, resurfacing your laminate countertops with the technique I'one thousand sharing today, is a great option. Not only tin you completely transform your countertop for less than $50, simply you can make those tired surfaces feel fresh and new again, without a costly remodel.

  • countertop blanket (well-nigh $xxx on Amazon)*

  • paint roller

  • paint brush (one that won't get out brush marks - similar foam)

  • sandpaper or sanding sponge

  • old cloth and mild kitchen cleaner

  • respirator mask

  • painter's tape (and painter's plastic, if needed)

  • old canvas or drop cloth

  • Start past sanding the entire countertop and backsplash / lip areas to crude the surface upwardly a fiddling and aid the paint stick permanently. Then, wipe abroad whatever debris and make clean the surface with a mild soap and water. Wait for the surface to completely dry before moving onto the next footstep.

  • Adjacent, record off whatsoever areas that you don't want the countertop coating to stick to and make sure to cover the floors with something besides, just in case. I used painter'southward tape around the fridge, the sink, the backsplash, and underneath the countertops. So, I added a painter's plastic  underneath the counter to protect the cabinets below, along with an old canvass on the floor. Better safe than sorry on this one.

  • Then it'southward time to paint. I'd recommend starting at the back and working your manner forward, so y'all're not leaning over the paint when information technology'due south wet. Start with the backsplash lip and paint a thin layer, equally shown in the photo beneath, working your fashion to the crevices and then painting near an inch or ii on to the counter besides to get in easier for the next stride.

  • Then grab a paint roller and cover the remainder of the counter (height and then sides / edges) with a thin layer of countertop blanket, again working your mode from the back to the front end. Y'all will definitely need to apply more than ane glaze for this project. Just you'll have to wait for each glaze to completely dry to the touch earlier applying some other coat.

  • Once that first layer of paint is completely dry to the touch (somewhere betwixt one 60 minutes and two seems to be the sugariness spot), add another thin layer of paint to the unabridged counter and backsplash (if applicable), the same style you did the offset time. So wait for it to dry to the touch again before adding some other coat. You'll know yous've added enough thin coats when you can no longer meet the previous counter color at all and the new counter coating looks solid and even.

  • Once all the coats are on and you lot're happy with the finish, remove the painter'southward record and let the counters cure for at to the lowest degree 72 hours before using. It will be dry to the touch inside hours, merely if you put stuff dorsum on the counters likewise soon, it tin crusade chipping, etc. Then, wait the full iii days if you can, before using the counters every bit normal.

What do you think of the finished countertops?Have you always tried painting countertops before? Permit me know if you have any tricks or tips for the procedure, if I missed anything.

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