Your kitchen may be the busiest - and most nurturing - part of your home and keeping that space at its best, at all times, is beneficial not just for you but for your family and friends too.
One sure way to improve your kitchen is by breathing new life into your countertop. If you have a Formica countertop, you can try giving it a faux granite finish for a timeless and elegant look.
Step 1: Clean Your Countertop
Using Clean Slate by Amy Howard at Home, clear your countertop of dust, dirt, and other particles that may get in the way of achieving what Gene calls “maximum adhesion” for your paint.
Use a clean cotton rag to apply the product all over the countertop surface. Afterward, wipe it down with another clean cloth to remove any residue.
Step 2: Apply the Base Paint
To ensure an even base paint application, use a brush to paint over rolled edges as well as your countertop’s front. For the flat surface, use a paint roller instead to avoid brush marks.
Let the paint dry for, at least, several hours before moving to the next step. For this project, Gene used Ballet White - One Step Paint as the base.
Step 3: Choose Your Colors
In replicating the look of a granite countertop surface, Amy says two colors would be too little and four would be too much.
Pick three colors that you can layer on top of each other to best mimic the look of granite. Pick one light color, one medium tint, and a dark hue too.
Step 4: Mix Your Glaze
The key to successfully completing this project is to apply your chosen colors as a glaze instead of using them as is.
Mix one part regular tap water, one part paint, and one part Glazed Over. Do this for each of the three colors you’d chosen earlier.
Step 5: Apply Glaze #1
Using a sea wool sponge, you can now apply your first glaze. Amy’s advice is to go from light to dark.
In this tutorial, Luxe Grey - One Step Paint served as the light paint and should be applied first. Do not cover more than 60% of your countertop with the glaze.
Step 6: Apply Glaze #2
Graphite - One Step Paint was chosen as the medium tint paint in the tutorial and should be applied next. Remember to maintain only a 60% coverage so your base paint can still shine through.
Step 7: Apply Glaze #3
In applying the third glaze, lower coverage to just 20%-25% of your countertop surface. This project used Good Man is Hard to Find - One Step Paint for the third glaze.
Step 8: Make Accents
Using just the dark paint this time, accentuate about 6%-7% of your countertop. Remember to use the solid paint instead of the glaze for this step.
Let Good Man is Hard to Find dry and then do the same with Luxe Grey to help soften the look of your countertop.
Step 9: Let Your Countertop Dry
Make sure that you leave your countertop to dry overnight before sealing it. That amount of time will sufficiently allow adequate curing, giving all the layers of paint you’ve applied to properly set.
Step 10: Seal Your Countertop
Although all the paint and glazing used in this project are good on their own, adding a layer of the Amy Howard Matte Sealer will make your countertop even better protected.
Apply the sealer with a foam roller to ensure a smooth application. Don’t worry about how white your countertop may look while you are sealing it as the Matte Sealer will dry clear later on.
Make your kitchen a more functional and enjoyable space with a refinished countertop.
Ready To Get Started On Your DIY Granite Finish?
Here are the Amy Howard At Home products used in the tutorial...
