To paint laminate countertops with epoxy can be a cost-effective alternative to replacing them with real stone. By mixing part A and part B in a 1:1 Ratio and adding color pigments you can achieve the same faux look like a real stone for the fraction of the price. With just a few steps and some patience, you can achieve a stunning and durable look.
Where To Start
Start by masking off your cabinets with tape and plastic.
Then fill in any cracks and holes with an auto body filler such as Bondo.
Next, Sand the repaired areas until smooth. You might have to start with a coarse (80 grit) sandpaper then use a finer (220 grit) to finish. Sand the entire countertop with 220 grit sandpaper.
Vacuum and dust off the countertop after sanding.
When your surface is dust-free you can apply a thin layer of bonding primer.
What Primer Should I Use?
I suggest using Benjamin Moore’s Stix primer. It has phenomenal adhesion and will stick to glass even.
You can check it out here. A little goes a long way and you can apply it with a foam roller. Let the primer dry for 16 hours then apply 2 coats of acrylic paint and primer in one.
Be sure to sand the surface with 220 grit sandpaper and dust it off before you apply your paint.
That will give you a smooth surface to work with.
Sand and clean in between each coat of paint as well.
The paint is going to be your base coat
. Keep in mind that it might show through in some areas. Therefore, it should match your overall design/pattern.
source: YouTube – Stonecoatcountertops
How To Mix Epoxy To Paint Countertops
Once you are ready to paint laminate countertops with epoxy start mixing your epoxy.
You will need 2 measuring cups to measure equal amounts of Part A and Part B of your epoxy kit.
Don’t mix too much epoxy at once or you will be forced to rush.
You can do 2 quarts (1 quart Part A and 1 quart Part B) at a time and then blend the seams by chopping them with a throwaway brush.
You will not see that seam after and it will look like you did it at the same time.
Mix your Part A and Part B for 2 minutes thoroughly.
How much base color to paint laminate countertops with epoxy?
When mixing your base color you will need 2 ounces of the base color for each quart.
When spreading your epoxy on the laminate countertop you can use a foam roller and brush to paint it on your countertop, or a trowel that will evenly distribute your material.
Clean your gloves with a paper towel periodically to avoid spreading epoxy on all your tool.
It can become a sticky mess if you don’t do this.
Pull any loose bristles from your paintbrush before you start.
You don’t want any loose hair ending up on your surface.
If it does you can easily remove it by using a toothbrush.
What’s next?
After you spread your base color you want to soak your paintbrush in some epoxy.
This will prime your brush and ensure that you don’t create a dry spot once you start chopping.
Chopping your base coat will break the surface tension and spread everything evenly.
Once your epoxy base-coat is evenly spread over your countertop you can go ahead and pop any bubbles that occurred. For this, you will need a heat gun or blow torch.
The propane torch should have holes at the bottom of the base to prevent it from the flame turning off when you turn it upside down.
Now that you removed all bubbles from your epoxy base coat you can begin adding effects.
The possibilities or endless and reach as far as your imagination.
Some of the more popular effects are created with metallic flakes mixed with 91% isopropyl in a spray bottle.
Other effects can be created with Rustoleum spray cans and even plastic shopping bags.
As I said, the possibilities are endless when painting laminate countertops with Epoxy!
To create depth it is always good to work in layers.
Add more layers to achieve a realistic look.
Especially when working with metallics.
Use a Rustoleum aerosol can to create hard lines and blend them in with a metallic/Isopropyl mix.
Don’t be afraid to go heavy with the spray can in order to get an amazing-looking result.
How long before you can re-coat epoxy?
If you are painting your kitchen countertops with Epoxy you want to let it dry overnight before adding another layer.
That will give the epoxy enough time to dry so that you can scuff it up with 220 grit sandpaper.
You will have to scuff up up the epoxy to give your new layer something to “bite” and adhere to.
Removing epoxy drips from your countertop
feel like jelly.
To remove epoxy drips from your countertops is easy.
Let the epoxy dry for about 3 hours and test the drips.
If they have a jelly-like consistency that means that the epoxy is done flowing.
You can then easily remove the drips with a paint stir stick or an old gift card even.
This will avoid having to sand them with 220 grit sandpaper the next day.
You can come back in a few hours just to make sure that no additional drips occurred.
Stone Coat Countertops make it easy to work with Epoxy Resin kit. They have a 45 window to work with. Longer work time allows for more experimenting and correcting errors.
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