I did it! I painted my ENTIRE KITCHEN! This portion of my kitchen makeover is about how I painted and epoxied my laminate countertops using GIANI marble paint. I cannot believe how much lighter and airy my space has become since updating my kitchen countertops. I have a full YouTube tutorial you can check out for a visual on how I completed countertops HERE (YouTube). I also painted the cabinets, backsplash, and painted and framed the island as well  HERE: (PAINTING CABINETS). If you are wanting to update your countertops on a budget then this blog is for you! Subscribe to my blog for future updates and DIY’s. 

Before:

After:

Supplies: (click images for direct link).

Giani Paint: Amazon (GIANI KIT) or Home Depot

Krud Kutter: (Degreaser)

220 grit sand paper: Sand Paper

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Additional household items: blowdryer, nail polish remover, and tweezers

STEP 1: CLEAN 

This first step you want to clear your countertops to start with a clean and clear base. Wipe down countertops with soap and water to remove all stuck on stains and grease. Follow up with the Krud Kutter. Now, whatever dish soap and water will not clean the Krud Kutter will save the day. Keep in mind laminate is not real wood it is composite wood and does not hold paint well if done incorrectly so you want to make sure to start from a clean canvas. 

STEP 2: SAND

This step is totally optional but I recommend it. Use the 220 grit sand paper to lightly scuff the countertops to help the paint adhere better. If you have any chips, or cracks, use DAP DryDex to fill the spaces. The one I used is purple/pink when you apply and turns white when it is dry, letting me know it is time to sand. Once everything is sanded, wipe everything down with wet towel to clean up the debris.

Here you can see chipped pieces from countertop.

Filling in chips with DryDex

STEP 3: PAINTING

I taped off all of the areas I wanted to protect from the paint and epoxy. I then used step one in the kit to primer the countertops. My countertops were not the lightest originally so I gave it a heavy coat of primer to ensure it was white. I did two coats and let them dry for 2-4 hours each coat (kit says 4 hours each coat but I guess I am a rebel). The kit includes two types of rollers on for paint and one for epoxy be sure to use the one for  paint on this portion (fuzzy roller brush).

STEP 4: VEINING 

I used the included paint brush and gray paint to draw on veins. I also painted my bathroom countertops which I will post later on. The technique I found to work best is loosely holding the brush between thumb and index finger and lightly gliding the brush in an unintentional swirly line. I feel in any sparse spaces and used included water bottle to spray the line just enough to make it watery but not drenched. If you do have puddles just use a paper towel to dab them dry. You could also use paper towel to wipe off any unwanted veining but quickly it does dry fast. I then go over the lines multiple times to add more dimension and depth.

Ghost veins are important to this project. If I could do it over I would have added a lot more of the shadowy gray veins. I think it adds a lot of depth and character to the faux marble. I did add more of them to my bathroom vanity.

A tip when drawing your veins would be to sketch the layout of your kitchen and determine how you want them to flow. I made mine flow all in the same direction. You could also check online for pictures of marble to get a better understanding of what it is you want. 

STEP 5: MARBLE

I let the veins dry for 2-3 hours and I then added the marble paint and sponge that is including in the kit to add sparkles is it what I call it. This step is by far the simplest because you cannot go wrong. Using a paper plate, I poured on some of the marble paint and tapped the sponge in the paint lightly to avoid heavy drips and dabbed it over the veining repeatedly until I reached my desired look. I also dabbed the paint on the area surrounding the vein for more depth as well.

STEP 6: EPOXY

Prep: Using included tarp tape around your countertops to protect your cabinets and floors from the epoxy. I actually purchased my own tarp previously that I used due to it being easier to use because it was pre-tapped. I also used the larger tape to protect my backsplash. If your tape is not as wide, use two rows of tape for each section for an added layer of protection.

Next, mix the epoxy and activator together quickly because this mix dries quickly so you only have a 30 minute work time each batch. It is also recommend to pour entire can after mixing due to mix drying faster in the container. 

I pour the epoxy in an S shape mostly towards the center to avoid having an overage of drips. I then take the included brush for the epoxy and lightly glide the epoxy over the countertops ensuring that every inch of the countertop is covered with the epoxy. This avoids gaps in the epoxy that are fixable but a headache. The epoxy is self-leveling and will eventually level off to the side. 

Allow epoxy to dry for 1-2 hours before removing the tape to avoid it drying into the epoxy making it impossible to remove. I made sure to check the epoxy every half hour for fly aways, bubbles, and drips. Using tweezers pull out anything in the epoxy. Again, the epoxy is self-leveling so once you remove the imperfection it will fill in on its own. Use heat gun or blowdryer to remove bubbles (I did not have many). Acetone/nail polish remover can be used to remove epoxy but move quickly.

I let my countertops dry a full 7 days before use. The instructions suggest two days for light use and 7 days for heavy use. 

I have also included YouTube video for my more visual subbies ( YouTube).

I absolutely love how this DIY turned out. I am so happy that I made this decision, it definitely gave me the all white kitchen that I wanted. This DIY is very forgiving and sometimes blemishes are inevitable so if you make a minor mistake it will not ruin the entire job.

Please like, subscribe and comment below. I’d love to hear your thoughts on painting your kitchen. Follow me on IG @courts_corner1 for more behind the scenes content.