15

Jun

How to Change Countertops without Replacing

Are you wondering how to change countertops without replacing them? There are plenty of ways on how to do it. Here are some of them:

Install some tile

If you don’t have money to buy granite countertops, you should go the tile way. Here you need to buy the tile countertops then lay them on already existing countertops such as laminate.

Before you place the countertops on the new surfaces, put a waterproofing membrane on the existing countertops and an edging trim around your sink. Once you are done, start tiling the surfaces.

While this project seems easy, it’s not, especially if you have never done it before so if this is your first time, consider hiring a professional to help with the installation.

Install a concrete countertop

Concrete countertops are affordable, and you can plaster concrete on any surface. You only need to ensure that the surface can carry the concrete weight.

Begin with sanding the surfaces, then apply a feather finish product according to the instructions given on the bottle.

You should then apply an even layer of concrete on the surface and let it dry. Once it has dried, sand it with 120 grit sandpaper, then apply two more concrete layers.

Most homeowners opt for the standard look but if this isn’t what you are looking for, customize the surfaces as per your needs.

Slap on a coat of paint

The beauty of painting countertops is you can easily do it by yourself even if you have never done it before. You can use any paint to transform your surfaces but for the best experience, use high-quality enamel paint.

Begin preparing the surfaces by roughing them up with a power sander to provide a suitable surface for the paint to adhere to. Once the surfaces are prime for the paint, apply your desired paint with a brush or sponge roller.

Would you love to add texture to the counters? Use a sponge dipped in contrasting paint colors.

Your imagination is your limit when transforming your countertops with paint, so you should be as creative as possible to get an interesting look.

After applying the final coats, apply a couple of polyurethane coats to protect the painted surface and add a glossy shine.

Cover the surfaces with polyurethane

When properly installed, polyurethane adds a deep, glossy shine to the countertop surfaces, and the beauty is you can use several variations of the product to refurbish your countertops.

If you have never done it before, hire a professional to help you place the polyurethane on the countertops.

If you don’t have money to hire a professional to help with the installation, there are plenty of videos online you can use to learn.

Install granite overlays

From their name, you place granite overlays directly on your existing surfaces, and if you don’t have a large kitchen, you can do the installation in one day.

To install the overlays, remove the sink then cover the counter and backsplash surfaces with overlays. All you have to do is to attach the ¼-inch pieces using adhesive to your surfaces.

Although you can easily install the overlays on your surfaces, you should always hire a professional to help with fabricating the pieces to your desired size.

Apply a concrete skin coat

If you like the concrete look, but don’t want to remove your existing counters and install concrete counters from scratch, apply a concrete skim coat on the surfaces with a specially designed product for patching or skim coating floors.

You should note that while the skim coat might make the countertops look tough, they aren’t, and they don’t last as long as full concrete counters.

Cover the countertops with contact paper

Contact papers make a lot of sense if you are renting a property, but you want to transform the look of the surfaces. Since you can’t transform the surfaces permanently, contact papers make an excellent option.

Begin with finding contact papers resembling your dream countertops. These can be quartz countertops Rockville or any other surfaces. You should then clean the surfaces and, after drying, position your paper in such a way that there are as few seams as possible.

Using a credit card or a similar product, flatten down the paper and trim the excess. Go over the surfaces with a sealant and overlap any seams by at least an inch.