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Post by smcartor on Nov 11, 2007 2:09:27 GMT -6
I am trying to re-do my bathroom...without much money. Does anyone know if the counter top can be painted instead of replaced?
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Post by barb on Nov 11, 2007 10:52:51 GMT -6
You can paint any surface. Is your counter top laminate?
With laminate, I think you would need to roughen up the surface to make sure your paint adheres well and use a very good primer. Once its painted, you should use a good sealant to make sure it will hold up under all the water and cleaning agents it will come in contact with.
I think your best bet is to go to a home store and ask them for help choosing the best materials for the job so you know it will last.
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Post by barb on Nov 11, 2007 11:07:23 GMT -6
I've seen it done on tv shows but I found this on the DIY network. **** Painting countertops tends not to be recommended from the standpoint of long-term durability. There are more durable options in coating materials. Go to www.sanantoniosurface.com to learn more about such products. Countertops can be tiled over depending upon the type of existing counter. Preformed plastic laminate counters with the rolled edge can not be tiled over. You can go to www.doityourself.com/ceramic for tiling countertop info. Explore the option of cultured marble vanity tops at your local home center. A 61" top can be cut to fit a 57" custom vanity base. Manufactured vanity bases tend to be 60". *** Have you considered laminating over the existing countertop? www.doityourself.com/search?cx=001590987097188515156%3Amnzw9txmkiu&cof=FORID%3A9&q=painting+laminate+counter+top&sa.x=29&sa.y=8#1206I do think a good paint job with a heavy coat of poly as a sealant would hold up for quite a while. I put a very heavy coat of poly on tables for a restaurant and when it closed I kept one of them. It sat on the porch for a year at least, was used for craft projects and cleaned up well. There was a stain that I got off with a scouring pad. Its been nearly 20 years and the table still has the same top and still looks good. I did use oil based poly and put a very thick (probably 1/8 thick at least) layer on it.
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Post by smcartor on Nov 11, 2007 15:00:06 GMT -6
Thanks Barb! That info is very helpful.
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Post by Tumbleweed on Nov 11, 2007 18:43:58 GMT -6
Since it is a bathroom and suceptable to lots of drips of water I wonder if outdoor furniture paint would work? I do know Barb is right about sanding it. Everything I've read so far says to do a light sanding but not major. Just light enough to roughen it up a bit. I know I poly'd the basement walls and using water to clean it up is so nice so I know it would hold up to all the spills.
I would kind of price how much painting/poly costs verses another counter top though first.
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Post by barb on Nov 12, 2007 14:22:50 GMT -6
A lot of places that sell granite will give you the piece that is left over from a slab someone else bought if you pay for having it cut. I think thats a bit pricey still but it would be much less than having to buy a whole slab, plus pay for cutting. For a bathroom counter top, it might be reasonable.
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Post by Tumbleweed on Nov 12, 2007 15:06:04 GMT -6
And if you really want to go cheap, cheap, cheap you could use contact paper. It wouldn't be a long term fix but a short term and they do make it in pretty colors and a lot of neat designs. I bought a ugly tan plastic lazy susan and covered it in a granite-look contact paper and what is cool about it is, it stretched around all the curves and under the lazy susan with no fold marks. I need to redo it though because it clashes with my current countertops but it still is holding up with no marrs that are noticeable. Seriously, it could be a very cheap option. Take a look at some of the stone ones or even solid colors here. I know they have them in any Kmart or Walmart store. www.tuffware.com/school/paper/contact.html
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Post by smcartor on Nov 12, 2007 19:51:27 GMT -6
Thanks, I appreciate your input. I am going to consider those ideas.
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Post by Tumbleweed on Dec 20, 2007 2:58:17 GMT -6
Any progress on the bathroom or is it on hold for a while?
My upstairs bathroom needs a lot of help too. It is the one room I haven't done a thing to beside buy a bamboo blind for the window. It has those ugly whole bathtub/shower inserts and I was actually considering some faux painting that would look like some sort of bathroom stone tile or something. But I'm so not good at faux painting so I'd need to practice on something first. What ever I do it is going to be cheap too.
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Post by smcartor on Dec 20, 2007 11:27:52 GMT -6
Yep, it's on hold for a while. I'm still making Christmas presents. I finished and mailed the ones that won't be here for Christmas. That still leaves 9 nieces/nephews that will be here. As usual I will probably be working on them until Christmas Eve.
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Post by barb on Jan 1, 2008 16:01:07 GMT -6
I saw them take a laminated counter top and give it a cement/stone finish on Design on a Dime on HGTV. Its so cool! www.hgtv.com/hgtv/dc_design_kitchen/article/0,1793,HGTV_3375_5455954_03,00.html You need to copy and paste the entire link rather just click to get the right page.
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Post by smcartor on Jan 1, 2008 16:51:23 GMT -6
Hi Barb! Thanks for posting the link. I like the look of the cement counter top. I'm afraid my skill level would turn a job like this into a disaster. ;D
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Post by barb on Jan 2, 2008 8:49:20 GMT -6
It didn't look like it would be very hard. The most difficult part would be smoothing it out. For the bullnose edges, they took a wide strip of plastic wrap and held each end and dragged it across. That worked out very well. Ok, I know they are pros and we aren't so of course it wouldn't look as hard as we would find it. Still, it looked easy enough that I would try it and I am a total coward with most things.
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Post by Tumbleweed on Jan 2, 2008 16:23:11 GMT -6
The pro's always make everything look easier. LOL I think it would be really cool though. I may get some practice here (not by choice but necessity) on working with cement. I have my basement that I was tiling until I noticed the floor sloped on one side to accommodate a floor drain on the other side of the wall. So I need to get that cement you can put over the top and level it off. I'll let you know how much I botch it up. And that should be fairly soon now. It is next on my list of things to do as soon as I finish two other things on my list and thank goodness, I'm almost done with those two things!
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Post by smcartor on Jan 2, 2008 16:33:25 GMT -6
Hey Tumbleweed! If you are leveling the floor out, shouldn't you still have the slant for the drainage?
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