How To Refinish Laminate Countertops

Laminate countertops are great for the kitchen because they can look like granite and quartz countertops, but they still might need some touch ups here and there after some time, even if they are in good shape. This is known as refinishing. Here are some ways by which you can refinish your existing laminate countertops.

Clean The Surface

This is probably the most important step when it comes to refinishing laminate countertops or any surface. This will influence the final results a lot. Cleaning your countertop surface first gets rid of the grease, dirt, dust and any other particles which will hinder the process of painting and priming. You need to make sure that the surface you are painting and priming on, is clean, with zero grease or any stains, debris and dirt. This will make the whole process a breeze and the final application will be smoother and the surface will also last longer.

To clean a surface that has grease, try a scrubbing brush and get in there. This will ensure that the surface is free from any sort of gunk, dirt, grease, leftover food, pesky stains and debris. You will need a strong soap based cleaner to clean the surface as well. This will dissolve any grease or oil that might be present on the surface.

One thing you have to keep in mind is that you cannot use acid or a strong dissolving agent, as this can damage your laminate countertops. Use a soap based cleaner at all times, when cleaning your countertops and this goes for all materials, not just laminate countertops.

Prep The Surface

This is the next step. After scrubbing off the surface and cleaning it nicely, you will need to fill up the surface if it has some divots or holes in it. You can easily do that by using a good quality sand paper and sanding or shaving down the surface. This will get rid of any crevices and cracks and the surface will be smoother after this step. But, sanding comes with a lot of debris and shaves, so you need to remove it all before proceeding to the next step.

You will need a wet washcloth that is just damp, not soaking wet, otherwise the newly shaved surface will absorb most of the water and become moist, and over time, this will ruin the material. With a damp washcloth, the shaves are picked up more easily and the surface is cleaned. Now you are ready for the next step which is priming the countertop.

Prime The Surface

Priming is a step which makes the paint adhere to the surface better and it provides a natural lustrous shine to the surface as well. Primer is mostly a clear or a light colored paint-like liquid which is applied on the surface of the countertop. Apply a thin layer first and let it dry for the allocated time that is mentioned on the box. It is usually 24 hours. Applying an even layer of primer is very important because it makes the surface smooth and prevents the paint from blotching. A primer provides a smooth surface for you to easily apply paint on.

Paint The Surface

The next step is a fun one. However, this technique is a little bit different from conventional painting. The paints used on laminate countertops are usually mineral paints which are dissolved in a solvent and blotted on the surface until an even layer is achieved. You can choose from a variety of colors, but it’s best to go with muted and neutral colors. You have to be patient in the painting process as you can easily mess up. Go in small layers and blot the paint on the surface. Let the layer dry completely and go for another round of paint, if you feel like you missed a spot. Afterwards, you can seal the deal with a top coat, this will give your paint a more lustrous appearance and it will make the paint last longer too, as it makes the surface waterproof.

With these tips, your laminate countertops will look good as new. So, whenever you feel like the laminate layers are getting dull, it’s time to refinish them. Moreover, if you have the budget, you can also proceed with a countertop replacement NC.

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