Painted granite counter tops??

[jmunutt]

I LOVE this granite painting idea. But we will need to change the shape of the existing countertop a bit (we need to expand it out a few inches on two sides). So because of that, the painting idea wont work. Is there another alternative out there? Granite is way over budget for us but we love the look of course.

About 5 years ago we redid our kitchen with Ikea cabinets. Since it was a total redo, including moving the door and moving the sink, there was not room in the budget for granite countertops. I thought that I'd save a little money and use Ikea countertops that were less than $200 for my kitchen. I would then replace them next year with granite. Those cheap countertops have held up so well, I can't in good conscience rip them out and replace them with granite since they look as good as the day they were installed. I don't put hot pots on them, but otherwise, they take normal kitchen abuse. If there is an Ikea near you, check them out.

 

[nhmommy]

Thanks for the idea however we have done that before and never will again. We had tile countertops in our first home and the grout in between the tiles would stain easily. Also one of the tiles cracked. and they are not easy to replace once that happens.

I am thinking about stainless steel countertops but my research is telling me it can be very expensive unless I go through a metal fabricator. So I will start looking into that I guess.

We used dark grout and dark tiles think dirt Tuscany themed so no staining to worry about. It's true replacing a cracked tile is tough but it's cheeper and easier then the whole counter when it gets burned because the pan comes off the trivet which in my house is bound to happen.

 

[MrsPete]

A friend of mine did this, and the results were nothing short of amazing! No, you wouldn't think they were granite, but they were a huge step up from her old laminate cabinets, and they were inexpensive.

In the spirit of full disclosure, she is very crafty.

 

[manateesmom]

As far as granite tile goes, we're looking into this. You don't have to do a grout line, you can butt them up flush against each other. We're looking at Bedrock Creations for a kit with the finished edges.

We're in a starter house that we bought near the bottom of the market, but still will probably barely break even when we sell because of realtor commissions, and don't plan to be here more than another 5 years. So every dollar we spend on fixing the place up is just lost, basically, because none of the houses in the subdivision have been selling for even what we paid for ours. The kitchen is way dated, and the laminate countertop is separating around the sink area. So we're looking for a cheap permanent fix.

We're also looking at a soapstone countertop, which is probably more than you're willing to spend, but honestly not much more than granite tile if we DIY it. Soapstone is soft enough that we can finish the edges and drill out for the sink and faucet with regular tools.

 

[Jenny3]

About 5 years ago we redid our kitchen with Ikea cabinets. Since it was a total redo, including moving the door and moving the sink, there was not room in the budget for granite countertops. I thought that I'd save a little money and use Ikea countertops that were less than $200 for my kitchen. I would then replace them next year with granite. Those cheap countertops have held up so well, I can't in good conscience rip them out and replace them with granite since they look as good as the day they were installed. I don't put hot pots on them, but otherwise, they take normal kitchen abuse. If there is an Ikea near you, check them out.

Are the Ikea ones a solid surface? I was curious about that when I saw them online!

 

[kelcoppens]

About 5 years ago we redid our kitchen with Ikea cabinets. Since it was a total redo, including moving the door and moving the sink, there was not room in the budget for granite countertops. I thought that I'd save a little money and use Ikea countertops that were less than $200 for my kitchen. I would then replace them next year with granite. Those cheap countertops have held up so well, I can't in good conscience rip them out and replace them with granite since they look as good as the day they were installed. I don't put hot pots on them, but otherwise, they take normal kitchen abuse. If there is an Ikea near you, check them out.

If these Ikea countertops are a wood surface, that may be great for you but its not the look I am going for. We have hardwood floors in the kitchen so I dont want more wood (I just dont think it would look right).

 

[jmunutt]

Are the Ikea ones a solid surface? I was curious about that when I saw them online!

They are not solid surface, but the laminate warps around the core, so there are not many places for them to separate like traditional laminates. I truly thought they wouldn't last a year, but they are.

 

[jmunutt]

If these Ikea countertops are a wood surface, that may be great for you but its not the look I am going for. We have hardwood floors in the kitchen so I dont want more wood (I just dont think it would look right).

They are not a wood surface or a wood look. They are laminate. They are a cheaper option than most, and hold up remarkably well in my kitchen. We put a marble backsplash up and they match the counters well.

 

[jgreco]

As far as granite tile goes, we're looking into this. You don't have to do a grout line, you can butt them up flush against each other. We're looking at Bedrock Creations for a kit with the finished edges.

We're in a starter house that we bought near the bottom of the market, but still will probably barely break even when we sell because of realtor commissions, and don't plan to be here more than another 5 years. So every dollar we spend on fixing the place up is just lost, basically, because none of the houses in the subdivision have been selling for even what we paid for ours. The kitchen is way dated, and the laminate countertop is separating around the sink area. So we're looking for a cheap permanent fix.

We're also looking at a soapstone countertop, which is probably more than you're willing to spend, but honestly not much more than granite tile if we DIY it. Soapstone is soft enough that we can finish the edges and drill out for the sink and faucet with regular tools.

Annie Sloan chalk paint in Graphite looks almost identical to soapstone when painted on counters.