# countertop options?



## milbry18 (Jan 14, 2008)

I have an old house with white metal cabinets and red (I think its laminate) countertops with chrome trim around the edges.  The cabinets are in very good shape for their age its just the red countertops I hate.  What options do I have ?  Can I cover over the countertops with some type of thin vinyl material, or should I consider painting ?  Any help would be greatly appreciated.


----------



## guyod (Jan 14, 2008)

if your looking to go cheap you can  buy 4x8 sheets of laminate that you glue on top of your existing counter as long as you dont have any curves. it takes a steady hand to get it to look nice.  Also lowes and hd have precut countertop cheap $10 a foot.  They look pretty nice im using them. they even have a back spash build in.  Only problem is you end up with some seams. but with $350 compared to the same thing custom cut without seams for $1300. well the seams dont look so bad with an extra $1000 in my pocket.


----------



## glennjanie (Jan 14, 2008)

Hey Milbry:
I had a brother-in-law who was an autobody man. Jim repainted his steel kitchen cabinets with auto finish. They looked great! Perhaps you can find a professional spray man to come in and redo yours. 
I lean toward the big box, precut countertops like Guyod spoke of.
Please try posting some pictures of before and after. We wish you the best!
Glenn


----------



## ToolGuy (Jan 15, 2008)

Yes, the red is laminate. I'm very familiar with these 1950's cabinets and counters. The metal banding will interfere with applying new laminate, as the metal edge slightly wraps the edge of the existing laminate. One thin you could consider is removing the metal banding, apply new laminate over the existing laminate, and also laminate the exposed edge where the metal banding once was. You could also reinstall the metal banding, which would be better functionally (won't peel away as laminate might), but it will be lifted up by the extra thickness of the new laminate, thus exposing the bottom edge of the counter.

The best way to go is to replace the counter altogether. One drawback is that on a new counter with a built-in back splash, the back splash is only 3-1/2 inches tall (if I remember correctly) and if the existing counter has a back splash, it's probably 4 inches tall. This is a problem if you have tile on the wall above the back splash. What I've done in the past is rip some wood strips the thickness of the difference (1/2" in this case) and attach them to the top edges of the cabinets, and install the new counter on top of that. 

This is all pretty complex, I know. So, you're probably wondering about painting the existing laminate. You can do that as a temporary fix. You'll have to thoroughly clean the surface and give it a scuff sanding with 120 or 150 grit sand paper. A fine grit sanding sponge also works well. Or heck, use a fine grit sanding sponge with soap and water to clean the surface! How's that for thinkin'? Rinse it thoroughly and let it completely dry. Then apply 3 coats of a good quality, satin finish paint of your favorite color. Even red if you want! Be sure to lightly sand between coats for a really nice finish. If you treat it gently it should last for several years. 

One of my favorite sayings... "A little caulk, a little paint, makes a carpenter what he ain't."


----------



## guyod (Jan 15, 2008)

Toolguy 
Why satin? wouldnt a gloss or even high gloss clean easier?


----------



## ToolGuy (Jan 15, 2008)

guyod said:


> Toolguy
> Why satin? wouldnt a gloss or even high gloss clean easier?



Satin will clean perfectly well. I made it a point to say satin because the shine of gloss or semigloss will show all the brush/roller texture, thus making sure it looks painted.


----------



## guyod (Jan 15, 2008)

Tool guy
what do you think about topping it off with polyuratane?


----------



## ToolGuy (Jan 16, 2008)

guyod said:


> Tool guy
> what do you think about topping it off with polyuratane?



Not sure I see the point, as a good quality oil based paint is just as durable.


----------



## dan82 (Jan 27, 2008)

I agree with you...dont see the point on that either....it should last.


----------



## MinConst (Jan 27, 2008)

Toolguy hit the nail on head  

  All I would ad is, if you end up painting start with a coat of Bullseye 123 from Zinser. It bonds to lams real well. It will make the paint not chip or peel.


----------



## SeanH (Jan 30, 2008)

I have looked at many different options for replacing my existing Formica countertops. I like granite (who doesn't) but I plan to sell soon and would like a less expensive alternative. I have looked at a new product called Weathered Stone that claims to go over existing countertops without having to remove them.  They are at weathered-stone.com. It looks pretty cool and I think it may work for your project too.


----------



## travelover (Jan 31, 2008)

SeanH said:


> I have looked at many different options for replacing my existing Formica countertops. I like granite (who doesn't) but I plan to sell soon and would like a less expensive alternative. I have looked at a new product called Weathered Stone that claims to go over existing countertops without having to remove them.  They are at weathered-stone.com. It looks pretty cool and I think it may work for your project too.



Spammer.


----------



## glennjanie (Jan 31, 2008)

Hello Sean:
You might also consider marble tile in 1' squares as the countertop. It would cost far less and would be easier for a DIYer to handle and you still get the marble top you wanted.
Glenn


----------



## TylerDurden1984 (Apr 4, 2008)

You could cover them in copper....it's what I did. Got several pieces very cheap from this site store.electrical-insulators-and-copper-ground-bars.com 
Did my cabinets in the hammered    Anyway it's really easy just glue them on over the old counter top with silicone or liquid nails and bend it around the edges...cheap, easy,simple...hope this helps!!!


----------



## ayeshaa (Apr 24, 2008)

There are several types of countertops you could use to fit inside the kitchen. You can use stone, laminates, and engineered stone or ceramic tiles.
You have several options from which to make choice from; it can therefore get extremely confusing for you. Each option has its own advantages and disadvantages; therefore you will require devoting a bit of time to choose by elimination.
Get some help and ideas from kitchencountertopspot(DOT)com


----------



## ayeshaa (Apr 29, 2008)

Older metal counters and equipment can be professionally spray painted. Any item that is painted must be completely cleaned and degreased before priming and painting. Field-painted equipment tends to be more susceptible to scratches than factory finish. To protect the new finish, you should install new trim or bumpers along all surfaces that come in contact with carts, trays and so on. Automotive-paint supply stores stock a wide variety of easily applied trim on rolls, in many sizes and colors.


----------



## granite-girl (Oct 20, 2009)

I've seen this done (painting) pretty well. But I hope everyone checked to make sure the paint was safe for food contact.
Yikes !

Granite countertops


----------



## lmgoodhair (Sep 27, 2019)

I went with Marble.com when I was looking for a countertop for my bathroom and I know they had a lot of great options for kitchens, as well.


----------



## Michael Armstrong (Sep 28, 2019)

This thread is a little stale now, but the general topic is timeless. For the price, you can't beat new Formica glued over the old. The metal band edge could be replaced with a new trim of any material. If you're going to spring for a solid surface, marble is probably the worst choice for a kitchen countertop; I'm a big fan of quartz (one brand: Silestone).


----------



## Eddie_T (Sep 28, 2019)

I used sheet Formica 180fx in a large kitchen. I avoided mitered seams and it worked out so well that I have to show people where the seams are.


----------

