If you want to give your kitchen a new look, you can do it on a budget. It is possible to give your kitchen a visual overhaul without actually remodeling or spending an arm and a leg. One of the best ways to do this is to change your counters. Not a real change, which can be very expensive, but a more superficial change that looks great. You can actually give yourself a countertop that looks like stone for less than $50. It does take some time, but when you are done, it is worth it for the great look that you will enjoy for years to come.
Stone countertops are very elegant. They look nice, and they go with almost any décor. The problem is that they are so expensive. If you want to replace your kitchen countertops with stone, you will spend between $1,000 and $5,000 (and maybe even more!). This is beyond the reach of most of us for giving a new look to our kitchens. But it is possible to get the same new look for right around $50 and a little elbow grease. You enjoy the new look of your kitchen, and your bank account is happy to still be full.
The key to getting a cheap stone countertop is not actual stone. It’s paint. There are plenty of books at the library, and plenty of online help to be found, on faux stone finishes. You can learn how to make your countertop look like stone by reading about it from a free source. Then, before you actually apply any paint to your countertop, practice on cardboard until you are satisfied with your ability to paint in such a way as to give the illusion of stone.
After you have the technique down, your next step is to prepare the countertop. Clean it thoroughly and then prime it with a special primer. The primer you use should be made especially for non-porous surfaces. You can find this at many discount stores, and definitely at hardware and home improvement stores. If in doubt, ask someone at the store to recommend non-porous primer for you to use.
When the primer is dry, it is time for you to paint on your “stone.” Do it just like you practiced with the cardboard. Let it dry for at least 24 hours. When the paint is dry, you should add four or five coats of polyurethane. Water-based polyurethane is the type to use. After your polyurethane dries, you are ready to enjoy the new look of your kitchen. It is a good idea to keep some of the original paint around. Even though you are unlikely to chip the “stone,” it is good to have on hand just in case.
These are relatively simple steps that are inexpensive. Nearly anyone can accomplish this project. It does require an investment of time, but a few hours of painting is well worth saving thousands of dollars to get a stellar looking kitchen counter.