Kitchen Counter Revamp with Rust-Oleum Countertop Paint

The kitchen is a work in progress! One of the first things I tackled were these heinous countertops. I'm sure they were lovely back in the day...Eventually we plan to remodel the whole kitchen but that won't be for a couple years so the plan is to update on a dime.

As you can see in the photo below there is dark green vinyl everywhere. The first thing I did was check to see what was behind the vinyl on the backsplash. Tile! In terrible shape... it had glue all over it. I tried Goo Gone, CitriStrip, sanding and then gave up. This is probably not ideal but is holding up just fine - Zinsser 123 Primer. I essentially just primed all the tile (just painted over the dried glue) and left as is. I did two coats.

Before - Vinyl Backsplash

After - Primed

Now moving on to counters. I did hours of research on quick options to hide these ugly vinyl counters. I landed on the Rust-Oleum Countertop Paint. There are a variety of tints to choose from. I selected Linen, the lightest option in hopes to brighten my dingy kitchen.

Now prep is key here, and I hate prep but you must do it for lasting results. CLEAN your countertops thoroughly. I used TSP and scrubbed the counters. Krud Kutter could work too to get any grease off the counters. Then I highly recommend a light sanding so the product adheres better. Of course wipe down after you sand and ensure your counters are dry and spotless before starting. Next, tape off whatever is in your way that you don't want getting painted (sink!).

Open the can of Rust-Oleum Countertop Paint and apply it as you would paint. I used a brush for only the hard to reach areas and a roller for the rest for a less streaky finish. The smell of the paint is STRONG. Definitely crack open your windows for ventilation and wear a mask. It rolls on a bit tacky especially as it starts to dry. So if you want to do two coats, I recommend waiting for it to fully dry (few hours). You'll need to wait 72 hours before normal use of the counters. The longer the better. I placed my coffee machine on the counters at the three day mark and it left dents in the paint. My ikea cutting board graciously hides those dents. :)

It's been a little over 6 months with our painted countertops and I do have a few chips here and there. I use an all purpose spray cleaner on them and they've held up just fine with that. I'm probably a bit more aggressive on my counters than most people. Overall, if you ask me if I'd do it again, yes, no brainer.

Finished Product :)

I've linked a few products I used on this project so you can get started seamlessly! Please note, I get commissions for purchases made through any links in this post. :)