Can you Paint a countertop, if so how?

Well sure Frank -- anything can be painted LOL but a few more details will be needed before you get a good response. Where is the counter located-- kitchen - bath- garage - store blah blah? What is it made of ? Sorry I finally did see "laminate" and this has been discussed in the past and as I remember the consensus was yes you can paint it. I'm not sure of the process but  I don't remember it being complicated. I'm sure someone else can direct you soon.

You might think about laminating it rather then painting it... But, here's a video of painting it just in case...http://www.doityourself.com/video/C...-274956373

Clean the surface well. Lightly sand the area to be painted. Use a good primer and paint. Make sure you use a good primer for a proper adhesion of the paint.

Yes you can paint a laminate counter top and it will look great as long as you never use it.
Just sliding a pot across the top will scratch it, setting a hot pot on it will damaged it,etc.

Rust-oleum makes a paint especially for laminate counter top. tintable to 16 colors. My wife bought some, but before I got it put on she decided that she wanted new counter top. So it has't been used. Its a light tan if you wnt it.

As Woodworks said, it will look great if you don't use it.  The paint will scratch and come off too easily.  Hot pots etc. will cause the paint to blister and peel off.  If the counter top is in the kitchen, you have to worry about paint chips getting into any food you are preparing.  Re-laminating or replacing the top are better ways to go.

 

I agree!!   Here is what I did to fill in the scratches on my pure white laminate countertop.  Went to Walgreens to the Sally Hansen Nail Department and got a fancy white colored pen for decorating nails.  Ran it down the cracks and slice marks, let it dry and lightly sanded it.  Only been 2 days or so, but so far so good, time will tell.  It is fingernail polish after all!! I really wanted to paint it...

Be very careful.  Fingernail polish will come off faster than paint.  It sounds like you do food prep on the counter.  Make sure the fingernail polish doesn't end up in the food.

I don't do anything directly on the countertop anymore, I even wear gloves to cook. When we first moved here we thought those counter tops were impervious to knives. LOL.

Posted By frankieg on 09-12-2010 11:17 PM
I don't do anything directly on the countertop anymore, I even wear gloves to cook. When we first moved here we thought those counter tops were impervious to knives. LOL.

Ben Fanklin said something about beer, and I have to agree, it's here to make us happy.  (I don't remember the exact quote)

Would love it, but everything else is white!

I am also thinking of replacing it, which I will, but the house is for sale, and it needs to look nice!

You can google it COUNTERTOP REPAIRS and follow the numerous links. Whether you are going to do them yourself or contract it out for repairs is really up to you and how much time and effort are you willing to put forth.

Not sure how many 'prospect buyers' came in already, but my wife would notice it and ask me to look at it. I'd see what was done and immediately think to myself 'if the seller is hiding this, what else is being hid?

I think I will have to re-laminate it, can I do it myself? It is only the countertop that is a problem, the bottom part matches my cabinets and they dont ever need anything but washed down. This counter top is 76" long X 30" wide and 1 1/2" deep. The laminate around the edges are coming off anyway and I noticed it was quite thin. Can you tell me what that might be? It looks like it would be really easy to bend around the rounded ends, and appears to just be glued on!

Most laminate is attached with contact cement. To make the bends a little heat helps. Check any of the big-box (Lowe's & Home-Depot) stores to see what is available locally. They will also have adhesive and instructions available.

Do you have a router?

A picture would be helpful, too.

Can you?  Yes.

But you mentioned you have a rounded facingnosing.  Unless you've done this many times, it's not a good idea to try this yourself.  Formica needs to be heated up rather well to get it to bend/mold to irregular surfaces.  In millworks, these are heated in huge ovens and applied shortly after coming out of them. 

To do this yourself will require a torch or high wattage heat gun to soften up the formica and a load of clamps.

It's be best to purchase a new counter top at a home improvement store.  Don't forget to buy the butt edges!  These are applied using a common household iron.