How to paint laminate countertops to look like granite

This was an incredibly rewarding home remodeling project. Between painting the countertops to look like granite, putting peel & stick tile over the old linoleum , and building an island on wheels, I fell in love with my previously dated 90’s kitchen. It was one of those things where I could see the potential when we bought the house, but it was definitely a leap of faith kind of thing because we certainly don’t have a background in construction.

I received a lot of negativity about this project before I started it. My mom told me just to buy new countertops, to which I responded “even the cheap countertops would cost me hundreds, not to mention the money to have them installed, and we all know that once we start pulling out counters then other repairs will start to magically appear.”

While I was working on my frugal kitchen remodel I shared step by step updates with my sister, who began freaking out the moment I went from white countertops to the first layer of sponging. Of course, she didn’t tell me this until afterwards, but apparently she and my niece gasped and said go back to white! Because they didn’t believe it was going to look like granite haha! But it was all worth it in the end. Sometimes you have to take a gamble, and grab a paint brush.

When you watch as many Fixer Upper reruns as I have, it’s hard not to get inspired. So we ignored the well meaning concerns, and jumped into remodeling with a very limited budget, and Google as our only expert. I’m so glad that we took the risk, and that the end result really was as good as my imagination 🙂

These are all of the products I used in case you feel like giving it a shot yourself. Full disclosure, if you buy any of the items on Amazon I receive a small fee 🙂

Glidden Premium (tinted to windswept) 1 gal. Pure White Satin Interior Paint- https://www.homedepot.com/p/Glidden-Premium-1-gal-Pure-White-Satin-Interior-Paint-GLN6211-01/202241883

Minwax Polycrylic Clear Gloss Water-Based Polyurethane (1-Quart) Item #45887Model #65555444- https://www.lowes.com/pd/Minwax-Polycrylic-Gloss-Water-Based-32-fl-oz-Polyurethane/999913683

Painter’s tape- https://amzn.to/3wXFOpm

Linzer A-8509 Foam Brushes, For All Paints & Stains, (9-Pack)- https://amzn.to/3tsPogG

DAP Alex Plus 10.1-oz White Paintable Latex Caulk Item #219873Model #18101- https://www.lowes.com/pd/DAP-Alex-Plus-10-1-oz-White-Paintable-Latex-Caulk/3053791

So, without further ado let me show you how to paint laminate countertops to look like granite. Make sure to watch through to the end of the video to see how the counters held up after 10 months of heavy use. We’re a family of 7 that cooks 2-3 meals a day, and the kids aren’t gentle haha!

So what did you think? Is this a project you would consider tackling? Leave me a comment and let me know, and I’d also love to hear about any remodeling projects you’ve done in the past and how they went!