If your kitchen or bathroom countertops are looking less-than-their-best, you definitely aren’t alone. The COVID-19 pandemic has kept people at home more often and these important rooms in the home have taken more of a beating than usual lately. And it’s not unusual for countertops to show wear—this is something often seen in older homes.
But if your countertops are dragging down the room’s appearance, you might be relieved to know that you don’t need to fully replace the countertops to get a whole new look—even if your dream bathroom or kitchen remodel ideas involve counters with the look of stone.
Yes, that’s right—even if you have Corian or solid-surface countertops, the look of granite, without the price tag, is possible with faux granite countertops. Here, we’ll break down the basics of this countertop finish, and let you know how we can help update your space.
What is a faux granite countertop?
When you look up the phrase ‘faux granite countertops’ you get a wide variety of results—from pages talking about man-made stone that can run into the same price range as any other solid surface countertop to websites advertising contact paper designed for kitchen or bathroom surfaces. Some sites even advertise hacks to paint countertops with a sponge to give a dappled look—and all these sites might use the same phrase “faux granite” to describe what they are.
When we’re talking about faux granite with The TubPros, we don’t mean anything as inconvenient and costly as a brand-new engineered stone countertop or anything as flimsy as a roll of contact paper. Faux granite in this context means a new coating for the countertop—that means something similar to the new coating that’s applied when a counter is refinished. The new coating is free of brushstrokes and ready to use in just a few hours, but can last for years with proper care.
How does the process work?
Much like when a counter is reglazed, a faux granite topcoat begins with gently sanding down the surface of the counter to get rid of any traces of the old finish. Then, any damage is repaired to create a smooth, uniform surface and to protect the countertop from future damage. This step is the same in all countertop refinishing—whether you’ve been wondering where can I find corian countertop repair near me or are looking into faux granite, this article will surely provide you with more information .
Then, the semi-gloss faux granite topcoat is applied. This speckled finish gives the counter the appearance of stone without the steep price tag and is then covered and sealed with a protective topcoat. Finally, after just a few hours giving the coating time to set, the counter is back up and ready to go—meaning that there’s no hassle of having your kitchen or bathroom out of commission for days or cleaning up construction dust and debris.
What colors are available?
If you keep up with kitchen trends, 2021 has brought in some colors that haven’t been in style in sleek, minimalist spaces for a while. The same is true of bathroom trends—2021. In terms of style, this is a reaction to the events of the past year. Warmer, darker colors are in style as are greens and browns inspired by nature.
But whether you love tradition or modern style, faux granite countertops have something for you. This coating is available in a wide variety of colors, from the soft cream of Oyster to the dramatic black and white of Nightspots and a spectrum of colors in between. If you’re looking for a way to refresh your space, a new color might just be the way to do it.
Can I apply a faux granite topcoat as a DIY project?
Lots of products from big box stores are available to give your countertops a DIY faux granite look, but there are a few things to keep in mind before you commit to one of these options. First—and most importantly—consider whether your countertop has any damage. A DIY kit is not designed to repair damage—like rust, chips, or scratches. Without repairing damage, you won’t get a smooth, even finish, and you’ll leave your countertop susceptible to damage.
Even if your countertop isn’t damaged, you might not want to roll up your sleeves quite yet. Application kits, while they might vary in the steps needed to apply the coating, often require sandpaper or a belt sander to prepare the surface for the clear protective topcoat—both of which require that you can ventilate the space to keep your family safe. Then there’s the colored surface to consider—a rolled coating might leave you with brush marks and a sponged-on coating might require some artistic ability and end up looking blotchy. No matter your DIY approach, it will most likely take you significantly longer to apply it than it would a professional and possibly look like a DIY when you are done.
If you’re ready to go with faux granite countertops, it’s probably a good idea to call a professional for the best results—rather than getting bad results and requiring more work for a profession down the road.
I’m ready to get started! Where can I turn?
At The Tub Pros, we offer a variety of kitchen and bathroom services to the greater Memphis area and mid south region, and faux granite countertops are one of our specialties. Our factory-trained professionals have the equipment and experience needed to ventilate and prepare your space in order to apply the new coating properly while keeping your home and family safe. Best of all? Our written warranty means that you know you’ll love your new countertop—we stand by our work and our clients in the Germantown, Collierville, and Arlington area have loved how their projects turned out.
As times have changed over the past year and a half, we’ve made our color chart available online—which gives you the option to look at our variety of options (and our great before-and-after pictures) in the comfort of your own home or mobile device. Are you ready to get started? You can use our online form or give us a call today at (901) 871-8827.