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Materials:
Ammonia cleaner
Primer
Paints
Paintbrushes; rollers
Painter's tape
Protective rubber gloves
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Steps:
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| 1. |
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Clean the countertop thoroughly with some sudsy ammonia. |
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| 2. |
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Prime the countertop with a bonding primer to ensure that the paint will adhere to the non-porous surface (figure A). |
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Figure A |
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| 3. |
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Let the primer set for about 24 hours before applying paint. |
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| 4. |
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Apply a base coat of paint in your choice of color (figure B). Lighter colors are recommended for the base color. Apply two to three thin coats of paint, allowing drying time between each coat. |
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Figure B |
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| 5. |
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Once the base coat is applied, some creative painting techniques will help dress up the surface. In our demonstration, the design included some reveal-stripes create by applying horizontal stripes of low-tack painter's tape before applying the decorative paint pattern. For this technique, apply the tape so that it is straight and even, and press it down firmly. Pressing the edges with a plastic spoon (figure C) will help ensure a tight edge so that paint doesn't bleed beneath the edges of the tape. |
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Figure C |
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| 6. |
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For our painting technique, a moist sponge was used to create a mottled pattern. Dampen the sponge, dip it in the paint you've selected for the pattern color, then gently tap the coated sponge on a piece of newspaper to remove excess paint (figure D). |
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Figure D |
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| 7. |
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Use the sponge to apply the paint to the cabinet surface (figure E). To get a natural, randomized pattern, pounce the sponge lightly on the surface while continually turning your wrist back and forth to get a natural effect. Don't over-paint. Create "breathing room" for the pattern colors by using the lighter base-coat for negative space in the pattern. |
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Figure E |
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| 8. |
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Use different surfaces of the sponge, or different sized sponges, to create variation and pattern details (figure F). Tap the paint-covered sponge on the surface lightly, and keep turning your wrist for variability. |
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Figure F |
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| 9. |
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While the paint is still wet, carefully remove the strips of tape to reveal the striped elements in the pattern (figure G). For our countertop, use of three colors of paint for the pattern helped create depth and visual interest. |
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Figure G |
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| 10. |
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Latex water-based polyurethane sealer was applied to protect the painted surface and provide a nice shine. |
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When using polyurethane, do not shake or stir the can of polyurethane before application. Shaking a clear sealer like this may create unwanted bubbles in the finish. |
