Kitchen counters go all the way under cabinets. Uck!
by
Joan Stanley
+24
I would live to replace everything in the kitchen but $$ does not allow. The formica is all one piece from the front of the counter to the cabinets and there is 18 feet of it! What suggestions do you have for updating ? I've already painted them from avocado green to cream but want more! Boring!
17 answers
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Wow! I envy you not having to worry about keeping caulk clean and perfectly free from leaks. Without pictures and a description of your cabinets and flooring, it's hard to recommend colors, but there are so many different paint, epoxy and resin solutions for different finishes. Have you visited your local hardware stores, asking what they have for refinishing Formica counters? Have you researched Hometalk's many posts regarding counter top treatments? One change you might consider is the electrical outlets and switches. I discovered a solution for my problem when reading a blogger who had posted on Hometalk. I don't have the original blog source, but you can check out this product to give you a "finished" result, no matter what you decide. http://www.leviton.com/OA_HTML/SectionDisplay.jsp?section=64757&minisite=10251
Anna M.S.
on Jun 06, 2016
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I'm so sorry to see this. If I could think of any way to help you I would. I will keep my eyes out for anything that might help.
Bink
on Jun 06, 2016
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I saw someone just get 1x3's or 4's at Home Depot and lay them out like an old farm counter. Oiled them. They were beautiful and cheap. I've also seen homemade butcher block style but, that'd cost more
Justme
on Jun 06, 2016
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Personally I don't see the issue. Other than being a little dated, the countertop is completely neutral and can be used as a great palette for basically any color you'd choose for decorating. It's sounds like you have a huge countertop area. Be happy with that!! Until you can replace it, I'd make the most of the fact that it could be a whole lot worse and embrace your kitchen!
MN Mom
on Jun 06, 2016
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Have you considered leaving the counter tops "as is" and just wallpapering the back splash area? I had a similar situation in my former home (the same counter top formica was put on the wall behind the cook top) and I applied beadboard wallpaper over the back splash area and painted it the color of the rest of my kitchen walls. (See photo.) Beadboard wallpaper is a form of anaglypta wallpaper which is a textured wallpaper that is meant to be painted. When painted in satin or semi-gloss paint, kitchen splatters are easily wiped off. (If you google images of anaglypta wallpaper you can get an idea of the wide variety of beautiful patterns available.) Perhaps just adding some texture and color in the form of painted anaglypta wallpaper would give you that bit of pizazz you are looking for and it wouldn't be a very expensive or time-consuming project.
Shari
on Jun 06, 2016
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Let me see, there is a product at Lowe's. You could repaint it to make it look like granite If that is what you would like.
Beverly Beamon
on Jun 06, 2016
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Does your Formica curve where it goes up the wall? I had that in my kitchen before I got new Formica and tiled the backsplash. My DDIL has the curved Formica in her kitchen also. The only thing I can suggest is to have someone .. probably a carpenter finisher, saw along the back of your Formica where it goes up the wall. Then you can take off the Formica backsplash and put up tile, beadboard or whatever you want. You probably will have to use some caulking where your Formica ends and your backsplash begins...depends on the finished product....your tiler/carpenter/finisher will be able to tell you..
Pat
on Jun 06, 2016
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Since you can't do anything about them at this time, try stenciling and maybe a high gloss on all of them that can be used in a kitchen. If not that have you thought about going up about three or four inches and cutting the top part out and using tile that would match the counter and tie your kitchen together. Hope this helps. Susan
Susanmarvin
on Jun 06, 2016
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There are many ways to redo your countertops should you choose to . There are counter top kits available to make them look like granite which would give your kitchen a total new look. Always remember sometimes a simple change out as a carpet runner,new towels and accessories could do the trick as well. Been there and done that several times .
Janet Pizaro
on Jun 06, 2016
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How about practicing the faux marble technique on some cardboard with water-based interior paints, then after prepping and painting the current epoxy finish, cover it with a clear epoxy or resin. I'd try to see some real marble slabs or gather close-up pictures to be realistic with the paint techniques.
Anna M.S.
on Jun 07, 2016
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Can't one use water-based interior paints on epoxy if the surface is sanded and primed? If you can get a white primer for your base coat, you might get away with only buying one quart of white and one of black (or even one each in pints) mixing your own shades of gray in glass jars. I'd check out some real white marble examples and gather close-up pictures before practicing the faux marble veining techniques on re-cycled old cardboard boxes. I remember seeing a professional faux painter in a TV series 20+ years ago (painter based in Tampa, FL). He warned that veins run in the same direction. Otherwise, don't have veins at right angles to each other, connected or unconnected. He only used acute angles for veins that connected. A clear coat of acrylic might even give the faux technique some 3-dimensional look. A clear resin to cover the paint is used in many examples I've been researching.
Anna M.S.
on Jun 07, 2016
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My daughter and I redid my grandsons counters with the new Rust-Oleum countertop coating. This stuff is amazing. It took us 3 days and made a big mess, but the end results were great. It is holding up great. He had the same type of back splash as you and we covered the whole area.
MD
on Jun 07, 2016
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Why not get a glass mosaic and tile right over the backsplash
Lori Scarafile
on Jun 07, 2016
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We had this type of counter tops in our former home and behind the stove it went all the way up the wall to the top cabinets. I wallpapered the back splash with washable wall paper and we had a handy man add a 1/4 inch flat molding where it connects with the counter. Painted the molding to blend with the colors of the wallpaper. As for the counter tops, we could not come up with a plan to cover them that would stand up to daily use, so we left them as is. Fortunately they were neutral (NOT avocado green!thank heaven) We had the remainder of the kitchen painted a light airy blue (matched the wallpaper) and I pained the cabinets a vanilla creme, all 19 doors, 14 drawers and the frame. It was labor intensive to be sure, but I was very happy with the end result. The paper was still up in the kitchen when we sold the house nearly 15 years later and held up very well, even with kids! Even if the paper is pre-pasted, use additional wall paper paste to ensure a good hold. It took a day to dry, but was worth it in the end.
Barbara
on Jun 08, 2016
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Mine do this, too. My husband and I painted the countertops to look like Travertine and covered the backsplash part with beadboard. We ran caulk where the 2 different pieces meet.
KatAych
on Jun 13, 2016
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they make a peel and stick glass tile that comes in squares that you can trim to fit it looks great my sister used it
Kenricka Adams
on Jun 19, 2016
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I used brick look wallpaper. You can use wallpaper as a backsplash. Inexpensive and easy. It totally changed the look of the kitchen. In fact when we sold the house one of the comments was that the backsplash brick paper made the kitchen so warm and cozy they knew this was the house for them.
Kay
on Jul 15, 2016
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