DIY Faux Marble Counter Top

The 2 Seasons
by The 2 Seasons
1 Material
$25
1 Hour
Easy
Our kitchen has been going through a transformation since we moved into our house two years ago. The most recent change was adding a DIY faux marble counter top to the kitchen island that I purchased at the Habitat Restore. The island was just the right size to fit in the center of our kitchen, and it allowed room on all four sides for us to easily move around it in the rush of preparing meals, cleaning up after meals, etc. The only problem was it had a large dark stain right in the middle of the butcher block top.
I used various cleaners on the stain and sanded it, but the stain just would not go away. Finally, I just put a bowl of fruit or a vase of flowers on it so the stain would not show up. When I attended a blogging conference a few years ago, a designer in one of the decorating that I took mentioned the wonderful results that marble contact paper produces. She and some other designers had used it in different rooms of their homes and thought it looked like the real thing - sort of - and was durable. I always had it in the back of my mind that using marble contact paper might be the answer to this little situation.
When I first bought the island, I painted the base a nice navy so it would tie in with the decor in the rest of the area. You can see the flowers covering the stain. One side has a convenient drop leaf that gives me extra room when I am preparing food. The other side has a drawer for handy knife storage.
I found several sources for the contact paper online and ordered the one that I felt looked the most realistic. Applying it took a steady hand and some patience, but I was able to end up with no air bumps or wrinkles. Using a credit card to smooth out the service was very helpful. I have to admit that the corners were the most difficult, and I am still not 100 percent satisfied with them.
And this is the final result. I am so happy with the way the table looks. Thankfully, it is holding up to the wear and tear of daily life in a kitchen Several of my neighbors thought I had purchased a slab of marble for the top before I told them about the easy, inexpensive DIY transformation. To see other great posts like this, please visit our blog.
Suggested materials:
  • Marble contact paper   (Online)
The 2 Seasons
Want more details about this and other DIY projects? Check out my blog post!
Go
Frequently asked questions
Have a question about this project?
3 of 4 questions
  • Margaret Green Margaret Green on Oct 20, 2017

    Did you remove or cover the drop leaf? It's hard to see it due to the angle of the photo.

  • Sterling Sterling on Sep 03, 2019

    Just want to know what you put on top of the contact paper to preserve it while you eat or work off the table

  • Ann Ann on Oct 24, 2019

    what contact paper did you end up using?

    thanks!

Comments
Join the conversation
3 of 6 comments
  • Ramona Ramona on Dec 01, 2020

    Actually a slab of marble is not that expensive...the stone stores have leftovers that they sell for cheap! I paid $40.00 for a 42”x 25” piece- not bad at all !!!

    • Sylvia Berger Hartless Sylvia Berger Hartless on Jan 07, 2021

      Ramona, that’s exactly what I was thinking. By the time a person buys the solvents, strippers, paint removers, sandpaper’s, etc. and the contact paper, which can be pricey, they’ve already spent half what a slab of permanent marble costs. Then there’s the time and labor involved.

  • Margie Margie on Nov 20, 2021

    You do not have to do all that to it,, if it doesn't need sanding, throughly clean and add the contact paper.I 've done this project..... it works.

Next