Giani Kitchen Counters Finished
by
Linda kelley
3 Materials
I finished with the bathroom Makeover…now it’s kitchen time!!!! This is what I decided to go with….Sicilian Sand Kit… I want to let you know that I do not have any relationship with Giani,nor did I recieve it for exchange for review. I tried this brand after I did a lot of research on the product and started with the bathroom counters. I liked them so well...I ordered it on Amazon in a different color.
I had brown/golden cabinets. I sanded them all down, painted, then added the trim on the cabinet doors and drawers…I love how they turned out. This will be a continued tutorial…posting steps as I go…(so I don’t forget anything). To start, I used a SOS scouring pad to remove all the grease. I rinsed well….then sanded. Now if you have laminate countertops…fill in any seams with woodfiller. There is no need to sand the laminate countertops.
If you remember.....This is the present state of my kitchen:
I used this neat little Ryobi sander. Okay, so it’s not the biggest sander but…it sanded all my cabinets in the kitchen down and has worked so well with my other projects. It is inexpensive, which is remarkable considering it’s size. So I started sanding the tiles. These are ceramic tiles with a high sheen. You won’t be able to remove the sheen. What you are hoping to accomplish is just scratching the surface up a bit for the primer to grab on to.Be sure to rinse off all the dust. Wash down again, and let dry. Be sure if you have a counter top like mine, with grout, that you let the grout dry completely. Be sure to patch deep nicks with wood patch. Sand the patch smooth. Giani will cover thin scratches. Remove any loose latex or silicone caulk, replace with paintable caulk. These are the drying times: Roll on one thin coat of Primer, then wait……….8 hours Lightly sponge on all Minerals, then wait………..4 hours Roll on first Clear Topcoat, then wait………………4 hours Roll on your final Topcoat, then wait…. 1 hour and carefully remove the frog/painters tape. Score the tape’s edge while pulling it up. Wait 12 hours and apply clear acrylic caulk around sink’s rim to seal out water. Wait 24 hours before using your countertops and dishwasher…wait 3 days before setting small appliances back on your countertops. Giani Granite cures in 14 days. I have a feeling this is going to be a long tutorial….I just don’t want to leave any important steps out. So while I am waiting for the countertops to dry, I will start taping off the cabinets below with plastic. I will also apply 2 rows of tape around backsplash where it meets the counters. Okay….so here it goes. Now I tore out my backsplash so I didn’t run tape along the back wall. This is the primer…a little can goes a long way. You only coat once. Giani’s kit comes with everything included except a brush. I need to use one behind the sink where the space is too limited for a roller.( Be sure to wash your brush right away when finished with primer). I covered my new faucet with a plastic bag just to be sure I don’t accidentally get paint on it.
It even comes with two rollers…one for primer…the other for top coat.You roll your roller in one stroke down the side. Now it was a lot harder doing tile in 4″tiles because of the valleys in the tile and grout. Be sure to get it all covered. I went one way, then went back the opposite way to be sure I got into all the grout.It dries to a tacky finish quickly, so…be careful going back to a area…as it could lift the primer. So go slow…take your time in each area.Do you see the areas to the right and left of roller….I did touch them up…but be sure you do the same.
I covered my sink with a towel...just in case!
So now I wait 8 hours….then the fun begins!!! Sponging the minerals on. The minerals are not paint. It is a thinner consistency. So I started the painting….It’s sponge painting…You can’t make a mistake. If you do, you can just add the black back over it. So I started pouncing with the first color…
Oh it looks awful! But don’t give up and don’t despair. It will look better with each color you add. Looks like my doggies climbed up there and walked around in the paint...hahaaa
Then you add the second and third colors...it starts to look better when you start applying the third color. So I keep going back and adding color….You can barely see the lines from the tiles.
when 4 hours are up…I will add the first coat of the topcoat. I am thinking of putting some glitter on. If you do this….lightly sprinkle with your fingers.
Be sure to roll your roller evenly onto the counter top. I went from back wall...to front...all the way to the counters bull nose edge and down to end of tile..
I had put tape on stove edge to protect it. I took the foam brush that was included and added the top coat to all the edges around the stove and sink.
I did sprinkle some ultra fine Martha Stewart silver glitter onto top very lightly. Some of the mineral paint did get on the stove, but was easily removed by Alcohol on a cotton ball
When the first coat is dry…4 hrs…lightly sand over the glitter if it’s sticking out above the topcoat. Be sure to wipe any dust away before adding second topcoat. Second coat is on.....I can't wait to put my kitchen back in order....My bathroom countertop, using the same brand, has such a hard shell on it now...I believe it will hold up really well.
Want more details about this and other DIY projects? Check out my blog post!
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5 of 17 comments
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What were the paints you bought at Walmart used for ? You lost me there a little :(
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Folk Art Metallic Acrylic Paint in Sahara Gold and Champagne. They are in those small $1.00 paints. Like what are in ..https://kelleysdiy.com/2016/10/03/paint-storage-using-paint-sticks/ I used just a little of both for the sparkle.
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Thanks for the tutorial and the pointers as well. Think I am going to tackle this project real soon! Love your countertops!
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Thank you!Hope to see your picture.
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Hi! I am doing my kitchen countertops in Giani Chocolate Brown Granite kit. I had ugly, blue formica countertops. I have been following all instructions to the T and it just looks like brown, speckled formica... I just applied the first top coat and I'm not seeing it to look like granite at all. Do you see a real difference once the second top coat is on and dry?