Maybe you have a rental kitchen. Maybe you don't have the resources to renovate a kitchen that you own. But you're stuck with ugly, cracked, or disfigured countertops. What to do? Here are a few creative ideas.
• Top with a big cutting board - If you have just a tiny swathe of countertop, like we have had in past apartments, try topping it with a big, handsome cutting board. Sure, it doesn't cover up all the countertop, but it's more functional and beautiful, and takes the eye away from the ugly. This cutting board pictured above is Sara Kate's, in her little apartment kitchen.
• Paint them! - Some laminate countertops can be painted and sealed to completely change their look. This is inexpensive, and not particularly difficult. Cheri, an entrant in this year's February Jumpstart Project, did this for about $60. (Her kitchen is pictured above.) Here are Cheri's instructions and purchase list for painting laminate countertops.
• Cover them up some other way - We were really intrigued by reader jblue's comment in this post. Jblue covered up kitchen countertop with vinyl tiles, sealed with grout. This sounds tricky, but it has creative possibilities!
• Replace on the cheap - If you have a little more money to spend, and you really hate your countertops, and you picture yourself in this place for a while (or some combination of all three!), then there are inexpensive ways to replace countertops entirely. This is especially true if you only have a few linear feet of space to cover, and also if you can do at least some of the work yourself.
Some inexpensive options for replacement:
• IKEA butcher block - Does anyone have feedback on IKEA wood countertops?
• Inexpensive laminate - From big box home stores
• Salvage - Old bar tops and even stone countertops can sometimes be had at architectural salvage places.
• Reface the laminate - If you have laminate countertops, some big box stores can just reface the laminate on your countertops, without replacing the countertops themselves.
Do you have any other suggestions for cleaning up, restoring, renovating, or replacing kitchen countertops?
Related: Shopping for Kitchen Islands: Any Advice?
(Images: Rebecca Blumhagen; Cheri)
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When planning to do a colourful, extravagant countertop we decided to paint first, to make sure we liked the colour and that it worked with the design idea. We loved the colour and never did bother getting them done... because the paint ended up lasting over 5 years!
We had a piece (approx. 2' x 2') of granite cut & polished to fit the offending counter area. It sits next to the stove and is great for putting hot things on it, kneading dough etc. It cost less than $100 and I can continue to use it no matter where I go. The rest of the counters are a 1950's laminate.
My wife and I love our new IKEA butcher block counter-top!
We have a really tiny (mostly) gallley style kitchen, and to create more counter space, we used a long butcher block from ikea and extended it over the back wall. We used some 'anti-sliding' cabinet liners to keep it in place and it is just perfect. You can see pics of it here
Great ideas here!
I plan on tiling my gross brown countertops as soon as I can get the tools, etc. from my mother. Seconds can be bought for a good price, and if my mother can tile her bathroom, anyone can do it!
I'd love to know where the cutting board in the 1st photo is from (Sara Kate's apartment, I believe!)! I'm shopping around and really like the look of that one-are you happy with it?
I have that same grey countertop in my apartment in downtown Brooklyn. I am not that happy with it, although it blends in well.
@DC Sarah....
I bought a huge amazing bamboo cutting board from Target.com 5 years ago and it is definitely one of the best kitchen purchases I've ever made, cannot recommend it enough. Target stopped carrying them but Bed Bath & Beyond carries the exact same item....
http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/product.asp?order_num=-1&SKU=15819090
It glows and is easy on my knives, extremely heavy and easy to care for (mineral oil is worth the $2). Also, if you buy it online then bring the receipt into the store with one of those 20% off coupons, they'll give you the cash back. Yay!
Sarah Kate's cutting board looks like this one from Target:
http://www.target.com/Danesco-Bamboo-Cutting-Board/dp/B001VIT268/ref=sc_qi_detailbutton
It may not be the same one, but it's the same concept.
Oops, I was looking at the wrong picture!
We have the Ikea butcher block countertop in our newly remodeled kitchen. People walk in and the first thing they comment on is how beautiful it is--then I tell them how much we paid for it and they almost have a stroke! We found 2 slightly dinged boards in the "As-is" pile for $15 each. All they required was a little sanding.
Ikea often has various countertops in the As-is pile. Certainly the place to look for cheap countertop solutions.
A super-inexpensive method that I've used in the past is to pick up some large (12 to 16 inch square) tiles. They generally run from about $2 to $4 each at big hardware stores.
I have a couple of the Ikea cutting boards (just like the one in the above picture) covering up my very ugly countertop.
The only drawback is that despite oiling them often, the dratted things still warp every few months. I solve that particular problem by simply flipping them over, so the warp is hidden and there's no wobble.
I recently saw a post referring to a product called Skimstone. This is a concrete type product that can be applied over an existing counter surface (including laminate). Has any one tried this product? In this application?
IKEA also has ready sized laminate countertops in two or three sizes. If your space fits the counters then they are even cheaper than Lowe's or HD (I know, I priced them out). I replaced 4 counters of awful 20 year old formica in my kitchen for under $500.
You can also cover offensive tile counter tops and back splashes with a few coats of thinset and then do a distressed paint effect, and top with polyurethane. The apartment I just bought had hideous 3x3 pink tile around the kitchen, and needed a solution that would last a while until I tore them out and put in stone. It's not perfectly durable, but it's inexpensive and looks great!
Does anyone else have laminate countertops with a wood front and backsplash? It's horrible! I've thought about painting but not sure it would work with the two surfaces...
"I recently saw a post referring to a product called Skimstone. This is a concrete type product that can be applied over an existing counter surface (including laminate). Has any one tried this product? In this application?"
I work for Rudd Company that manufactures SkimStone and helped a co-worker with her countertop applications. It takes 3 days to finish but the countertops came out really good and she's happy with them.