It’s often said that you should fake it until you make it. If you love the look of granite countertops but don’t have money to buy real granite, you can always paint your countertops to look like granite. How do you go about it? Here is what to do:

Pick the right paint

You will not get perfect results if you choose the wrong paint. Thankfully, there are plenty of resources you can use to find out the right paint to go for. If you aren’t sure about the one that will give your countertops a look you are after, get the input of a professional.

You should note that you can choose the right paint, but if you choose the wrong primer or sealer, you will most likely have awful results, so also be ultra-cautious when buying the primer and sealer and ensure that you choose the one that goes well with your paint.

Clean and prepare the surfaces

Like any other painting project, you need to clean the surfaces before painting. This calls for you to remove any materials from the countertop surfaces. If possible, also pull the sink.

Using quality household degreasers, scrub any dirt, grease, and debris from the surfaces, then fill any deep cracks or nicks with wood patch or laminate repair filler.

Give the filler time to dry, then sand flush with the countertop surface. If the caulk is loose, cut it away from the sink or backsplash.

Apply the primer coat

Pour a small amount of primer on the surfaces, then cut it with a 2-inch brush. To minimize marks on the surfaces, use a narrow brush.

After cutting, use a roller to apply more primer to the countertops. For the best outcome, work in 3-foot sections, rolling in a single direction with overlapping strokes. When you complete each 3-foot section, roll back over the primer using long, straight rows to reduce air bubbles.

You should repeat this process in 3-foot sections across the rest of the countertops, making sure that you roll out any paint before it dries.

Once you are done, thoroughly clean your roller and brush with warm water, as you will use them to apply the glossy top coat. You should let the primer sit for at least 6 hours before you apply the top coat.

Paint the surfaces

Once your surfaces are ready for painting, go ahead and paint them. The painting kit you buy will come with a sponge with a special texture that significantly impacts the granite style finish that you will achieve.

Cut off a small sponge (1-1/2 inch) of the sponge, then apply it to 2-3 inches of your countertop to see its results.

Before dipping the sponge in the paint, soak it in water, then wring it out. The remaining moisture will prevent the sponge from soaking up too much mineral paint.

Paint your surfaces following the instructions given on the kit. You should note that to achieve the granite look, you must apply the paints in the order indicated on the packaging.

Begin with shaking the paint and pouring a small amount onto a paper plate. Then holding the flat, cut edge of the larger sponge in your hand, blot its un-cut, textured side in the mineral.

You should then dab the sponge on the second paper plate to remove any excess paint, then lightly stamp the coated side of the sponge onto your countertops using quick, up and down movements.

You should then blot the sponge randomly over the countertop surface, taking care not to make sideways swipes. This is because the swipes leave brush-type marks that don’t look like natural granite.

For the best outcome, stick to vertical, up, and down stamping. When doing it, press the sponge firmly, so that sponge’s face makes full contact with the countertop.

Once in a while, turn the sponge to stamp with a different part of the face to mix up the pattern and achieve more uniform results.

Protect the surfaces

You need to protect your faux granite countertops NC from moisture and wear. One of the excellent ways to do it is to seal the surfaces. After sealing, give the surfaces time to cure before using them.

You also should avoid cutting or chopping directly on your surfaces.