Faux Granite Style Countertops
Is your kitchen looking a little tired and old fashioned? Is it looking worn and a little worse for wear? When you think about it you will be surprised how much time we actually spend in our kitchens. Of course if you are cooking for a large family that will come as little surprise but even in small families most members will find they spend some time each day in the kitchen. This is especially true if, like many of us, you do not have the luxury of a separate dining room and your family eats in the kitchen.
Unless we have a brand new kitchen, most of us would agree that we would love to indulge in a kitchen specially designed to meet our needs. Maybe a breakfast bar, or a large countertop to prepare food. With the amount of kitchen accessories and gadgets available it is possible to create a fully coordinated design with everything matching. Maybe we would like to have real marble floors or granite countertops. Most of us have a few ideas on how we could improve our kitchen.
Having granite countertops in the kitchen is a popular choice for a number of reasons. As well as being extremely tough and hard wearing and difficult to scratch, the material does not burn or scorch when a hot griddle or pan is placed on it. Furthermore the material remains cool making it perfect for the preparation of various foodstuffs.
Unfortunately, as you are most probably already aware, the best kitchen designs are often the most expensive. Often the best looking materials are the most expensive but there are other reasons why such kitchen designs prove so costly. Often the best looking designs have been fitted with top of the range electrical goods and intricate kitchen units, all of which can increase the cost considerably.
If you discover that you are unable to afford a new, specially designed, kitchen you can, relatively easily, create a new look and feel to your existing kitchen by simply replacing the doors, facings, fittings and countertops. The great thing about renovating a kitchen in this way is that you can replace different items at different times so that you can spread the cost.
Faced with only a very small budget it is still possible to create a new look for your kitchen. One of the best ways to save cash in kitchen renovation is by repainting all the surfaces. Cupboard doors can be painted in plain colors or in fancy patterns or effects such a wood grain. Work surfaces can be vastly improved by creating faux granite countertops.
Faux granite finishes are relatively easy to create. It’s a very good idea to familiarize yourself with the look of granite which can be done by looking at plenty of pictures and visits to kitchen sale rooms. Firstly you need to ensure the surface is clean and then prime it with an oil based primer. Once dry you can then use other, water based, paints. Next you need to paint the base color and once that is dry you can add the various patterns different colors and textures. When finished all you need to do is give it at least three coats of a water based Polyurethane sealer in “gloss” finish to make it look like polished granite.
For a natural look stick to natural colors such as a base color of gray, black or dark green and veins and other secondary features in browns, blacks and lighter greens. For a more modern or dramatic look you can use any combinations of colors but remember you’ll have to live with it unless you paint over.
