How to Spray Paint Faux Granite Countertops

 If you’ve been looking around at DIY countertop methods in the last few years, you’ve probably seen many, many tutorials for painting faux granite countertops. Some methods use a kit you can pick up at a home improvement store, while others (like this one) use layers of daubed on paint to create the faux granite look. But did you know that they make a faux granite finish in spray paint? And you can use that to do your countertops, too? Our guest today has all the details, so just scroll down to get the full tutorial!

If faux granite isn’t your look, you can also try these creative DIY countertops:

glossy faux quartz countertops	copper countertops	faux marble countertops
stainless steel countertops	concrete countertops	faux reclaimed wood countertops

 And now, get the details on a great countertop refinish, that comes from a can! Here’s Brandi with all the details:

Spray Painted Faux Granite Countertops
by Brandi of Nest of Bliss

Hi friends! I’m Brandi from DIY & home design blog Nest of Bliss. Over at my blog you will usually find my fiancé and I working away on new ways to update our century old farmhouse, while on a tight budget with plenty of DIY tutorials to share. I can not tell you how excited I am to be sharing a tutorial with you all at Remodelaholic today. This website is jam-packed with heaps of great tutorials and beautiful inspiration!

Today I’m going to share with you one of our projects we completed in our farmhouse kitchen which had the most impact… Our faux granite countertops! Here’s a glimpse at what our kitchen looked like when we first moved in:

This project was one of the first tutorials we completed upon renovating our kitchen. Countertops can be expensive, and so can kits designed to cover them… we figured we had nothing to lose when it came to trying out our own technique – and we are SO glad we went through with it. It has been over a year later and the countertops are still holding up beautifully. People even ask us if we installed new countertops! Please keep in mind this project was also completed before I started a blog, so I apologize for the lack of photos – but I tried my best to explain each step in detail.

For this project you will need:

• TSP
• Sandpaper
• Painters tape
• Newspaper
• Primer (I used oil based, but feel free to try latex)
• Paintbrush and a good quality roller
• Spray Granite or a textured spray paint of choice – We used Excel Speckle Stone Granite Spray Finish, this comes in many hues!
• Polyurethane or another protective finish of your choice.

Prep the countertops

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1) Begin your project by prepping your project area. Clear your countertops, and thoroughly wash them down with TSP to remove any grease and dirt. Try your best to avoid your sink and appliances as TSP is a strong chemical that can be abrasive to these surfaces.

I also highly recommend having a back-up plan for any food preparation you may have to do within the timeframe of this process since you won’t be able to use your countertops during this duration of this project.

2) Next you will want to scuff up your countertops with sandpaper. This step just helps your primer to stick to your counters. Be certain to clean this up as well.

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3) When your counters are prepped, tape off the areas around your countertops. This could include cabinets, sink, and walls/backsplash. For extra precaution I recommend taping newspaper around your walls and cabinets to protect them from any spray paint that may reach these areas as you are working.

Paint and prime

4) Next you want to apply your primer. We did this with a paintbrush for around the edges and a roller for the rest. When this was dry another coat was applied. We used oil based primer for this, but if you want to try latex or another product go ahead and give it a go.

5) When your primer is completely dry you can start to spray your countertops with your textured spray paint. How many cans you need will depend on how much counter space you have. I would suggest perhaps buying extra cans and returning what you didn’t need.

I also highly recommend watching a few videos on the technique of using spray paint if you are inexperienced, or better yet getting someone experienced to show you. You want to use even, smooth strokes along your entire surfaces and not focus on one area for too long to avoid blotchy spots. Allow the spray paint to dry between coats.

Seal and finish

6) When you have completed two-three coats that have dried completely, then you are ready to seal the counter tops. What type of sealant you use is up to you. If you want to use a food-safe protectant feel free. 🙂 We simply used three coats of polyurethane while letting the coats to try completely in between (We prepare our food on a large cutting board anyway).

The amount of coats depends on your level of activity within the kitchen and what you are comfortable with. Be sure to give it the appropriate time to cure as suggested on your product and leave the surfaces bare until then.

7) When everything is dry and has cured, carefully pull off your painters tape and remove the newspaper. You may want to use an exacto knife beforehand to get clean-lines if you find it is peeling some of the product off. If your tape got onto your counters a bit while you were working you will want to do a few quick touch-ups. For this, we simply sprayed a small painting brush just to dab the area and seal afterward with our poly.

Now you are finished! I hope you found this tutorial helpful for your countertop makeover! Be sure to let me know how it works out for you, or if you tweak up the process a bit to suit your lifestyle!

I would love for you to come visit Nest of Bliss and check out some of our tutorials. You may be interested in our DIY Mason Jar Chandelier, Faux “Reclaimed Wood” tutorial, or perhaps our Fireplace Makeover! You can find Nest of Bliss on Facebook, Pinterest, Google +, and Twitter! Have a fantastic day!

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Thanks so much for sharing with us today, Brandi! Your kitchen is truly a stunning before and after!

Remodelaholics, you will love Nest of Bliss! Go pay Brandi a visit and be sure to check out her small bathroom makeover, plus how to paint a ceiling and how to build your own barn door — and don’t miss all the other details of her beautiful kitchen!