Regardless of the quality of the countertops, sooner or later it will lose its presentability. It is not always possible to purchase a new kitchen set. Therefore, you can update the cover of the countertop in the kitchen with your own hands, improving its operational characteristics and appearance.
Types of countertops and their main defects
The working surface can be made of different materials. Each of them is subject to the appearance of various defects that will have to be fought:
- Natural stone is the most popular and durable material, the least susceptible to wear, has a long service life. The table top for a kitchen table made of natural granite is not afraid of either temperature or mechanical effects, and is also not subject to spoilage under the influence of chemicals.
- Acrylic. This kind of artificial material looks very attractive. But she has her flaws. Acrylic is afraid of scratches and cuts, while other kitchen worktops made of artificial stone, such as colored concrete, are more durable.
- Quartz agglomerate. Resistant to all types of exposure, as durable as natural granite. But over time, loses its aesthetics.
- Cast stone is a type of thin-layer polymer with a base. The material does not withstand grinding with effort, so during this you need to be extremely careful.
- Plastic is the most low-cost version of the design of the work surface in the kitchen, which is due to its low performance. When cutting without using special boards it is quickly worn out.
- Tree. For the tabletop, material treated with impregnation and varnishes is used. Since the top polishing layer can wear out over time, you need to think in advance about how to update a wooden countertop.
Update by polishing and grinding
The simplest and most optimal method of updating the work surface is polishing with grinding. Thus, kitchen countertops made of artificial stone or other similar material can be restored. When updating the surface of cast stone, you need to be extremely careful, since this material is able to withstand only 2-3 such updates. This is due to the fact that the stone itself is applied too thin on the base.
The following tools and materials are needed for work:
- Sander;
- polishing machine;
- special paste for polishing.
The tool for grinding and polishing can be one (grinder), but with different nozzles. In the first case, it is abrasive P120, in the second - up to P1500.
The following steps must be performed:
- Before updating the countertop in the kitchen with your own hands, you need to level the top layer with a grinder. During this, water must be constantly added to the surface in order to prevent heating of the stone and its damage.
- Using polishing nozzles (first with a large abrasive, gradually reducing it) to make the surface of the countertop matte. Circles need to be constantly wetted. After that, you can use a special paste if you want to have a glossy countertop in the kitchen.
How to update the countertop with foil?
Pasting is considered a radical method of updating, since it allows you to radically change the appearance of the countertop. To do this, use a dense vinyl film on a self-adhesive basis or photo wallpaper. If you do not know how to update the countertop in the kitchen with your own hands, you can follow the standard scheme:
- Degrease the surface and then treat it with a grinder. Inspect carefully. If there are chips, potholes, then they must first be filled with repair putty, and then perform the steps described.
- Now you can stick a film on the countertop. At the same time, it is important to fix one side as well as possible, which will prevent distortions and movements of the web during rolling. The gluing process can be simplified with the help of a plastic or rubber spatula, which should expel the bubbles and smooth the coating.
The service life of such a film is not more than 4 years, so the countertop will have to be updated more often. But then her appearance will not be annoying.
Stencil painting
This way of updating the countertop in the kitchen with your own hands can be considered one of the most original and creative. Thus, even the most risky fantasies and wishes are realized. Another advantage can be considered small financial costs. The update itself is performed in the following sequence:
- First of all, you need to choose a pattern for the stencil. Ideas can be gleaned on the Internet, then printed on paper.
- Now you should transfer the drawing to the material for the stencil. It can be thick cardboard or thin plastic. Choose the material so that you can cut the pattern with scissors.
- Prepare the right size brush, foam sponge and acrylic paints.
- The surface of the countertops thoroughly washed, degreased.
- Now it needs to be covered with the main color, which will be the background. The next step can only be started after this layer dries.
- Using the prepared stencil and sponge, apply the selected pattern. The paint layer should be thin. So it will be possible to prevent the leakage of ink under the stencil and the vagueness of the picture. If there is any doubt that it will be possible to apply the pattern gently with a sponge, then you can do it with a brush.
If desired, this method can be safely combined with decoupage, but it is not recommended to do this to update the working surface.
How to upgrade an old kitchen worktop with paint and glass?
This type of worktop upgrade is suitable for all worktop materials that need to be prepared beforehand. There are two ways:
For dyeing, you can use any paint, but the most suitable is:
- acrylic paint;
- alkyd enamel;
- water-based paint.
Before applying the painting layer (there should be at least two, and preferably three, and each subsequent should be applied only after the previous one has dried), the surface must be degreased.
You can increase the life of the countertop if you put tempered glass on top. This will prevent the damage to the painted coating, and the ingress of paint splinters into food. By the way, tempered glass can also be used with other methods of updating, for example, pasting, painting.
Decoupage under glass
First you need to select the appropriate picture. Ready-made decoupage pictures are sold in specialized stores, but there is a more economical way. Drawings can be cut out of napkins, magazines, newspapers or printed out a composition selected on the Internet. All work is carried out in several stages:
- First you need to clean and then degrease the surface.
- Dilute PVA with water in equal proportions. You can also take special glue for decoupage, but as a rule, it is sold in small volumes, so before you update the countertop in the kitchen with your own hands, you will need to make careful calculations. In this mixture, moisten the prepared picture.
- Glue the soaked image to the surface of the countertop, smooth, removing all the bubbles.
- Leave the countertop to dry completely.
- Now the surface needs to be covered with several layers of varnish. There should be at least three, but ideally it is better to make four. Moreover, each subsequent layer can be applied only after the previous one has completely dried.
You can extend the life of such a countertop using tempered glass. In this case, decoupage can also be used to update the work area. The fact is that such a surface is afraid of the effects of aggressive detergents, high humidity and temperature. And tempered glass prevents damage.
Decorative Tile
This method is suitable for updating products from any materials. And also in this way the restoration of the countertops made of wood, plastic, chipboard or fiberboard is performed. You can choose ordinary ceramic tiles or mosaics (using the second option has more options). When choosing a color scheme, you need to consider the color of the apron, which is located directly above the countertop.
You can make the design more original with the help of tiles of different sizes and shapes.
Before updating the countertop of a kitchen unit with your own hands, you need to prepare the following materials and tools:
- directly tile according to the chosen design;
- glue;
- grout.
After preparing the necessary tools and materials, you can begin to work:
- Clean, degrease and dry the surface.
- Apply glue to the countertop and directly to the ceramic.
- Lay the tile on the surface.
- Leave to dry completely.
- Now you can wipe the seams. Put the grout with a spatula, and then remove the remains with a damp cloth.
Concrete restoration
For concrete shabby countertops, not all updating methods are suitable due to the characteristics of the material itself. But concrete can be safely used to restore the working surface of stone, both artificial and natural. The following materials are needed for work:
- mixture for finishing concrete screed;
- sealant (preferably acrylic);
- varnish for concrete;
- volumetric container for solution preparation;
- 2 spatulas of different sizes (20 mm and 10 mm);
- coarse sandpaper;
- industrial mixer (can be replaced with a drill with a special nozzle);
- grinder with a grinding disc.
The amount of mix for concrete screed depends on the size of the countertop itself. This information can be read directly on the packaging. The standard consumption is 1.2-1.5 kg per 1 m 2 of the surface with a layer thickness of 1 mm.
The restoration process itself is as follows:
- Before applying concrete, carefully prepare the surface. It needs to be cleaned of contaminants, special attention is recommended to be paid to the remains of food and fat. To do this, you can use detergents for dishes. If during the inspection, the remains of silicone sealant were found, then they must be removed, since concrete is characterized by low adhesion with this material (which is why it is necessary to take acrylic sealant).
- After all contaminants have been removed, the surface must be treated with sandpaper of various calibers (25-N and 20-N). This procedure will increase the adhesion of concrete to the old surface. That's why you don’t need to think about how to remove a scratch on a countertop.
- Now the surface needs to be washed and then left to dry.
- After this, you can begin to prepare the solution. How to do this is indicated on the package, as there may be some nuances. In most cases, the mixture should be diluted with water in a ratio of 2: 1. It is better to add water gradually so that the solution is not too liquid or thick. Ideally, the consistency should be like sour cream. It is recommended that you first prepare a small portion so as to be sure in the future that the proportions are correct.
- The prepared solution must be applied to the surface of the countertop with a spatula. Distribute the composition on the countertop should be smooth and slow movements. This will reduce the risk of bubbles. For the restoration of the countertops, a concrete layer of 1-2 mm is sufficient (this depends directly on the material of the product and the existing problems). But to improve performance it is recommended to make several such layers.
- The next step is grinding. You can start it only after the layer has completely dried. It will take at least 24 hours. For grinding, you need to use coarse sandpaper or a grinder with a grinding disc. When coating with concrete in several layers, the procedure must be repeated for each layer. The latter should also be treated with fine-grained sandpaper.
- Finish the restoration with a coating of acrylic sealant (it must be applied with a brush). And you can also cover the surface with a layer of varnish, if you want to get a glossy surface, by the way, with it you can change the color of the countertop. After, you need to polish the top again with a small-caliber sandpaper.
Countertop Replacement
In some cases, restoration of countertops made of artificial stone or other material is not possible for various reasons. Then to buy and replace the surface is much easier and cheaper than to restore. You can make a replacement yourself. The following tools and materials will be needed:
- drill with a set of different drills;
- electric jigsaw;
- files;
- fine sandpaper;
- sealant;
- putty knife;
- pencil;
- pattern;
- roulette;
- gon.
You can replace the countertop by proceeding as follows:
- Turn off water and other utilities, then remove the sink.
- Remove the countertop. This should be done very carefully, while maintaining the elements that secured the surface to the table, for example, screws, corners and other fasteners.
- Clean the place where a new work surface will be installed in the future. Particular attention should be paid to the joints.
- If the new countertop for the kitchen table was purchased without holes for the sink and stove, then at this stage they need to be done. Although it is better to entrust the execution of this work to specialists, especially if it is a stone or glass product.
- The prepared surface should be replaced. Before final fastening, you need to make sure that it lies strictly horizontally.
- Finish the installation of countertops using special corners. They will not only give the design a complete appearance, but also improve operational characteristics.
Countertop Care
To increase the service life of the countertops will help proper care. There are five golden rules, compliance with which will make updating the work surface much less common:
- Use a cutting board to cut foods, even if it's just one piece of bread.
- Do not place hot dishes on the countertop, even if the working surface is made of stone.
- Do not use abrasive cleaners to clean the surface. The latter is better to replace more sparing.
- Try to avoid hitting the surface, so it’s better to beat meat in another place.
- Do not leave the countertop moistened; after each washing, wipe it dry with a cloth.
Despite the apparent simplicity of all update methods, in some cases it is better to trust the professionals. This is due to the need for certain skills, tools and experience.