Phase II ~ Countertop Transformations...

Well I sanded for seven hours straight yesterday, then applied the top coat to my counter top last night. But I will wait to take photos since I want to lightly sand and add another top coat.
A few months ago I contacted Rustoleum regarding the textured look I saw on everyone's counter top (submitted photos to their site). They graciously sent me additional top coat to use, stating this should make for a smoother finish. Their customer service is top notch!

Here's a few comments I have about the whole process.
Doing the counter top is very labor intensive. You need some arm strength to sand everything down. For a chick, I've got some "guns" and it was a little hard for me. Especially sanding in tight areas and the back splash. I literally laid across my counter top to get good leverage to sand the back splash and it wasn't as smooth as I wanted. If I had an orbital sander I may have tried it (they don't recommend it). But after sanding by hand for seven hours I would have tried just about anything.

I had read some comments on forums where people were complaining about the difficulty in removing the blue tape around the counter top. This is absolutely true. I have a few areas where the tape actually removed my wall paint. Needless to say, I am not a happy camper.
Also, I would recommend removing your sink and cook top insert if you have one. Sure it's a pain in the butt but I would think it to be more of a pain in the butt to try and sand around them. Besides, do what I did. Treat yourself to a new kitchen sink! Hopefully it will arrive today! YaY!!

After applying the top coat, my counter top is darker than I expected. I can't imagine what the "onyx" looks like if "charcoal" is this dark. Don't get me wrong, it looks really nice. It's just darker than I expected. Also the top coat is a gloss. So if you prefer a matte finish this isn't for you. Truthfully, I wish it was offered in a matte finish. I'm not one for shiny. But in a kitchen, it's hip and cool. Unlike me, who is lame and boring.

Bottom line is it's hard work and it's messy. BUT if you're looking for an inexpensive way to update your old and dated counter tops, it is definitely worth it and best of all, you'll be proud of your accomplishment!

When I am done with everything, I'll post photos. But for now, I'm going to plant myself on the couch with my quilt, a bottle of Dayquil and 10 boxes of tissues and try to get some much needed rest.

:> )