How to Paint Formica
When your formica countertops started to look worn out and scratched, you want to improve their look, but you don’t want to spend a lot of money. Instead of having them replaced, why not just paint over them? It’s an easy do-it-yourself project, as long as you know the steps.
What You’ll Need:
Formica
Fine sandpaper (150-grit)
Paint rollers
Paint brush
Acrylic latex enamel or epoxy paint
Ammonia-based cleaner
Water
Clean rags
Painter’s tape
Procedure:
Remove everything from your formica countertop. You need to clear out your kitchen for a couple of days or so, while waiting for the paint to dry. Remember to turn off stoves Also, open the windows to ventilate the room. Fumes from the paint can be hazardous.
Clean your kitchen counters thoroughly, using a solvent. An ammonia-based cleaner will work great. If not, use acetone or lacquer thinner. They dry and evaporate quickly. Rinse the areas with water, then wipe clean again. If you’re painting the backsplash too, do this again.
Get the sandpaper and use it to sand the surface of your formica countertop, removing embedded grease and dirt that might ruin your paint job. This also gives the surface a rough feel, making the paint adhere to it better. Wipe away all the dust with a clean rag.
Using painter’s tape, tape off the surfaces around the formica, those that you don’t want to paint. Painter’s tape can be removed easily after the paint has dried. You can skip this step, but that would mean taking chances of having paint splash on other areas.
Get a good quality primer and apply it all over the surface. Use a paint roller, working slowly to prevent air bubbles from forming. Make sure you apply it properly all over non-porous surfaces. Check the instructions, and allow the primer to dry.
Sand the surface again, but this time, as lightly as possible. Afterwards, wipe the surface to remove the accumulated dust.
Start painting the formica. Acrylic latex enamel will be great. Apply one coat at a time. After a coating has dried, apply another. Two or three coatings will suffice.
Epoxy paint also works great on formica because it lasts longer and dries harder, compared to other paints. Use a soft-bristled paint brush when using this paint.
Apply a polyurethene finish after the final coat has dried. You can apply more than one coating, but make sure each coat is dry before you put in the next one.
Wait for the finish to dry before using your countertop again.
Formica countertops look more dazzling when they’re painted properly. With these easy steps and materials, you can brighten up your kitchen surfaces without having to spend a lot of cash!