The thing is, though, that the other options are SO EASY. Assuming you have no island, you can purchase prefab laminate countertops at Home Depot or Lowe's.It would be so much more functional and long-lasting.

And easy.

As for color, I'd default to white. It's interesting you seem to care more about the color (neutral v neutral) than function..... but I do understand, that it must be a challenging time.

That said, a popular blogger experimented with a way to paint countertops. However, given the issues with the fumes, curing time, skill level and care needed for the product (and there is NO guarantee your painters have worked with the product before, etc), I wouldn't recommend it. I recall, reading her blog, that it wasn't long before she replaced the counters. I wonder if it's even food-safe? To me, there's not much "easy" about it.

Here's the blog post:

http://www.livelovediy.com/2013/02/how-to-paint-tile-and-update-your.html

If you're moving in two weeks, truly just clean and declutter as best you can. Attempting a temporary fix at beautification by painting countertops won't help at all-you're likely to get low ball offers in order to compensate for the undoing of this type of mistake. Price accordingly and leave it to the next owner to choose what they prefer which won't be painted countertops. What has your realtor advised about this kitchen reno?

tlynn1960 - I think they're moving into this house in two weeks, she's trying to get it done before they move in.

I do agree than an off-the-shelf post-form laminate from the big box store will be a better and longer-lasting solution, and may can even be done in < 2 weeks. I fear that painting countertops is just going to kick the problem down the road for a short time and you're still going to have to deal with replacement sooner than you want. Laminate is cheap and can last a really long time with minimal care.

Edited to add: if you're dead-set on paint, I'd use one of the two colors you're already using. Don't draw additional attention to painted counters.

Alexandra Fisher, you sound completely overwhelmed and I feel for you.

I've read through your post, and I'm a bit confused. Is it the current house that you want to paint the counters, or the house where you are moving to? I'm thinking it is the new house. But please tell me if I've got it wrong. I think folks here would be happy to help make this as easy as possible for you.

If it is the new house, I feel like painting the counters is NOT a good choice. I've seen pictures of the final product and read articles of people saying it was a short term fix that didn't last.

And if this is for the new house....then when they need replacing in the near future, you'll be stuck in the same position with your child not being able to be in the house etc. etc.

I think you should make a call to one of the big box stores and ask to speak to their kitchen design department. Ask them to send someone to measure for counters for you. You can choose laminate or a lower level granite or quartz and just get it done. One trip to the big box store, or even online, make a choice for counters and you're done. It is as easy as choosing a paint colour, but a much better longer term solution.

Laminate counters have come a LONG way from what they used to be, you'll be surprised at how nice they can be.

Installation available at Home Depot here.

And here is a link to the various choices of counters they have.

There is a link there for choices of in stock laminates in various colours. Boom....you're done.

Good luck with all of this and I hope things settle down for you a bit. Life is really tough these days for a lot of people and we feel your pain for sure.

If you absolutely can't get new countertops, you should use a countertop refinishing kit, not paint. https://www.thespruce.com/the-five-best-diy-countertop-refinishing-kits-3955792 But I agree that if you are referring to the house you are selling, you would be better off leaving them as is. Good luck!

Thank you all so much for your help and ideas. This is indeed a house that my family and I recently bought and are moving into within the next two weeks. Replacing the countertops does sound like the most logical solution in many ways. However,

- I had the kitchen’s glass tile backsplash over and around the sink & appliances painted already with same type of epoxy paint that the painter was going to have his crew do the countertops with. I’m afraid that replacing the countertops would be problematic in that I’m not sure if the backsplash &/or the paint on it would be damaged. Even if I could find something that was an exact match for its dimension (the countertops are only 24” deep but the back has a 4” slab of the quartz on the wall adjacent to the backsplash)

- The kitchen is the current the “base of operations” for the painters we have in the house now. They have completed painting everything in the house aside from the bathrooms (a 1/2 bath attached right off of the kitchen and the main bathroom down the hall) and the kitchen is basically set up for the kitchen countertop to be painted. i can’t even imagine having someone come in and take measurements for new countertop amidst the chaos.

Thoughts?

ETA: the Painter quoted me $350 for paining the countertops. Im assuming that having even laminate countertops would cost substantially more.

Is the house sold? If it is then the new people have already seen the counters so why bother and if it has not sold I would not bother either since the new owners will just change the counters out anyway. Painted counters never last.

The place I want to paint the countertops is in the home we just bought.

I loved the house but hated the kitchen from the get go. Before we decided to make an offer on our new home, my husband and I had already discussed and decided to replace the countertops when we moved. Of course, Shortly after closing, we ran into some unexpected (costly) repairs to my car and some property that were not covered by insurance (it’s a very long story). The repairs costs were high enough ($12,000), that we decided that it would not be a financially wise decision to replace the countertops. The cost of repairing the damage to the car and property damage was a poignant reminder of how easily we could be faced with a completely unexpected financial burden at any time. Ultimately, we decided to “play it safe” with respect to buying new countertops.

You said there's a 4" quartz backsplash? So is the countertop quartz? You're painting over quartz? Or laminate or granite or? I thought you must be talking about a laminate, but now I don't know.

You're set on painting, and your question was about what color to use. If the 4" backsplash has already been painted, then use the same color. A 4" backsplash is a continuation of the countertop, so it seems like it should be the same color.

And then start saving for the replacement, because you're going to need it.

You say you "hate" your kitchen, but is it clean and functional? If so, I would save my money and live with it for now. Painting a work surface is not a good solution, even if you use the very best methods and products. Don't do it. Do you have any pictures you can share? Getting some unbiased opinions and thoughts on the space may help.

Color is such a personal preference. SW has a nice program where you can take a picture of your kitchen and try out different colors for your counters. Maybe bring up a color from your floor.

I've been doing research on painting my bathroom formica countertops at my camp. They are mauve. Ugh! From my research the primer and top coat dictates how durable it will be. That will be a spring project for me.

I don't know where people get the idea that formica is cheap. My formica counters at my home 6 years ago cost 5K.

Please post a picture when completed. I would love to see it. Take a deep breath. You will make it through this tough time.

I painted my mauve tile kitchen countertop several years ago as a temporary fix, and it’s still there and looks great. Sooo much better than the mauve! No, it wouldn’t have been my first choice to paint, but it sure makes it more livable.

This is what the kitchen looked like before any wall or backsplash (above that 4 inch piece of quartz on the back of the wall) was done. It looks much, much better in the “before” picture than it does in real life. The picture of the countertop and the backsplash do not do it justice in so far as how bad they are.

The kitchen walls are now SW “Repose Gray“, the cabinets and geometric pattern and backsplash are also SW “Eider White” . The Eider White on the cabinets vs the Eider White on the geometric backsplash look very different from each other because of the way that different surfaces took the color as well as the surface preparations and the BIN primer. Although the two shades of Eider white do look different from each other where the abut each other though. Good different though, not bad different, in my opinion.

The pictures below are the only ones I have at the moment since work has begun. The lighting was really bad so they colors didn’t get picked up very accurately. That said, this is the best I have at the moment. The tile backsplash on the left is the Eider white ( it looks like a cream in the picture but it is lighter and has gray undertones in the picture than in real life ). The center color is Repose Gray (it looks lighter and has less beige in it when it’s on the walls and has an eggshell finish) and the right is a pure white (trim & ceiling color). The Eider White cabinets have an eggshell finish as well. I replaced the diagonal silver cabinet door pulls with really cute (IMO) matte black knob pulls and the drawers with coordinating matte black drawer pulls.

Below is the Repose Gray wall (it look lighter in person), against the white trim with a Repose Gray tile on the left side of the floor and a Eider White tile on the right side of the tile. The flooring is glued down laminate tiles. It has a grey, brown and black undertones and accents.

I will try to get better pictures soon.

Why would you ruin a 5K quartz counter with $300 of ugly paint? You can work with that. You just need under cabinet (and recessed) lighting. And to replace the backsplash. Not paint it.

I would not have chosen this counter, but it's not terrible. With everything else painted, and new knobs and pulls, and once you get your own stuff in there, I think the counters will blend in and not offend you so much. Seriously, save the $350 for something that needs it much more. The counters are not bad.

Why would you paint quartz???? Quartz is durable and easy to clean. Paint would be peeling off of it in no time.

I agree with everyone don’t paint the countertops :(

I am sorry this is such an overwhelming time for you. Moving is never easy, and especially not now. I actually LIKE your counters and don’t find them ugly at all. Truly. Your cabinets are cut as pie, and the splash is lovely. When you have all your kitchen gear moved in, I do believe you’ll like it if not love it. And I can tell you firsthand that quartz counters are so clean and sanitary. Don’t surrender that benefit by painting them. The EASY button I’d press on this one is STOP. Let us see pics when you get everything sorted!

Do you have a photo of how the kitchen looks once backsplash has been replaced?

I also agree with everyone....do not paint the countertops!

Given your previous post and the clash of brown countertops with black appliances and black-gray everything else, I think this is a good solution. Be sure your painter uses the appropriate paint (epoxy) and process for countertops or it will peel.

I like the cement color.

🙄🙄🙄

Go with the grey. Give yourself some peace. It's temporary and worth your peace of mind. In an ideal world this is obviously a no no, but you're in a different situation. Can't wait to see an After picture!

There is a difference between hate and maybe I will like it in time. I'm not fond of the counter either. It looks like road dirt and gravel bonded together. I would paint it a dark gray. Quartz is only ground up rock bonded with a artificial resin. It's not sacrilegious to paint over it.

There is a difference between hate and maybe I will like it in time. I'm not fond of the counter either. It looks like road dirt and gravel bonded together. I would paint it a dark gray. Quartz is only ground up rock bonded with a artificial resin. It's not sacrilegious to paint over it.

Please post a picture when you're done. All the best at this stressful time. I like what you have done so far.

I don't see why painting quartz is any different than painting tile. Shiny things can be painted, sometimes even without roughing them up. The very worst that could happen is that in a few years you need to replace it. Or repaint it. Doesn't seem like such a high risk to me. In the meantime, you have something that you like the look of.

See

if this is a resin based manmade quartz, then maybe it's possible a well applied enamel paint will adhere better? Alexandra Fisher make sure the painter scuffs and preps the surface really well.

some advice: put down a few big cutting boards and trivets with rubber feet to protect the new surface.

and please share your experience! I'm really curious about how this all turns out.

@Alexandra Fisher what did you end up doing?

If I am getting this thread correct... the OP is planning on using regular wall paint on their manufactured stone countertops? I wouldn't think wall paint would work on stone, at least not for very long. Particularly for a functional surface like a countertop.

Not regular wall paint. The OP wrote I had the kitchen’s glass tile backsplash over and around the sink & appliances painted already with same type of epoxy paint that the painter was going to have his crew do the countertops with.

Since this was 8 days ago it's likely already done.

Oh thank you paritm, I missed that. Epoxy paint is a whole other thing.