How to Paint Formica

Formica is a very nice option for kitchen counters and cabinets when you are facing budget constraints. However many people ignore the fact that these surfaces require proper treatment and attention by us, if we really want them to stay perfect for a long time. Painting these Formica counters and cabinets with the colors of natural stone can change the whole décor of your kitchen. Along with being budget friendly, it can really enhance the look of the counters by leaps and bounds! So let’s try and paint those Formica surfaces to give them a natural stone counter look. The things which are needed for this purpose are as follows:

100 grit sandpaper
Electric sander
White vinegar
Dish soap
Water
Towel
Sponge
Paint roller
Paint brush
Alcohol based primer
Denatured alcohol
Newspaper
White paint
Black paint
Toothbrush
Three sponges
Gray paint
Paste wax
400 grit sandpaper
Polyurethane
Scrubbing pad

The process is as follows:

First of all you will have to sand the Formica with 100 grit sandpaper outfitted to an electric sander. Then you need to mix water and vinegar (equal parts of each) together and add some drops of dish washing soap to the mixture. Take a sponge and scrub the surface with this mixture. After this, rinse off with water and then use a dry towel to dry the surface.
Take the gray tinted alcohol based primer and use a paint brush or a roller to apply a coat of it over the entire counter. You will have to wait for the primer to dry completely.
To create a mottled impression on the counter surface, you will have to choose a 2 foot square section over the counter and then apply a heavy coat of the gray primer over it. After this, place a newspaper over the wet primer and pull it out immediately.
Use a toothbrush to flick denatured alcohol over this wet primer which will help in creating tiny holes. These holes will resemble natural stone very nearly.
Now you will have to sponge paint with black color over the section of area where you are currently working. Make sure that the sponge used by you to paint is clean. Repeat this process of sponge painting with the white and gray colors. Remember to just dab the colors randomly with the sponge. This will help in creating the color variations which is seen in natural stone.
You will now have to press a newspaper over the wet paints and flatten it down to blend the colors together. Remove the paper after you are done with it.
Incase you desire more holes in the area then you can flick denatured alcohol in the same method as described above.
Repeat the same process over the entire counter.
After you have finished working on the entire counter, apply 3 coats of polyurethane clear coat over it. Leave the coats to dry properly and then sand off with 400 grit sandpaper.
After one week of this, apply a coat of paste wax over the counter top with the help of a scrubbing pad.