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Faux finish your Counter Tops to Marble!
I've posted many times here about various counter tops I've given a new look to. Each them, UGLY formica!
In this installment, I'll show you how to do a marble finish that's ultra easy!
Our main bath in the Idaho forest home also had those nasty PURPLE counter tops! Since we blew our decorating budget on slab granite for the kitchen, doing the same for the baths was now out of the question.
In my latest post, I showed you how to use our Faux Granite Stencil to create a granite finish on your counters. But marble is just as easy.
As with the granite instructions, start by taping off any areas you don't want re-finished (sink, wall, trim, etc). Prime the counter with 3-4 coats of BIN primer by Zinser (available at your local home store).
Your first, and most important step is to use these instructions and do a sample board. Why? Because it lets you practice a little, it lets you figure out if you're blotting too much, too little, if your colors are perfect or not quite right. It lets you practice veining and blotting and dabbing so that by the time you do your counter, you feel confident and comfortable. Besides, it's fun!
For this marble, I painted the counter a cream color as the background.
Next, I used a 3" paint brush to dab on angled streaks of light brown craft paint.
Do very small sections at a time. Each time you dab an angle, use a sea sponge and immediately blot it to blend it slightly.
Be sure to let the cream base color show through.
Once you have covered the entire counter, do the same with a darker brown paint, allowing the angled finish to actually cover portions of the light brown finish. Blot as before to blend.
Here's what both colors look like together on the counter. Disgusting, isn't it? You're not done, so don't fret.
Nearly all marble has some sort of veining. The easiest way to do this is to mix enough water with the dark brown paint to make it about the consistency of milk (watery and not thick).
Use an artists "liner" brush. They are sold at your local craft store and are inexpensive.
Dip the brush in the watered down brown paint and draw squiggled, angled lines through the marble finish.
I love to literally twist my brush as I drag it which makes the most wonder "veins".
I also typically do one vein directly over the top of another, letting them cross in places as I have done here.
Now, to make it all come together, you will do what we call a "color wash" over the surface and blot as you go.
Create a color wash by mixing enough water with the same cream color base paint you used on the counter to create the consistency of 2% milk. You want it a bit thinner than you mixed for your veining. You almost want to literally be able to see right though the paint color (but not quite). You know, like 2% rather than opaque whole milk or cream.
Do one small section then blot, move over and do the same until the entire surface has been color washed.
What this does is to blend everything together and make the blotches of color "recede" in to the background somewhat.
Even the veining fades slightly and becomes more real looking.
With the color wash done, see the difference? The cool thing is that as you blot, you tend to pick up a little of the color from the streaks you did before. This leaves the neatest patterns within the new marble surface that look incredible. So don't worry when that happens. You'll love it when it's done!
I have tried many different varnishes for my many counter top projects, each with varying results. But I finally found a brand that I really like! It's put out by "Deft" and is a wood varnish that doesn't chip, doesn't peel and doesn't yellow! Whew! Finally, something that really works!
But friends, you will get higher than a kite on this stuff if you don't ventilate the room WELL! Of course, I did mine in the winter and even though I had an open window and a fan going, I still felt a tich "silly" as a result. So be careful! It's smelly and if it's smelly, it can be dangerous! Keep all children OUT OF THE AREA! But again, it's really wonderful stuff and I loved it.
I can't tell you just how delighted I am with my new counters! They both came out just spectacular!
Now, as an added treat, I went to take a shower in this new bath and got a HUGE surprise!
A BAT had nestled itself between the open window and the screen and stayed there for two days watching me in the shower! I grew to actually look forward to him and dubbed him "Jeffrey: the pervert bat".
My brother in law however, did comment on just "who" was the perv...since I was the one who climed right back in the shower!
Enjoy your counter projects and let me know if I can help. You can email me directly from the website at VictoriaLarsen.Com
