Review-Giani Granite Paint for Countertops
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See the bottom of this post for another NEW update
If you’re new around here, I should show you how my kitchen looked this time last year:
I painted my oak cabinets white, and I even painted my vinyl floor. Did you notice the utensil holder and knife block? I painted them with Krylon Stainless Steel paint.
I also added a board and batten back splash. I wanted to update my countertops, but it wasn’t in the budget.
But Giani Granite BOMBAY changed all of that!
.
Bombay Black
Complete Kit:
- IronCoreTM Primer-Base Coat
- Pearl Mica Mineral
- Black Onyx Mineral
- Bronze Mineral
- Automotive Polyurethane Topcoat
- 6” GIANITM roller arm and two roller pads
- 4” GIANITM granite paint sponge
- 2” Foam Brush
- Black practice poster board
- Paint by Number DVD for beginners
- Illustrated Instructions
Let’s begin with Giani Granite Paint!
The first thing I had to do was remove any silicone caulk, because it’s not paintable.
The next step was to tape off everything with ScotchBlue painter’s tape. I used a large baggie for my faucet and small baggies for my handles.
I started applying the primer with the roller.
The coverage was really great!
I did a light second coat. It only calls for one coat, but I’m a 2 coat primer girl.
Looking good!
I gathered all of the items from my kit. I cut the sponge into smaller pieces.
I practiced on the poster board, but I didn’t take any pictures of that.
If you ever do anything like this, you know that sometimes you forget you’re a blogger. I didn’t snap many pictures, and the ones I did take are poor quality.
In the DVD (which I watched twice) the lady tells you that you get more depth with more layering. It called for me to do the Pearl Mica Mineral first, then the Black Onyx Mineral, with the Bronze Mineral being last. I did that, but then I added a little more of the Black Onyx and then added a little of the Pearl Mica. I don’t think there is a wrong way to layer. It’s all a personal preference. I used VERY little of the Bronze Mineral.
You work in about 2 ft. sections, with all 3 colors before you move onto the next 2 ft. section. You do not do all one color, then the second, and third color.
I believe this is after one coat of the topcoat.
When I removed the tape I did have a little bleed, but I really believe it was operator error. When I added my board and batten backsplash there was quite a gap, which meant more than the usual amount of caulk.
Please ignore the toaster in the sink. I had not used my sink for a couple of days (had everything covered with tape and baggies) but I wanted some toast and couldn’t put the toaster on the countertop.
The finish is perfect. I am not a real “glossy” person. I’m generally more of a matte finish girl. I applied 2 coats of the topcoat, then scored the tape and removed it.
I will give my countertops a good deal of time to cure. Anytime I paint something, I let it cure really well, and this will be no exception.
I have to tell you that I have had this kit for quite a while. I kept putting it off because I thought I wouldn’t be able to accomplish it with good results.
It’s pretty difficult to take a picture of such a shiny surface!
I LOVE the way it shows off my painted cabinets!
Here you can see that I definitely need new appliances! My stove and fridge are so dated! This is a quickly staged photo because I need to wait a couple of days before I put my stuff back on the countertops.
In these photos I have not re-caulked yet.
I have caulked (late Sunday night) but haven’t taken any pics yet.
Do you love them as well?
UPDATE: It’s been over 2 years since I painted my counter tops and I STILL love them! They’ve held up great, with only a little wear near the sink where I stand to wash dishes on a daily basis. ๐ I finally got new appliances, and you can also see I’ve added a DIY kitchen Island and Barn Doors. I’ve also updated the color of the floor.
After TEN years, I repainted my countertops, see that post here:
gail
Disclosure: Although Giani Granite supplied me with a kit to review, my opinions as always are my own. I received no compensation to write this post.
This has been a really helpful post to read. Thanks you! I’m considering this for our home and wonder if you STILL, after all of these years, would recommend this product. I’ve heard that just puddled, standing water will ruin it and many types of soap will also cause damage. Our original countertops (from 1986, when the house was built) are not very aesthically pleasing. ๐ But they are, at least, intact. Thanks so much for reading and responding!
Funny you should ask this Jo! I am just about to replace those old counter tops. They have served me well.
I never had problem with water marks.
Once I left a tub of cleaning wipes upside down to disperse the liquid. I left them for over a day, and the liquid did eat all the way through to the original counter.
That being said, if you don’t want the hassle and expense of new cabinets, this is well worth the time effort and expense to “stretch” your counters. I want butcher block. If I liked granite or something similar, I would have no issue repainting these counters again. ๐
I hope that helps!
gail
sorry let me elaborate on that… did you sand the counters first? it didnt say in the steps but i imagine you would have to unless this is a special pain that is ok with slick surfaces…
It was a long, long time ago. I remember cleaning the counters really well. This paint (primer) is so incredibly FLAT, that it adhered really well. It’s still hanging in there really well.
There was an oops recently. I had some lysol wipes that all the cleaner had settled to the bottom. I turned the container over for about a day, and when I moved it, it had eaten down to the primer. NOT the counter, that primer was still there! I intend to repair it someday. ๐
gail
how did you get the paint to stick so well over the laminate?
My husband’s friends did this in their house, and he said the countertops have a bumpy texture. Is yours like that or is it smooth like granite? Wondering if they just didn’t sand it well enough…
Elisabeth,
That’s a great question. Today, as I was wiping the counters, to the left of the sink…. I wiped, then dried it off, and actually ran my hands across the counter. It was perfectly smooth-still! After all these years. It still makes me smile, and seriously, just today I was appreciating it.
gail
You are one brave lady. Your many jobs are a beautiful testament to what one can do on their own. But I’m still laughing at the toaster in the sink part. Beautiful finish to a gorgeous kitchen.
I have a ticky little grammatical error to point out. The idiom is not to “relish in,” it’s “to relish.” So above, it would correctly say, “Gail relishes the the chance…” I always appreciate it when someone helps me express myself better.