Beautify your benchtop Give those

These budget-friendly kitchen benchtop revamps are easy to achieve, even for the non-handy among us Beautify your benchtop

As one of the hardest working areas in the house, it’s hardly surprising kitchen benchtops get a hammering. If replacing them isn’t an option for you, try a speedy refresh – for a fraction of the cost.

HI HO TIMBER!

A timber benchtop adds character and warmth to a kitchen, but no matter how well it’s sealed, watermarks, steam, dings and heat can all take their toll. “Timber benchtops help to create a natural, rustic look and feel for the home. But moisture and water can seep in and discolour timber and create an uneven or stained surface,” explains Brenna Mathews, senior brand manager at Cabot’s. If your benchtop has an oil coating, sand it back and reapply oil with a paintbrush, giving each coat at least 12 hours to dry. In between coats, lightly sand with 240-grit sandpaper and wipe away dust. Don’t clean the benchtop with water or any other liquid for at least 10 days. This should be done once a year.

If your benchtop was previously coated, first thoroughly clean the surface with Cabot’s Floor Clean and allow it to dry. Next, do a test patch with Cabot’s Benchtop Clear. “Allow it to dry for 24 hours. Then press sticky tape down firmly to the surface and pull off quickly. If the coating comes off, sand the bench back fully before applying the first coat,” Brenna says. Apply the product with a good quality brush and short nap roller in the direction of the grain, then allow to dry for at least two hours. Lightly sand with 240-grit sandpaper, remove dust and apply two more coats, following the same process. “Additional coats give additional durability,” says Brenna, who advises inspecting your benchtop every 12 months to check for wear and tear, and recoat if needed. 

Bamboo benchtop

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Kaboodle 2400mm x 600mm x 35mm bamboo benchtop, $549, I/N: 2662191,

‘Alpine’ drawer panels and cabinet doors in Black Olive, and ‘Mushroom’ 27mm knobs in Matt Black, $5.62 each, I/N: 2667730

Timber

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1 Cabot’s ‘Floor Clean’ interior timber cleaner, $28.50/1L, I/N: 0192174. 2 Cabot’s ‘Benchtop Clear’ gloss timber finish, $51.20/1L, I/N: 1520591. 3 Monarch 160mm S/frame mini microfibre roller, $12.37, I/N: 1670300. 4 Flexovit 115mm 240-grit painted surface sandpaper roll, $24.91/15m, I/N: 1210439. 5 Kaboodle 2400mm x 600mm x 36mm timber benchtop in Hevea, $389, I/N: 0082263. 6 Monarch ‘Advance Plus’ 50mm synthetic paintbrush, $25.98, I/N: 1664518. Some products are not available in all Bunnings stores, but may be ordered.

GRANITE EFFECT

It’s possible to upcycle a worn-out benchtop to a lookalike granite finish over a weekend. Rust-Oleum Benchtop Transformations is a simple DIY product that works well on laminate and wood surfaces. The range comes in two pre-mixed colours, Galaxy Black and Diamond White, but an additional range has 30-plus light and dark tint bases. Application is straightforward, however room temperature needs to be 16-27ºC and relative humidity below 70 per cent, Rust-Oleum product manager Ashla Magill advises. “This allows perfect adhesion and curing conditions,” she says. Start by cleaning the surface and masking all edges, plus sinks, taps, appliances and splashback. Thoroughly sand the benchtop surface using the diamond-embedded sanding tool provided in the Benchtop Transformations kit. Cracks, chips, deeper cuts or dents can be repaired by filling them with the two-part epoxy putty, also in the kit. When the putty dries, sand the area until it is even with the surrounding surface. Roll on two coats of the base coat and allow 24 hours for it to dry thoroughly. Then apply an even coat of the Protective Top Coat Ultra Durable Finish, which resist stains and moisture. The optimal curing time for maximum stain resistance is seven days, but once the protective coat is applied, light use can resume after 48 hours.

PRO TIP

Make sure the entire benchtop is de-glossed (sanded back) to ensure proper coating – this is done when the entire surface is covered with small scratches

Granite finish

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1 Rust-Oleum ‘Benchtop Transformations’ benchtop coating system in Galaxy Black, $199, I/N: 0295811. 2 Rust-Oleum ‘Benchtop Transformations’ benchtop coating system in Diamond White, $199, I/N: 0295816. Some products are not available at all Bunnings stores, but may be ordered.

Rust-Oleum’s Benchtop

Transformations in Diamond White (above) and Galaxy Black gives new life to kitchens

Colour chart Painting over laminate is a great way to change a dated colour scheme and bring an old kitchen into the now. “For kitchen benchtops, we’d recommend you choose a colour that will also tie in with your kitchen cabinetry and any other fixtures in your kitchen, such as the flooring or wall colour,” says Dulux colour specialist Davina Harper. “A soft neutral such as Dulux Midhirst can work really well for benchtops, or alternatively, try a deep grey like Dulux Maraetai. For classic white, Dulux Okarito is a bright, clean option.”

Satin finish

A LAMINATE MAKEOVER

You don’t have to spend big to update a laminate benchtop – simply paint it. The Dulux Renovation Range provides a quick, inexpensive and attractive fix, says Dulux brand manager Sarah Ambler. “With the Renovation Range Tiles & Benchtops, you can get great results, fast. It is a water-based system, low odour, easy to clean up and easy to apply. Plus you can tint it with our popular colours,” she says.

For a longer lasting result, surfaces need to be super clean. “Use Selleys Sugar Soap to clean your benchtops, and for best results use the Renovation Range Primer before applying your top coat,” says Sarah. Remove all silicone sealant from joints and mask areas you don’t want painted. Following the product instructions, add all the additive to the paint,

and stir well for two to five minutes. Cut in with an angled sash cutter and use a short nap, 100mm wide microfibre roller to coat the remaining surfaces. Paint at least two coats, leaving at least eight hours between coats. Once each section is coated, gently go over the surface with an unloaded roller in the same direction. Finish with Dulux Renovation Clear Coat, again going over the surface with an unloaded roller. The kitchen should be fully functional after one week, with moderate use after three days. ◆

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This previously dark kitchen was brightened up with specialist benchtop paint

Laminate

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Watch it!

Check out our easy-to-follow guide: bunnings.co.nz/ modernise-your-kitchen-bypainting-the-benchtop

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1 Haydn ‘Décor’ 50mm angle cutter brush, $8.18, I/N: 0327133. 2 Haydn 110mm mini paint tray, $4.20, I/N: 0755836. 3 Dulux ‘Renovation Range’ tiles & benchtops water based interior coating, $79/1L, I/N: 0116499. 4 Paint Partner 3.6m x 2.6m clear plastic drop sheet, $2.20, I/N: 1661260. 5 9.3L bucket, $1.15, I/N: 4461010 (assorted colours). 6 Monarch ‘Pro-Renovator’ 100mm x 4mm nap mini microfibre roller covers, $19.98/pack of 10, I/N: 0053984. 7 Selleys ‘Professional’ sugar soap, $4.95/1L, I/N: 0222766.