Is It Possible to Paint a Granite Surface?

Have you thought about replacing a granite countertop because you don’t love the color? Replacing a granite countertop is a pricy option, what if it were possible to paint it instead? Well, I tried it.

A recent renovation to this room in our home, involved updating the fireplace color to white HERE and repainting the walls HERE.

Now that those updates have been completed, the slab of granite lying on top of the fireplace looks outdated with the new colors in the room.

The granite has dark brown and gold tones, not liking it one bit with the white fireplace.

The first step in prepping for this job is to prepare the surface well by cleaning it with a degreaser. In this case, the countertop felt rough and had paint drippings on the surface.

After cleaning, it is important to dull the granite by roughing up the surface with steel wool until all the gloss has been scuffed away. Wipe the granite and grout clean of all dust, and dry it completely.

I also recommend using painter’s tape to protect all the surfaces around your granite. I had the advantage of being able to move the granite slab away from the wall, so I didn’t use tape to keep the edges clean.

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After discussing my project with the team at Benjamin Moore, they recommended using this primer HERE, which adheres to pretty much anything. For the paint, I chose a metallic paint with a bit of a shimmer HERE, both available on Amazon. I purchased a small bottle since I wasn’t covering much surface area.

The primer is thick and went on easily with a small nappy roller. I applied 2 coats of primer, which provided good coverage.

Allow each coat to dry at least 4 hours.

I painted on 2 coats of the metallic paint using a new roller, again allowing each coat to dry several hours.

The primer and paint appear to be holding up very well, I even tried to scratch the surface with my nail, and it didn’t budge.

Painting over granite is definitely a new and interesting option for homeowners. Maybe if more homeowners choose this option over replacing it will drive down the price of granite? 🙂

My thoughts on the topic? I recommend to anyone who is thinking of painting a granite surface to start with a small project in the home, such as a granite fireplace surround and use an oil based paint. I do not recommend starting out with kitchen or bathroom countertops, those are big projects and you want to see how the surface will wear with different uses.

Painting granite worked for me and I would do it again in the future. How about you, think you will give it a try?

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