One householder who painted her granite kitchen worktops and then posted the results online faced a strong backlash for doing so. TikTok user Nicole said that she took action as she reckoned her countertops looked ‘too busy’.
Having bought a kit to redo the epoxy surface, Nicole used three coats to cover up the stone surfaces. And she next used a fine brush to create a marbled vein effect before covering the material with resin and using a heat gun to blast away bubbles.
However, not everyone was as pleased with the results as she was after she posted photos. Some even went as far as to say her actions should be illegal. It certainly sparked an intense debate. It even made the pages of a national newspaper’s website. So who was in the right?
Reasons not to paint your granite worktops
A fresh coat of paint can, it’s true, go a long way to making something look bright and new. But there are reasons for giving it the brush-off when it comes to granite surfaces:
It’s complicated
There’s actually quite a bit more to the task than simply buying a can of paint and a brush or two. For starters, paint won’t stick easily to this natural stone because of the shiny surface. So you need to prepare the surface with care, before using a very specific paint coating. And you certainly need all the right equipment, knowledge and expertise to make a decent job of it.
Paint is less durable
Because granite is the more durable of the two, even if paint sticks, it’s likely to crumble. Equally, it’s not fully water-resistant – so can stain and flake as soon as it absorbs liquid. So it’s hardly a practical solution.
Is it worth it?
Whether or not you decide to proceed and paint your granite worktops depends on your decorating skills and experience, plus your attitude to risk. If you know what you’re doing, you may be able to make a decent fist of the job.
However, it’s more likely that you will end up regretting your decision. And you could be better off simply replacing your countertops, perhaps with a different kind of natural stone.
Get in touch
Talk to us at Royal Stone Care – we help with granite cleaning and repair in London. Contact us before you speak to anyone else about granite restoration and the like.
