Before refinishing the countertops first clean the countertop thoroughly with a detergent. Then wipe the countertop with denatured alcohol to eliminate any residual oils or grease. The next step is to sand the entire surface with sandpaper to rough it up slightly. Do not gouge the countertop, just scratch the surface a little to help the paint to stick. If there are any serious chips in the exterior, they should be filled with a two-part wood filler. Once mixing and applying this product, do initial sanding no longer than fifteen minutes after it becomes solid. It is important to apply a primer before finish coat. The primer will stick better to the laminate than the finish paint, decreasing the potential for paint chipping. Using an alkyd based paint, applied with a short nap roller for the smoothest surface. Also, tint the primer to match the finish paint if the finish colour is anything but slightly off-white.

How to paint?

With oil paints, two thin coats are better than one deep coat. The other advantage of an oil paint is one can sand chips and nicks smooth when it is time to repaint. With a latex paint, one will get a less smooth surface initially and chips cannot be sanded smooth. One may have to change some of bad habits like always have a cutting board available, place very hot items on protective pads, and keep the cats on the floor. There are stronger paints available than alkyd oils. With care and mild treatment, the painted surface should last years. The surface will never be as hard as the original. Try to avoid getting dings or scratches, the thing that most differentiates paint from oil is that paints do not sand well, so it is virtually impossible to smooth out those scratches or marks. Oil paints sand beautifully and one can restore a smooth surface without any filling or paint stripping

Economical:

When spoil is spread over the countertop, the finish is worn or a colour change is desired, it is more economical and efficient to refinish the countertop. Existing laminate and ceramic tile countertops can be refinished in a material of hours without the mess of a replacement job and at major cost savings over replacement. The durability of the refinished countertop should be equal to or exceed that of the original countertop. Both gloss and satin finishes are accessible in a variety of options including a variety of solid and speckled colours and now a revolutionary stone finish too.