A step by step guide to DIY’ing your way through a budget friendly bathroom makeover and spray painting your laminate countertop and cabinets.
If you follow me on Instagram you probably saw me makeover my BLUE laminate cabinets and countertop in the master bathroom with a budget of $100.
BLUE! Ugh. Why.
Painting your cabinets is a great, budget-friendly way to update your space while saving up for your long-term fix.
So let’s get down to the entire process I used to spray paint my cabinets black and refinish my laminate countertop!
Painting Laminate Cabinets and Countertop under $100
Supplies List
- sandpaper (150, 220, 400 grit)
- Rust-Oleum Appliance Epoxy Spray Paint (countertop)
- Rusto-Oleum Universal Spray Paint (cabinets)
- Painter’s Tape and Plastic
- Primer (this one or this one)
Step 1
Remove all your hardware and cabinet doors. You will want to use a good cleaner to remove any grime. Thoroughly cleaning your surfaces will help your paint/primer adhere and last longer.
Step 2
Sand your surfaces with 120 grit sandpaper to remove the gloss. Be careful not to over sand or you’ll damage the laminate. Remove dust after sanding.
Step 3
Tape and plastic EVERYTHING. Using spray paint makes this project very easy and without brush strokes/streaks, but the fog that comes off the can will leave a residue on other surfaces. (Don’t fret if this happens. It will come off with bathroom cleaner and a scrub brush.)
Step 4
Decide which you’re going to paint first, cabinets or countertop. You will need to wait 24 hours before tackling the other. Otherwise putting plastic over your surface that hasn’t cured will leave a mark. (I learned this the hard way.)
Prime your surface with one of the options listed above under Supplies. Once your primer is dry, sand again with 220 grit sandpaper. Dust off your surface before moving on to paint.
For cabinets, light strokes of Rust-Oleum spray paint works best. If your coat is too thick it will increase the dry/recoat time. Between coats, lightly sand your surface. It’s a pain, but will help with longevity.
Paint, Sand, Repeat!
Once you’re done painting (2-3 coats usually works best), sand it again! This time a light grit sandpaper – 400 grit to smooth out your fresh laminate cabinets.
For countertop, Rust-Oleum Appliance Epoxy is an ultra-hard, moisture resistance enamel that works well for your bathroom surface. Using light strokes, spray your countertop.
This spray has a strong odor. You will want to wear a paint respirator and properly ventilate your space.
Re-coat 2-3 times every 30 minutes. Wait a full 24 hours before using your surface.
Step 5
Return your hardware to your cabinets. I used copper pulls that we had left over from our kitchen remodel, but you can always use spray paint to spruce them up!
