We did it—we transformed our kitchen’s yellowed laminate counters with a concrete finish. Sherry gave a quick preview of the first coat in Friday’s post, and now we’re sharing the final results, a clear rundown of how we did it, and a short in-action video to illustrate the process.
We’re really pleased with how the counters turned out. Photos don’t capture the full effect, but the room feels far more modern and much less like laminate. The images look a bit stark and cool right now, but once we add colorful window treatments, accessories on the shelves and counters, and replace the faux brick flooring (and the almond stove), the space should feel refreshed and cohesive.
Full disclosure: it was a lot of work—and a lot of dust. If you’re planning a similar project, be prepared for time and effort, but also know the result is worth it if you want a more solid, stone-like surface without replacing the entire countertop.
Here’s a reminder of how the counters looked before: a creamy-yellow laminate with a few burn marks and scratches. In addition to the main counters, we also coated the nearby eat-in nook. We haven’t sealed the surface yet—finding the right sealer took longer than expected—so the color will likely deepen slightly after sealing.
We used Ardex Feather Finish for this project, a product we’d been curious about after seeing similar DIYs. It’s affordable at around $19 per bag, but don’t be fooled—while the material is inexpensive, the process is labor-intensive. We used about 2.5 bags for roughly 45 square feet of counter space, although our first coat may have been a bit thicker than necessary.
Because it was our first time and because the work area was large (U-shaped counters plus the nook), the job stretched over five days. It wasn’t complicated technically, but it was time- and labor-intensive. We applied and sanded four coats total. Below is a concise list of what we used and why.
- Ardex Feather Finish – the main product; we used roughly 2.5 bags.
- Mixing buckets – small buckets worked well for mixing small batches.
- Measuring buckets – one for water and one for powder to help maintain consistent ratios.
- Sandpaper – a variety of grits (60, 120 and 220) and a sanding block for grip.
- Spreading tools – a flat trowel for mixing, a 10″ drywall knife for large areas, a 4″ putty knife for backsplashes and edges, and a small knife for tight spots like around the sink.
- Cleanup supplies – a sponge and paper towels for walls, and painter’s tape for protected areas (we later removed most of it).
- Protective gear – dust masks or respirators, eye protection, and gloves to protect hands during sanding and application.
The first prep step was sanding the laminate to scuff the surface for better adhesion. Initially we sanded without gloves and it wore on our hands, so gloves and sanding blocks made the task much more manageable.
The Ardex bag recommends a 2:1 powder-to-water mix, but we found that slightly thinner (a bit more water) produced a toothpaste-like consistency that spread more smoothly. Thicker mixes were harder to spread and made the first coat bulkier. If you mix larger batches, a paddle mixer helps, but small hand-mixed batches worked fine for us since Ardex begins to set in 15–20 minutes.
Applying the material felt a bit like icing a cake—using the big 10″ blade made covering large areas faster, while smaller knives handled edges and tight spots. For vertical surfaces and sides we moved to a smaller putty knife and often applied those after covering the top so the mix had started to firm up and wouldn’t slump.
We filmed a short clip of the third coat being applied to show the technique in action. Our method improved with each round, and the early coats serve as practice since later layers will smooth and cover most imperfections.
After the mix had started to firm up—around 20 minutes—it became almost clay-like and could be smoothed with a damp finger to refine edges. Early on we taped the wall to protect it, but removing tape later was fiddly in spots where Ardex had bonded to it, so we stopped taping after the second round and carefully peeled away what remained.
Every round looked rough initially—that’s where sanding comes in. After each coat dried overnight, Sherry scraped down high ridges with a putty knife, which removed blobs easily. The most satisfying step was shearing off the bottom edge with a small putty knife to create a crisp line.
We sanded by hand to control the finish and avoid aggressive removal from a power sander. For the intermediate sanding rounds we used 60-grit to knock down ridges, and for the final sanding after the last (fourth) coat we used 220-grit to minimize visible scratches. A sanding block was essential for grip and even pressure.
We paused frequently to vacuum dust with a shop vac. That helped reveal areas that still needed work and kept the mess contained. Still, the dust was the biggest surprise: fine gray powder accumulated everywhere. Because the kitchen is a high-traffic space, we swept, vacuumed and mopped after each work session to avoid spreading dust through the house.
After the first coat some laminate showed through in a few places, especially along edges. That’s why multiple coats are important—subsequent applications covered those spots. You can see the wet Ardex is darker than the dry surface; sealing later will likely darken the finish again and reduce the chalky appearance.
Here’s the counters before sealing. The finish isn’t perfectly uniform, which is part of the industrial, handcrafted charm of this approach. It reads as more stone-like and less plastic than the original laminate.
I admit I had to warm up to the imperfections—Sherry loved the look right away. The finish’s small flaws add character, and once sealed the surface should deepen in color and gain a less chalky, more polished appearance.
The backsplash was the hardest area to smooth because of the tight spaces, edges and corners. It required careful application and sanding. Around the sink was also tricky; we considered removing the sink for a true flush finish but chose to leave it in place to avoid plumbing work and taped and sanded carefully around it instead.
Overall, the update significantly improved the look of the kitchen. For about 15 hours of work spread across five days, the material cost remained low: roughly three bags of Ardex for $57 and about $20 on buckets and sandpaper. That comes to approximately $1.71 per square foot for 45 square feet of countertop—an excellent value for the visual impact.
Sealing is our next step. We’ve researched sealer options carefully because the wrong product can cause scratches, staining or bubbling. The commonly recommended choices are Ardex Clear Concrete Guard High Performance Sealer and GST International Satin Seal Water Based Acrylic Sealer. We couldn’t find them locally, so we’ll order online, test one, and share results and long-term wear updates once the counters are sealed.
Update: We later shared what we used to seal the counters and an update on how they’re holding up.
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