Ideas to update kitchen worktops

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Ideas to update kitchen worktops

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lorrayne

Joined: 17 Dec 2004
Posts: 239
Location: Hampshire

Posted: Wed Dec 29, 10 8:02 pm Post subject: Ideas to update kitchen worktops
Hi I really need some ideas to update kitchen worktops, I can paint the cupboards after a good scrub, but the work tops are a dull brown, I cant rip them out - not just yet, have a new job, bungalow comes with it but have to work 6 months probation period, and funds are tight, no pay day until end Feb eek ! TIA Lorraine

gardening-girl

Joined: 25 Feb 2009
Posts: 6024
Location: Somerset.

Posted: Wed Dec 29, 10 8:08 pm Post subject:
Cheap tiles? I understand your dilemma,we also have a tied house,our kitchen is 20 years old,and looks it!

RichardW

Joined: 24 Aug 2006
Posts: 8443
Location: Llyn Peninsular North Wales

Posted: Wed Dec 29, 10 8:24 pm Post subject:
Live with it? Cheap quick & easy. You can get paint for formica but on a work top it wont last long. Tiling will work but not cheap. Might be cheaper to replace the work surface if its a nice & easy straight bit that any one can do. If its got joints then the cost of getting them done might alter its viability.

nats

Joined: 12 Jun 2007
Posts: 2374
Location: Swindon but not a Swindonian

Posted: Wed Dec 29, 10 10:29 pm Post subject:
Get some nice tiles and attach them to some board that is roughly the same size as the work surface, with edging (sort of like a large tray thing). Then it's portable if necessary. So the investment is worth it. Depends on how large the work surface is of course - it could be too large to make it work but you never know!

sean
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 42223
Location: North Devon

Posted: Wed Dec 29, 10 10:38 pm Post subject:
Live with it, I think. Money spent on making it look a bit better will be wasted because you still won't be happy with it and you'll end up redoing it again. (If you've got straight walls and the corners are right angles then replacing the worktops completely isn't that expensive unless your kitchen's huge. Better to save up a bit and do it properly once.)

jamanda
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 22 Oct 2006
Posts: 35139
Location: Devon

Posted: Wed Dec 29, 10 10:40 pm Post subject:
For only 6 months? Live with it!

chez

Joined: 13 Aug 2006
Posts: 35935
Location: The Hive of the Uberbee, Quantock Hills, Somerset

Posted: Wed Dec 29, 10 10:44 pm Post subject:
Get a couple of nice chopping blocks to go on the top, that you can either take with you if you move on or still use if you stay? Ikea

Mustang

Joined: 15 Jul 2005
Posts: 768
Location: Sunny Suffolk

Posted: Fri Dec 31, 10 10:02 pm Post subject:
Tack on some nice wooden side battens, then pop concrete in. Burnish and polish the concrete loads to get a nice, smooth finish. You can embed pebbles, or use colouring for a different finish. https://concreations.co.uk/polished-concrete-examples.htm for some pictures.

12Bore

Joined: 15 Jun 2008
Posts: 9089
Location: Paddling in the Mersey

Posted: Fri Dec 31, 10 10:04 pm Post subject:
Fablon

earthyvirgo

Joined: 24 Aug 2007
Posts: 7972
Location: creating prints in the loft, Gerlan

Posted: Fri Dec 31, 10 10:10 pm Post subject:

12Bore wrote:

Fablon

With a BIG flowery pattern

What the hell, if you're going to use sticky-back-plastic, might as well go the whole hog.

EV

cab

Joined: 01 Nov 2004
Posts: 32429

Posted: Sat Jan 01, 11 10:56 am Post subject:
Depends what the worktops are made of I'd have thought, but if you've got an Ikea close by then you can probably get hold of one of their quite cheap beech worktops, cut it up, and lay it on top. And then when you're done cut them up smaller and everyone gets a wood chopping board for Christmas.

Angel

Joined: 14 Jan 2009
Posts: 257
Location: Scotland

Posted: Sun Jan 02, 11 6:58 pm Post subject:
Cut out recipes, pictures, funky bits of paper, photos of family or great places you have been etc. When you have enough to cover one worktop glue them all down in a nice way. After you have your surface covered and the edges well tucked under give it a few coats of varnish, repeat with all work surfaces

chez

Joined: 13 Aug 2006
Posts: 35935
Location: The Hive of the Uberbee, Quantock Hills, Somerset

Posted: Sun Jan 02, 11 7:17 pm Post subject:

Angel wrote:

Cut out recipes, pictures, funky bits of paper, photos of family or great places you have been etc. When you have enough to cover one worktop glue them all down in a nice way. After you have your surface covered and the edges well tucked under give it a few coats of varnish, repeat with all work surfaces

Oooooh! That sounds brilliant!

Katieowl

Joined: 01 Jun 2006
Posts: 4317
Location: West Wales

Posted: Sun Jan 02, 11 9:00 pm Post subject:
One of my friends covered the kitchen units she had in really funky wrapping paper and varnished over the top. Looked great. Think there is little you could actually attach to a work top though that would be very durable. Kate

Jonnyboy

Joined: 29 Oct 2004
Posts: 23956
Location: under some rain.

Posted: Sun Jan 02, 11 10:19 pm Post subject:
Have patience, any weird 'home makeover' stencil b&&&&cks is going to look damp, and stained, in five minutes flat. Just wait and do it right as suggested above. Focus on something worth doing in the mean time.

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