Epoxy countertops with stones/glass

xhairspray

was wondering if anyone knew if it is possible to cover an existing laminate counter top (circa 1980) with paint then poor epoxy over it so that i don't have to buy a new counter top? it would be poured in place.

ram0823

I found a company that makes 1 1/2" thick glass counter tops that look like a piece of ice called "THINK GLASS". My bar top is approx. 8ft x 24" and they quoted me a price of about $20k ouch!. I have no choice but to try to make it myself with epoxy resin. I would like to tint it blue and add undermount lighting for effect. Can anyone answer a few questions?? Is this top too big to make in one piece, will the resin allow the light to shine through, and due to the multiple layers will it cloud up. Also, it was mentioned to add fiberglass cloth for strength. Where can you purchase it at and would I need to add more layers for stength. Does anyone no of websites, utube, books, or videos that can take me through a step by step process. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks Rich

kimberly13

HeadingForBetty: how'd it go? I'm thinking of doing the same thing. Reading a lot, curious.

sdsester

Epoxy is not a good kitchen countertop material. Try real thick recycled glass or an approach like Vetrazzo. Vetrazzo is, as far as I can tell, a near classic terrazo finish but for countertops. It is made out of colored glass from recycled glass bottles, traffic sign lenses, and concrete. I would assume you could light it like anything else glass.

http://www.vetrazzo.com/

I like solid, thick, glass countertops if the kitchen matches the call for it. Light them up of course? Most of my projects are antique homes and it would look stupid.

Solid thick glass, stone, Verrazo, Terrazo, will cost you about the same. Might get a green tax credit for renewable source countertops like glass/concrete though if you play your cards right.

kimberly13

Please tell me more -- why is it not a good countertop material? Doesn't wear well once it's finished, or because it's difficult to work with? Vertrazzo is about $100 sqft, WAYYYY out of my budget. (I had that budget set aside once, but my new windows ate my countertops.) Pricing out materials of resin and glass bits, even to practice with first, it comes to only about a third of that. What am I missing?

sdsester

First, you are going to have to surface down whatever bits stick up in your new poured epoxy polymer top. Have you factored in the tools and abrasives to do this? By their nature, the glass fragments will not surface the way you had in mind just because you sunk them in curing polymer resin--even expoxy--and hoped for the best. You are going to have to grind and polish the countertop you have in mind.

An epoxy or other polymer counter can take anything you choose to spill on it. Personal fave for bar counter finishes. Last and least fave choice for a working kitchen. Cannot cut on the surface. Will scare it in seconds with a hot pot.

Polymers of most any kind cannot take the heat of any hot pot you accidentally set on them. A polymer countertop will look really crappy if you take a cutting knife to it or if your kids toss things on it. And just try to repair it in a few years. Cannot.

I guess I get a great discount on countertops for my clients. They don't pay anywhere near approaching $100sf for stuff, even hand carved out of Italian quaries, by naked singing nymphs from what I can I can gather. My glass people deliver nice thick countertops for under that price point. You might want to call in an interior designer or someone like me near you if you are accustomed to paying that much? Retail?

And to answer your basic question? A polymer countertop is going to end up a large piece of plastic, by any other name, when the day ends. Go with something better and that works in your kitchen.