** All statements said of Encore Countertops are my own, and opinions are from my own experience **
May 15,2014 post edit :: this was a sponsored post in exchange for the product only.
Wahoo!! Our Encore countertop project is complete, and we love them!
This product is so special, in so many ways. For anyone who has worn out, old laminate, tile or hard surface countertops, you can transform them in a matter of 3 days! There is an array of colors to choose from which can totally change the look of your space. AND you do not have to be a pro to get the job done.
I stumbled across this product on a blog I follow, and was stopped dead in my tracks drooling over the shiny black countertops. Even better, these concrete finish countertops are Eco friendly and scratch resistant! I could not believe this all came from a kit, that the home owners did themselves. I looked Encore up online, and decided to write into the company to see if they thought their product would be a good fit for our kitchen. A few days later our very own Encore Countertop kit arrived in the mail, and we were eager to get this counter party started.
I HIGHLY recommend watching the video on their website, repeatedly, the more comfortable you are prior to starting, the better off you will be. Dan did the first layer of concrete, and I finished the project all on my own. So ladies, it can be done! It took me four days to complete, instead of three. More than likely because I had kiddos, and things tend to go on the back burner. However, the entire process was actually quiet simple and by day 2 it was thrilling to see the change in our countertops. Goodbye scratches and little dents! Hello artistically finished concrete countertops!
I must say, I panicked during the first few applications. While spreading concrete on my countertops, I had an “Oh NO! what if this doesn’t come out good?!” – moment. But after the first layer of black was added, I saw the path it was going down. A good one. Here are our before and after pictures…
Before, our countertops were laminate, with a gray/black swirl to them. Covered in scratch marks and even broken bits and pieces.
And the oogly cracks above filled in with black paint made us cringe every time we look at it. Home Depot does not sell the replacement pieces we needed, so that was enough to convince us to resurface these counters!
The first 2 coats of concrete adhesive are a little intimidating, in that you’re hoping you do it right/not screw up your counters even more. But, if you apply correctly, and take the time to sand EACH and every time you are supposed to, it is pretty hard to not get a super smooth surface. Our only trouble spot was the back splash… more time-consuming in tight corners.
Day two, applying the color concentrate mix…
This day consists of 3 applications, each time the consistency of the product gets a little thinner. Each application took me no more than 30-45 minutes to apply. And that was even with little rascals needing attention all the time. So, after each coat completely drying, we followed with smoothing with sandpaper. The last day was applying the sealer ( 2 steps ) and then a few days of letting the countertops completely cure. So, our kitchen was definitely out of use for about a week total. If we didn’t have littles running around we could have used it more, but we did not want to risk all of our hard work being ruined! The final result was impressive… shiny, black, durable, smooth, brand new concrete countertops. SO glad we took the plunge and did the project, and a big thank you to everyone at Encore! Their customer service is superb and flawless, truly two thumbs up!
See the difference?! I was pretty proud of myself the final day, I really didn’t think a girl with ZERO experience working with any type of concrete could pull it off. BOO-YAH men!
And they look awfully pretty in the background of some yummy bites as well.
So, that’s that. If you are interested in resurfacing YOUR countertops, follow these links and you’ll be well on your way of having an impressive, innovative new countertop in a matter of days!