Michael Kearney, of Michael Kearney Painting, saw Giani granite paint online and decided to try it out in his own kitchen.
Since then, he's used the technique in about a half-dozen homes.
"An average countertop for granite would probably run you about $3000 verus this, which would probably run you around $300," Kearney explains. "That's the labor, that's the whole thing."As Michael showed me -- it really is easy to do.
After cleaning your countertops with a household cleaner, you apply the black primer coat.
The primer has to dry for 8 hours.
Then -- the fun part -- applying the three different shades of mineral paint, with a giant sponge. It's a lot like the Dot-dot painting my kids did with bingo markers when they were in pre-school.
If you don't like the color combination, you can keep adding more light paint or more dark paint until you do.
And you can even mix and match colors -- like blue and green -- from different kits.
As the paint dries, the colors run together, to form lines like the veins you see in real granite. The final step is a clear top coat.
Kearney says the finish will last as long as regular formica, as long as you don't cut or put hot pots directly on it.
Though Kearney's happy to come to your house and transform your countertops, do-it-yourselfers can buy a basic kit online for $59.
To check out the Giani Granite website, click here.
Kearney doesn't have a website, but you can reach him by phone at 484-534-1241or via email at: Mpk5553@gmail.com.
