Refinish a Formica Countertop With Concrete Overlay
Justin Richardson
Concrete overlay is a thin, high-strength layer laid over an existing laminate, Formica, wood or tile countertop. It gives you the look and feel of concrete without pouring a slab, at a fraction of the cost — and because it takes pigment, stain and dye, it can be colored to match whatever the room already is. Estimated product cost is around $1.15 per square foot, before design aggregate and finishes.
A kitchen countertop skim-coated in concrete overlay.
A note on products: the overlay material described here is a general concrete overlay / resurfacing product. Direct Colors does not currently stock it, so this guide covers the technique rather than a specific item — the coloring products used with it (stain, dye and concrete pigment) are all available.
Refinishing a laminate or Formica countertop
One day. The whole job depends on the substrate not flexing — overlay is strong but it is not elastic, and a bouncy counter will crack it.
1
Make sure the existing laminate is reinforced and has no flex
2
Scuff the surface with 120-grit non-loading sandpaper
3
Wipe with a damp cloth to clear the dust, then let it dry
4
Overlay the vertical edges first
5
Overlay the top and let it dry 3–6 hours, or until it goes a uniform light gray
“I'm a beginner, so I had to do small patches at a time — I mixed smaller amounts at a time because the mix would dry out before I was able to finish my current patch.” “Used the Ash color concrete overlay and a matte water-based polyurethane sealer to re-finish our bathroom vanity countertops. I had tried painting them in the past but it never looked as great as the concrete does!” — Allison C.
Ash gray smooth concrete overlay over laminate bathroom vanity countertop.Skim coat of ash gray smooth concrete overlay over laminate bathroom vanity countertop.Laminate Kitchen Countertop.
White Overlay Countertop.White Overlay Countertop.Skimcoat White Overlay Countertop.
Overlaying a plywood countertop
Two days. The critical rule is at step 6: never put overlay straight onto unsealed plywood. It will draw water out of the mix and fail.
1
Use ¾-inch plywood with a sturdy base and no flex
2
Attach cement backer board with non-corrosive screws
3
Fill all seams and screw holes with two-part epoxy — 16 hours to dry
4
Sand the filled areas flush with 180-grit non-loading paper
5
Clean off every trace of dust
6
Seal the wood first with a urethane or solvent-based sealer and let it dry — never overlay directly onto unsealed plywood
7
Wipe down, then overlay and let it dry 3–6 hours to a uniform light gray
8
Apply a second skim coat, smoothed with a magic trowel, to prevent ghosting
Overlay going onto a plywood substrate.A finished skim-coated counter.
Refinishing a tile countertop
Two days. Same idea, but the grout lines are the enemy — if you do not fill and fair them, they will ghost through the finish.
1
Check the existing tile is level
2
Scuff with 120-grit non-loading sandpaper, wipe damp, dry
3
Fill all seams with two-part epoxy — 16-hour cure
4
Sand flush with 180-grit
5
Clean thoroughly
6
Overlay the vertical edges before the top
7
Overlay, dry 3–6 hours to uniform light gray
8
Second skim coat smoothed with a squeegee trowel to stop the tile ghosting — unless you want it
A tiled countertop resurfaced with overlay.
Design tip: add concrete pigment to the slurry mix for an extra note of color in the final coat.
Making a terrazzo countertop
Two days. The showpiece version — natural stone or recycled glass set into the overlay and polished back to reveal it.
1
Lay a ¼-inch overlay coat and press the aggregate into place, leaving the spacing you want
2
Let it dry a minimum of 14 hours
3
Mix overlay and water to a thin pancake-batter consistency — the slurry
4
Work the slurry across the surface to fill every void and pinhole, and let it dry
5
After 24 hours, polish back to reveal the stone or glass
Shortcut
Aggregate under 10 mm can be mixed straight into the overlay, dried and polished
Glass aggregate set into a countertop, and decorative aggregate sized against a ruler.
Mixing, pot life and coverage
Mix in a bucket
Five-gallon construction bucket, drill mixer, birdcage high-shear paddle
Water first
One gallon of water in the bucket, then pour a 50 lb box in slowly while mixing continuously
Consistency
Less water for a thicker mix; thin during application up to one extra gallon maximum
If you are using pigment
Keep the water volume identical for every box or the color will shift between batches — this is the most common cause of a patchy finish
Pot life
About 45 minutes. Ice-cold mixing water buys roughly 15 more; heat shortens it
Coverage
¼ inch — a 50 lb bag covers 20–25 sq. ft. · skim coat at ⅛ inch or less — 50 to 130 sq. ft.
A white marble-look countertop finished over an existing substrate.
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Before You Checkout
EasyTint™ and OxiGrip™ are not compatible when used together directly. For slip resistance, use EasyTint™ as the color layer and apply OxiGrip™ only with a clear solvent based sealer as the topcoat.
Before You Checkout
AcquaTint™ and OxiGrip™ are not compatible when used together directly. If you need added slip resistance, apply AcquaTint™ as your color layer first, then use OxiGrip™ in a clear topcoat with AcquaSeal™ or HydroCryl™.
