One Room Challenge Week 5 (or that time I cried while painting laminate cabinets)
One Room Challenge Week 5 is coming to a close and I. Need. A. Nap. (and a kleenex, and a latte, and a massage, and a hammock on a secluded beach where no one can find me...)
Major progress was made this week with concrete countertops completed, tile backsplash installed and the butcher block slab arriving fashionably late. After countless hours of reading tutorials on applying feather finish concrete over laminate countertops I felt invincible. Armed with Pinterest and knowing A Beautiful Mess, Young House Love (and many of my Instagram friends) had tackled this project already, we charged forward and slapped that first coat of concrete right down on those countertops.... AND THEN IMMEDIATELY SCRAPED IT BACK OFF.
I wasn't one hundred percent sure how to fill in the gap between the wall and the counters after the mini backsplash was removed. I was terrified the concrete wouldn't stick to the slick laminate. I was worried it would look terrible and that I would hate it once it dried. I second guessed myself so without hesitation my knight in a tool belt scraped that first layer away and off to the hardware store we went.
Once i was back at the mothership (the hardware store) under the buzz of fluorescent lighting and the faint scent of fertilizer in the air it all became clear! We discovered this amazing product that looks like the perfect thing for a spooky spider costume but it's even better for filling in gaps in concrete: Backer Rod! I'm sure some of you are rolling your eyes whispering "duhhh" to yourself... but it was the perfect thing to wedge in that gap and help me feel a little better about going forward with this concrete concoction.
I got a little late night pep talk from one of my Instagram DIY friends about the concrete application and living proof it was still on her counters months later so we (a little less boldly) re-applied that first coat of feather finish and watched it dry. We applied 4 coats total with a light sanding in between each dried coat to knock down any high spots. Once the final coat was applied I gave it a sand down with the electric sander using 220, 400, 600 and 2000 grit sandpaper. The finished product was glassy smooth and looked so awesome. I was ecstatic! We applied the sealer and I was so sick of fast food I decided to cook.... that's where this fairytale takes a turn.
After all that second guessing, dust, clean up and sealing.... (wait for it).... I got an oil stain on the counter! I panicked and figured I had ruined all of our hard work, but another IG friend was quick to my rescue. She sent a screenshot of the sealant she used and I found a product to remove oil from garage concrete floors and we were back in business!
It has been a wild ride so far but we are now down to the smaller projects and final week of details. I can't wait to see it all together! Bringing this kitchen from the crude sketches in my notebook to the space I see before me has been challenging and so rewarding. Thanks so much to all of you that have followed and cheered me along!