Kitchen Countertop Solutions

Tom Kraeutler asks,

My husband and I live in an old brick home that was built in 1950. I love this old house but we have a lot of fixing up to do and very little cash. In my kitchen I have pine cabinets which are fine but the countertop is not. We can not afford a new one. Do you have a trick for me that will give the old countertop a lift?

Our Answer

There are lots of things you can do to update the look of a kitchen that won't involve a lot of cost. If your countertop is laminate, it can be re-laminated with a new layer. To do so, you'd first have to remove the top and probably disassembled the backsplash. I did this some time ago to a kitchen in a condo we owned and it came out great. You'd have to be a pretty handy person to handle this on your own, but it is not terribly difficult.

Another possibility might be to tile over the old kitchen countertop. Again, not difficult or costly with a little know how and the right tools.

For a good overview of other ways to spruce up a kitchen without breaking the bank, read my column Kitchen Renovations on the Cheap.