Can I Put A Top Coat On Countertop Transformations?

It's easy to see why do-it-yourselfers would want to add a protective top coat for countertops after applying Rust-Oleum's Countertop Transformations kit. Kitchen surfaces are vulnerable to water damage, rough utensils, and hot pots and pans on a daily basis. Homeowners who want to take extra steps to maintain their kitchen's new look will find some incredibly tough clear coatings that can add years to any countertop's lifetime.

In addition to the practical benefits of using a food safe clear coat for countertops, this top coat can give a finished, polished, and shiny look to the countertops that makes your entire kitchen sparkle after using the Countertop Transformations kit. Here's how to give your Rust-Oleum countertop a clear coat.

Rust-Oleum's Countertop Transformations is an easy to use, all-in-one kit that allows homeowners to apply an attractive new face to their countertops. It is available from home improvement and craft stores. The kit contains a proprietary two-part epoxy topcoat that resists moisture, abrasion and heat of up to 250 degrees Fahrenheit.

The finish doesn't measure up to the toughness of stone, but with proper care, Countertop Transformations should hold up against the typical wear and tear that a countertop receives. Rust-Oleum recommends using cutting boards to prevent surface scratches and abrasions, trivets and pot holders to protect against heat damage, and mild cleansers for proper maintenance.

Although many clear finish coats are described as self-priming, Countertop Transformations features a non-stick silicone finish that may require the use of a bonding primer. There are a variety of clear latex and alkyd primers to choose from, but you may want to check out some high-performance clear primers available from industrial coating suppliers.

Industrial primer varieties include two-component polyurea primers, two-component epoxy primers and solvent-borne polyurethane primers. An industrial primer gives you less working time to finish the job than a conventional coating, but that should not prove troublesome on a surface area as small as a kitchen countertop.

You can add further protection to your Countertop Transformations finish by applying two to three coats of a chip-resistant polyurethane. You can choose between coatings designed for furniture or for use as durable floor finishes. There are also industrial urethanes and two-component industrial polyurea coatings designed for greater heat resistance than the Countertop Transformations' epoxy top coat.

Apply the polyurethane in a thin layer using a small roller brush. Allow 24 hours drying time before applying any additional coats to ensure proper coverage.

Some clear epoxy coatings can offer additional durability when compared to the original Countertop Transformations' top coat. There are single-component clear epoxy coatings on the market, but two-component coatings are likely to offer greater protection.

Although some epoxies and urethanes promise greater heat resistance, it's important to remember that a new clear coat provides no insulation value to protect the layers beneath. Clear epoxy coatings are available through some hardware stores and home centers, but you'll find a larger assortment at specialty paint retailers.