Epoxy Used for Countertops
You love your kitchen countertops, so you treat them like gold. You’ve even taught the kids to be careful around the counters. Yet time has done its terrible dance and your counters don’t look as good as they once did. You’re wondering if there’s anything you can do to improve the condition of your counters.
You heard from a neighbor that epoxy used for countertops can protect them. In today’s post, we’ll tell you everything you need to know about epoxy, including whether it’s applicable on countertops and how long it lasts.
What Is Epoxy?
First, what exactly is epoxy? This resin-based chemical compound is used primarily as an adhesive, but not exclusively. Epoxy can also add a layer of protection to surfaces such as your countertop.
Should Epoxy Be Used on Counters?
If you want to revitalize an old countertop, epoxy could be just the solution. However, this is not a viable option for all countertop materials. Laminate and composite counters are the best candidates for epoxy, with stone, concrete, and wood other good options.
You should not use epoxy with glass since there’s just no need to. Glass countertops are designed to stand up to everyday wear and tear without looking worn down. If you treat your glass countertop well, it will look fresh and appealing years from now!
Should your countertop material be eligible, you can’t use just any epoxy you might have lying around in the garage. It should be formulated for countertop use.
Applying epoxy is a two-step process. You have to cure the resin using a hardener. This causes the epoxy to cure on your countertop. It can take up to 45 minutes for the epoxy to start curing, but low-viscosity products might begin to cure faster.
After allowing the epoxy to cure once, you’ll have to apply a second coat. Even rapid-drying epoxies can cure within four or six hours, so prepare to take an afternoon if you want to refinish your counter. For some epoxy products, the cure time is upwards of 24 hours or longer.
Once your counter has finished curing, you might want to give it about three days just to be safe before you begin using the counter in earnest. The reason? For the epoxy to fully cure, you sometimes have to wait a week to 30 days. You should minimize counter use until then so the epoxy can cure.
How Long Does Epoxy Last on Countertops?
You decided to proceed with applying epoxy on your countertop. It took a long time for it to cure, but your counter looks better and feels more stabilized thanks to the extra seal atop it. How long will the epoxy last?
This too varies based on which brand of epoxy you buy, but it’s not unheard of for epoxy to fortify your counter (or other surfaces) for upwards of 10 years. By that point, you might be rethinking your counters anyway!
Sources:
https://www.bobvila.com/articles/best-epoxy-for-countertops/
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