apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

Temporary but long lasting? hmmmmmm....

Hi-
Aubuchon Hardware online has a huge selection of Contact Papers. Click my name to take a look at the link. Lots of colours, not sure how heavy-duty they are but they're certainly cheap.

-Ally

L.M. - God bless you, those really are bad! An inexpensive solution might be self-adhesive counter top laminate. I've never used it before but they sell it by the foot in rolls at Home Depot and Lowe's. An employee who works with that product should be able to tell you more about how to install and whether it would be easy to remove later.

Butcher block is cheap from Ikea. You can get an 8-foot piece for $79. I can't imagine your landlord would frown on you making a more permanent improvement to your kitchen. Maybe you could pay for the counter and he can pay for the labor to have it installed?

ocgrl, I agree with that suggestion ... especially if LM is going to stay at that place for a while. I actually did this exact same thing ... replaced my countertop AND cabinet doors ... I paid for the stuff (from IKEA!) and my landlord paid for the workmen. It only cost me a couple hundred dollars and it looks like a brand new kitchen that my landlord and I are both really happy with.

I agree with the butcher block idea and with ocgrl's and ridge's suggestion to see how flexible your landlord is. Butcher block would probably look much nicer than anything you could stick on top of the existing counters. Hopefully your landlord will be happy to contribute in some way.

Solution - Oilcloth! I used it on my countertops and used doublesided tape to stick to the counters. It's water resistant and there are a lot of attractive patterns. Oilcloth.com has a ton of options. Also Cathkidston.com has very pretty (somewhat pricier) options.

I've never done this - but is it possible to sand and paint the counters with a hard-core epoxy sealant that you use for sinks or floors? I might do thatf it is that might be a good option if your landlord doesn't agree invest in workmen to install whatever new counter you'd buy. I'd hate to eat the cost for the counter and the labor while renting, but that's just me.

Contact paper will hold up for a few years, and it's really cheap and easy to do. I used it at my old apartment, and it lasted for 5 years because we never cut directly on it. I used a wood-look contact paper, and everyone really thought I had butcher block countertops, until they touched them.

I have a friend that covered hers in a very thin sheet metal, and then drilled them down on the underside and used a rubber mallet to bend/mold it to the right shape. I don't think it's the best OR easiest solution, but it you reminded me of it, and wanted to throw it out there.

I have been planning (and procrastinating) on covering a small bit of old formica around my kitchen sink with rubber/vinyl runner-type material. Will post before and after pics when I do.

I painted my rental kitchen's counters with melamine paint. You can see pics of it if you click on my name and scroll down to the kitchen link. My counters had already been painted white, though, so I felt free to go ahead and do it.

I don't think you can buy melamine paint in the U.S. though? A friend of mine sealed her counters in polyurethane after painting...she used melamine also, but polyurethane would probably make an ordinary oil paint tough enough, too.

Painting is not reversible, though, but you could always ask the landlord.

I did use a granite-print contact paper as a backsplash (which you can also see in the link), and it's holding up fine. Having worked with it, though, I don't think I'd want it as a counter surface, unless I had some glass cut to fit the counter as well.

I have also seen peel and stick tiles - not floor tiles, but the smaller tiles, that look like kitchen and bath tiles. They work just like peel and stick floor tiles, in that you can remove them with heat from a hairdryer. I don't think they are particularly cheap, though, but if you're going to be there awhile, it might be worth it. I last saw them at Home Depot.

Or you could tile over the counter for real and consider it an improvement that you leave behind - again, you could always ask for permission.

Hey RIDGE!

Do you have pictures of this? I'm very curious. How did you match the size of the cupboards to Ikea sizes? Did you remove the original countertop? Do you know how labor intensive it was?

Thanks!

How about this:
www.alkor-deco.de/englisch/softmetal_e.html

It can't be cut on (but neither can laminate)
Click around the site for their other stuff. It is available in USA.

hi Ridge,

I'd like more info on how you replaced your countertops with IKEA butcherblock, too. I'm moving to a new apartment in a week or so. It's lovely, but the kitchen is terrible, and I've been considering doing just that. But have been put off by just not knowing HOW to do it -- whether it's realistic to do it myself, what's involved, etc.

Dorianne you are my new shero! That kitchen makeover is ridiculously inspiring.

I hated the kitchen at the place I just moved into and am actually surprised I don't want to slit my wrists now everytime I see it. I thought my change was all "extreme" lol. It's crap compared to yours. Bravo!

I've been thinking about covering up my fake butcher block lino counters with sheets of zinc. I've seen this done and it looks great. The zinc will show water marks if not sealed, but I think it looks cool that way. Anyway, I don't know how easy or cheap this would be.

Hmmmm what about screwing down a piece of sheet metal of some sort? You can find all kinds of at www.onlinemetals.com and I bet you could call the guys there and ask which ones would be lower maintenance. Copper would be awesome except that I wonder if it would require a lot of polishing, etc. I'm sure they'd be happy to answer your questions.
Good luck! ~Monica

Ok, here's another idea, if not a slightly wacky one... what about getting self-adhesive floor tiles and using them on the countertop? I think they have some pretty attractive ones these days and I bet it wouldn't be expensive. Good luck! ~Monica

Aw, DJ, thanks! Yer makin' me blush. I know that wrist-slitty feeling well...I HATED my kitchen that much before, too. Which is why I know any improvements you've made that have ended the wrist-slitty, kitchen-hating feeling are probably wonderful!

Deb of Oz...that link you posted has me contemplating many new things!

Hi Dorianne, I thought you might be in Canada, just a hunch. I love it there, and I Love that you made over your kitchen! In browsing around for kitchen countertop ideas (mine is hideous!) I found your site, and got inspired! My 'top is white laminate? with gold flecks from the '60's...Ugly, but I think it was state of the art back then. Do you really think the Melamine paint/poly would help me? I can't look at this counter anymore! Thanks for posting pics, they were a big help!