Giani Granite FG-GI SICILIAN Sicilian Granite Paint Kit For Countertops, Sicilian Sand

by Giani Granite

• Update your laminate kitchen and bathroom countertops with the beauty of granite in just hours
• Easy three-step paint process goes right over your old laminate, cultured marble, and ceramic tile countertops
• Automotive-grade durability
• Safe water-based materials
• Each Kit covers typical kitchen of thirty five square feet or sixteen running feet of standard two foot wide countertop

Product Description

From the Manufacturer

Receive the beauty of granite countertops this weekend with Giani's easy one-two-three Granite Paint Kits for Countertop makeovers. Choose from six stunning granite colors. Each Giani Granite Countertop comes complete with everything you need to transform sixteen running feet of your old kitchen or bathroom laminate countertops into the beauty of granite in just hours. It's fun, easy, safe, and most importantly, durable. Surprise your family and friends with your new kitchen update using the Giani Granite Countertop Kit.

Product Description

Have you been yearning for a modern new look in your home, but can't afford expensive updates by a professional? This breakthrough craft kit by Giani granite is great for upgrading Formica®, laminate, Corian®, ceramic tile and butcher block countertops. Covers 35 square feet or 16 running feet of standard 24" wide counters. Quick, fun and easy 'paint-by-number' process for beginning painters ! Water-based safe and low odor Hides any existing stains, scratches or burns Granite color is adjustable to your decor Durable automotive grade clear polyurethane topcoat 100% Satisfaction Guarantee (by the manufacturer) Contains: 6" GIANITM roller arm and pad 4" GIANITM granite paint sponge 2" Foam Brush Black Practice Poster Board 'Paint-by-Number' DVD for beginners Illustrated Instructions

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

168 of 171 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Great product, but there IS a learning curve to get best results. July 22, 2011

By L. A. Stanley

I did my master bath vanity top with this product several months ago. The product is great, and the surface still looks just like it did when I finished it. It is a tremendous improvement over the previous laminate that came with the house. Another reviewer mentioned problems with the topcoat going cloudy and bubbling up from standing water. I have not had that experience at all. I don't have constant water on my vanity, but I generally don't bother to dry up day to day splashes. I was thorough when applying silicone caulk around the edges of my sink, so no water is getting underneath the topcoat. Getting water underneath the top coat will definitely ruin the finish. (I am not implying that the other reviewer failed to caulk properly; it could have been a a bad batch of topcoat.)

I do have some minor quibbles with the finished appearance, but they are due to my errors during application. Now that I have made those mistakes, hopefully I can do a great job next time.

10 Things I've Learned:
1. Prepare surfaces exactly according to directions. Scrape off every trace of old cracked caulk (and smoothly apply new paint-able caulk), or you'll have small ridges and creases where the backsplash and vanity meet.
2. If you're applying over laminate that has black seams along the edges of the backsplash or between sections, sand and fill until smooth. If you leave any cracks or ridges, they will show through.
3. Be careful to get your painting tape on straight and exactly where you want it. Use a hard straight edge (like the edge of a putty knife) to press the tape down firmly to reduce paint getting under it. Like another reviewer said, you will want to have some touch-up wall paint, just in case.
4. Remove the sink/stove before painting, if feasible. It's tricky to get the mineral colors to look exactly right all the way up to the edges of the sink/stove. If you paint with the sink/stove in place, be very careful to apply the mineral colors consistently all the way into the crease. Otherwise, you'll have a black rim around the sink where the primer shows through.
5. If you have a round sink, resist the impulse to work in a circle around the sink...you'll change the pattern of the mineral colors, causing a subtle halo effect around the sink.
6. Another reviewer suggested using a paintbrush to apply mineral colors to the sponge, rather than dipping the sponge into the paint. I think that is a terrific idea, especially when doing the backsplash and front edge. The mineral colors are thin and run easily on vertical surfaces if applied too heavily.
7. Practice, practice, practice the mineral colors application until you get colors and textures that look realistic to you. Black posterboard is cheap and a few minutes of practice could save you a lot of time and frustration fixing your counter later. You can also try out a few different shades and then carry them into the room and see how the colors will really look before start painting. You may decide you want to go with a darker or lighter color than you first thought.
8. If you do mess up the mineral colors, as long as you haven't applied the topcoat yet, let them dry and paint over them again. If you have runs/drips, or if you want some of the primer black to show through in the finished product, sand the dried mineral colors before repainting. Be careful not to sand all the way through the primer or you'll have to start over.
9. Be very careful with the topcoat application on vertical surfaces; it runs easily. (If you get runs, you can sand the topcoat and re-apply.)
10. Remove the painter's tape exactly when directed. Also, it is crucial to carefully score the tape with a sharp utility knife before removing it. Otherwise you risk peeling off all your work along with the tape.

Not a tip, but a preference: I really liked the smoother finish from doing the optional sanding step after the minerals coat and after the first topcoat. In my opinion, it's worth the time. Just be careful not to sand off too much color or you'll get a lot of the primer black showing through.

This kit is pretty much infinitely customizable. The instructions that come with the paint tell you how to make "veins." You can use water-based acrylic paint along with the mineral colors, so the color possibilities are limited by your imagination. One person who reviewed a different color kit suggested flicking a toothbrush to apply tiny spatters of silver to emulate small quartz crystals. I am planning to do my kitchen counters next and I will try that on my practice boards - if it looks good I will use that technique on my counters. You could use gold to emulate mica flakes, or a shade of green, brown, or bronze for an accent.

You can also order single cans of any mineral color direct from the manufacturer. (Amazon sells most of the mineral colors, and Amazon is cheaper to get a single can when you consider shipping costs, but as of the date of this review Amazon does not sell all of the colors.) I recommend going to the manufacturer's website in any case for more pictures and ideas. When I was planning my bathroom counter, I was torn between the chocolate brown kit, which I thought would be too dark, and the sand kit, which I thought would be too light. I ordered the sand kit plus a can of the chocolate brown paint. I used small amounts of the chocolate brown to get a slightly darker color and more "depth." When I have the time, I plan to redo that vanity to fix the mistakes I made the first time, but I will probably keep the colors the same.

147 of 149 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Looks great, and a year and a half later... January 18, 2011

By S. Radler

.... it still looks great! We used the Sicilian Sand kit in our kitchen in July of 2009, over cheap, ugly green Formica. The application was just like it was explained in the DVD, so be sure to watch that first. Also, I found practicing on the black poster board that Giani included in the kit to be helpful as well. We were completely satisfied with the results and everyone who sees it can't believe it's paint; it looks like real stone. The finish has held up like iron -- no scratches or fading, except for one small ding on a 90-degree edge that we accidentally gouged when moving a heavy piece of furniture. But touchup was easy with our leftover paint.

We did have one slight problem with the application in that the clear top coat dried a bit streaky in one spot, I think because we did not apply it correctly. I told the company about it, and some months later when the clear top coat formula was improved, Giani sent us a free can of it. We didn't even have to pay for shipping. THAT is excellent customer service and standing behind your product.

I would not hesitate to use this again on other countertops, and I recommend this to everyone I know.

45 of 46 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars careful with the last coat May 1, 2011

By Jack Thorpe

Amazon Verified Purchase

The product went on well and easy. Emphasis is on the last clear coat. After saturating the roller well, only roll once over the counter top area. Not back and forth like you were painting a wall. If you don't it will look hazy and have the appearance of bubbles under the clear coat.Hope this helps.