I’ve been talking on my YouTube channel about the major kitchen renovation that we intended to do this Summer/Fall and I’ve been so excited for it to happen. But due to recent events (everything in the world costs 10X’s more than it used to as well as a few unexpected financial surprises… I’m not too sure it’s going to happen anytime soon, and that made me incredibly sad. And then I remembered who I am. I am the savvy, DIY Queen who used to own a very successful Interior Decorating business. I’m not going to let something like a little old recession squash my dreams… so I started thinking about what I could do on a DIY buget level that would pack a major punch aesthetically in my kitchen without spending much money at all.
In the original vision of the kitchen remodel, the ugly, cheap Formica countertops that currently exist were to be replaced with marble and limestone. Marble going on the island and the limestone going on the counters… at least that was the top design thought for this remodel… although nothing was set in stone. HAHA.. get it?? Stone, lol.. OK, OK.. I’ll stick to the blog… So with that in mind I decided to Google DIY counter makeovers and a bunch of options came up, including one option I never thought I needed but caught my attention in a big way. My research brough me to the website http://www.retiqueit.net which showcased a product that created a realistic wood grain on just about any surface. This product contains real wood fibers which is why the results are so stunning and lifelike. Retique It creates a woodgrain on just about any surface in the most realistic way possible. There are various colors you can choose from, everything from dark and red to light honey. They have a color called barnwood which caught my eye and made me change directions drastically. It contains both a gray tone as well as a warm brown tone which would be perfect for the open concept of my kitchen and dining room. After reading the reviews I decided to give this a try on my island and I ordered the smaller kit. I thought the butcherblock look would be absolutely fabulous and it wasn’t even on my radar for a counter finish! I wasn’t ready to attempt it on my counters just yet, because with a little luck I’ll still be getting a new stove very soon and the counters will be changing to some degree, but I thought the island was a perfect jumping off point to test this product for myself. I ordered it and had it in my possession 2 days later. The kit came with everything you will need for this faux finish.
My kitchen island is small and quite vanilla, meaning very bland. There is nothing about it that pops out at you which is a shame since it’s located smack dab in the center of my kitchen. Originally it was attached to the wall so one end IS actually rough plywood that is in need of some wood filler to make it smooth. It has an ugly Formica countertop that has this splattered print over it. The base was constructed using plywood and shiplap, but the shiplap didn’t stand out in any way, and it could’ve been created out of MDF for all anyone cared. The bar stools were old and cluttered around the island. It severely lacked everything the center of the room focal point should contain. It’s time to see if we can’t change that problem. Let’s do this!
Step 1
First, I would need to clean off the island using isopropyl alcohol. The directions call for denaturalized alcohol but states that you can use the isopropyl alcohol instead which is a good thing since most households don’t have denaturalized alcohol. You want to make sure there is nothing stuck to the surface and that the surface is perfectly clean. After wiping it with a paper towel, I used my hand to feel the surface and to make sure I didn’t miss anything. The surface must be very clean and free from dirt, grime and debris of any type. Then it is suggested that you use a 220-grit sandpaper to lightly go over the original surface using long strokes in the direction of the “grain” you will be creating. You don’t need to apply too much pressure. You are just toothing the surface so that it will accept the base coat and it will adhere nicely. Again, clean the surface completely to remove any dust you just created by sanding. I used the alcohol again and a paper towel. Now you are ready to apply the basecoat.
Step 2
Apply the basecoat using that soft brush that the kit came with, and you’ll also want to make sure that you apply it in long, plank-like strokes on the surface. This helps to give it that magical, realistic look. I found that the base coat had a creamy, smooth texture that had great coverage. I went with 3 coats, each on the lighter side to achieve the foundation for the woodgraining technique I was about to attempt. Even just the base coat got me giddy as I could see where this was heading and the color they provide is literally the most perfect shade for a base coat of “wood”.
Step 3
Now for the nerve-wracking part… applying the stain and creating the grain. I have never created a faux wood grain before. I’ve done a faux marble look for a client years ago freehand on their counters and it came out gorgeous, but this was new territory and even with all my DIY knowledge and savvy, this scared me. I had a talk with myself standing there as I was being intimidated by that little jar of stain as it sat on the counter mocking me, and I decided in that moment that once again I WOULD trust in my creative abilities and get this going. I was excited to see if I could get the amazing results I saw on their website but still slightly doubtful as to just how realistic it would end up looking. I shook the stain and used my cleaned brush to apply it on the counter from end to end in “plank sizes”. This basically means to make the strokes the width of a plank of wood. Now that could be wide or narrow. That’s entirely up to you and your design preference. Apply the stain in a thin coat and remember, moving quickly if you do mess up the graining or don’t like the way it came out, you can re-do the end to end strokes and try it again. I also suggest practicing the technique you need to do in order to get the graining effect. I can only describe it as a rocking end to end and back again as you continuously and smoothly run it the length of the project for the plank size you are creating. And don’t forget to use a paper towel or rag to clean out the grains on the tool in between planks. This is actually more understandable if you see how it’s done. It’s not as difficult as you might think. You can watch me create this amazing look on my island and be mesmerized with the end results by clicking here. I’m not kidding. You’re about to be seriously impressed and amazed. I was blown away, and that’s actually saying a lot because it takes a special something to impress me like this.
It looks amazing at this point but wait… it’s about to get even better.
Step 4
At this stage, the base is still very light. Now, that may be a look you like and that’s perfectly fine. I however wanted it to be a bit darker still. The directions tell you to use the brush and the same stain and go over the woodgrain once it has thoroughly dried. Do not start this step until you are sure it is dry. If you are as impatient as I am you can use a blow dryer to speed up the drying process throughout this entire project. Using long plank like strokes, go over the entire surface with a thin coat of stain. If you want it darker still, you can continue to add layers until it is at the hue you want. One was enough for me, and OH – MY – GOODNESS!!!! This is absolutely amazing. This step gave the piece even more depth and warmth. I seriously cannot describe this adequately to you all. It’s magical! Everyone who has seen my counter thinks that I replaced the top. I have to show them my video to prove it’s still the same countertop it was before this lifechanging product came into this household. You really need to watch it happen, I’m serious. These pictures are nothing compared to the real thing… and it STILL get’s better!!
Step 5
The top is finished and I’m just in awe of the results. Retique It comes with a product called Tripletique which is a food grade, water-based epoxy alternative. It goes on nice and thick which is what you want for a working food counter. I ended up applying 6 coats because that’s what I wanted to do. Honestly, it was pretty solidly sealed with 3 good, thick coats but I wanted to go the extra mile. When it dries it isn’t a shiny finish. It’s a satin finish which is actually the perfect, most realistic finish you could do for this faux look to look authentic. My mind is blown at the end results.
The End Results
I am absolutely, positively, obsessed with this product and I plan to use it on a few other projects I have planned for throughout the house. And I’m not opposed to use this technique on the rest of the counters until I can do what I really want someday. But then again who knows… I may love the end result so much I might want to keep them. I never thought these types of results were possible! And the look this gives to my overall decor is not only cohesive but beautiful as well. I’m truly obsessed with this product. And now that the countertop was looking fabulous, the bottom portion was looking desperate too as well. Since I was doing this project on a budget, I wanted to keep it as low as possible. I was only in this for $100.00 at this point, which is unbelievable. I had picked out a paint color from the Magnolia collection called Sir Drake for another upcoming project I have as I go room to room transforming this house from drab to fab. The quart was more than I would need for the other project and the color looked like it would actually go quite nicely between the existing kitchen and dining room colors in that open space since it was a combination of gray, green and blue. I decided to just go for it. After all, if I despised it, I could simply repaint it. Well, it ended up being the absolute perfect color for the island. It now stands out but not too loudly amongst the rest of the decor. It makes a big statement in a subtle way which is the best part of the design and helps me achieve that unintentional intentional look that I create throughout my home. It came out gorgeous. I mean seriously gorgeous. I kept the same hardware it already had. The handles match the rest of the kitchen, so I figured I’d just clean them and call this project’s budget a success. The entire makeover was $100.00 My husband is amazed with this transformation and still now says that he cannot believe it’s the same island. He-He.. thanks Babe. You haven’t seen anything yet…
Again, to really appreciate this magical product check out the transformation on my YouTube channel. You won’t regret it!
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