Ugly Faux Marble Bathroom Sink

[corpuswinn]

We have an ugly off-white (yellow?) faux marble bathroom sink and countertop (all one piece).

Is it possible to paint one of these? Even if it means re-painting it every year or two I would rather not have to to through the time and expense to remove and replace it. We like the cabinets beneath it.

What kind of paint & primer should we use?

Thanks!

[mrcaptainbob]

The best job would be to remove it from the the room and remove all the hardware from it. Lightly scuff the surface with something like a scrubby. Clean it with a dewaxer and degreaser. Useing a nice two part epoxy paint would be the method of choice. Second would be a good grade of epoxy paint off the shelf from the local box store. Let it cure good for a at least a day before you replace any hardware.

[leone184]

There is actually a 2-part epoxy paint that is made just for sinks and tubs. It's made by the klenk's company. The nice thing about this product is that you can buy it in quarts (enough for 1 full-size bathtub) or pint sizes. (probably all you will need) Most epoxy paint is for industrial use and is only sold in gallon or larger sizes. This product comes in white, almond and coffee brown. You may also find harvest gold or avacado if your into '70's colors, but I doubt they make these colors anymore. It comes in 2 types, old fashioned epoxy, and a newer water-bourne formulation. I highly recommed the older style epoxy. The water bourne probably has less of a smell, but tends to streak badly.

Be careful sanding the sink and countertop, you may leave scratches in the finish that the paint will not hide. To prepare the surfaces, use a "SOS" pad. The soap will cut thru any soap or oily residue, and the steel wool will lightly buff the surface, that should be all the sanding you need. Afterwards, rinse the surface with lots of water, and let dry completely. I would turn off the water to the sink, just to be safe, and leave it off until the paint coating is completely cured.

Use only a new, good quality nylon-polyester brush. Tap it a few times to get out any loose brisles. You will not be able clean the brush afterwards, but don't use an old brush. The solvents in the epoxy will reactivate old latex or oil based paint resin, and you may see it in the finished coat.

Mix the paint according to directions,(you have to let it steep about 1 hour) then apply a nice thick, but even coat. Don't worry about brush marks, the stuff levels very well. If you are careful, you will end up with a very smooth finish.

This product takes 5 days to cure before it can be handled or get wet. It seems like a long time, but it is worth it. I have personally used this stuff, and had excellent results. Most people couldn't tell it was actually painted, and it was very durable.

leone184