How to Cover an Ugly Countertop

I love my townhouse apartment, and I even love my small galley-style kitchen, but I hate my ugly worn countertop and I wanted to cover it up. Before my family and I moved into our rented apartment, maintenance replaced the kitchen sink, faucet, and the medicine cabinets in both bathrooms, but they didn’t replace the ugly kitchen countertop. I guess as long as it wasn’t falling apart they decided it was good enough, but this ugly kitchen component wasn’t good enough for me. The plastic laminate butcher block is probably as old as the building, and it has numerous nicks caused by those who didn’t bother to use a cutting board. It also has an ugly grayish discoloration in one spot, and I definitely had to cover it. Another obviously bad spot was painted over in a sloppy attempt to disguise it, but this cover up wasn’t quite up to par.

My family and I will probably stay in our rented townhouse apartment for a few years, and I couldn’t imagine being stuck with this ugly countertop. I took good care of the kitchen countertop in my former home, and this one has definitely been used and abused. I was determined to come up with a way to cover this ugly countertop, and I thought of a few good ideas that work for me to greatly improved the appearance of my kitchen.

Granite Floor Tile Cover

When I was in Home Depot recently I had a terrific idea that would cover my problem in more ways than one. I noticed boxes of heavy 12″ x 12″ polished granite floor tiles selling for 97 cents a piece. They looked similar to granite cutting boards I’ve seen for considerably more money, and this observation planted a seed in my mind. I could buy several granite floor tiles to cover my ugly countertop, and besides hiding the ugly countertop, I’d have the heavy-duty granite cutting boards I’ve always wanted. Four tiles fit perfectly to the left of my kitchen sink, and I placed four more next to my stove. They’re not glued down, and I can easily wash the tiles and clean the ugly countertop should anything seep beneath. The tiles gave my kitchen countertop a classy new look, and surprisingly this stylish looking cover was under $10.

A Large Water-Resistant Cover

Before buying the granite floor tiles I used to cover my ugly countertop I had purchased a large heavy-duty plastic cutting board to cover the ugly gray spot. This board has an indentation around the perimeter that catches liquids so they don’t make a huge mess, and it’s completely washable. I kept the plastic cutting board in place over the ugly gray spot on my countertop, even after buying the granite tiles, and I use this cutting board on a daily basis. Along with the granite tiles, my ugly countertop is completely covered, and I can live with it indefinitely since it’s mostly hidden from sight.