Painting a Countertop to Look Like Metal

Mix 1 cup of dishwashing liquid and 1 gallon of water. Dip a rag in the soapy mixture and wipe the countertop to remove dirt and grease. Let the countertop dry.

Sand the entire countertop surface with medium-grit sandpaper to scuff if up. This will help your paint adhere better to the countertop.

Vacuum the countertop to remove every bit of sanding dust. Sanding dust could interfere with the evenness of the paint surface.

Roll on a coat of primer on the entire countertop surface. Let the primer dry thoroughly for as long as recommended on the primer packaging.

Apply a special faux metal glaze to the countertop with a paintbrush or a paint roller. Work in sections so you don't have deal with dried paint, which is difficult to work with. You will not use more than one glaze color for this project, so if you use the same technique for all sections, you will keep the appearance of the countertop consistent.

Drag a wallpaper-smoothing brush across the painted section, making overlapping arcs in the wet glaze. Continue so the primer appears through the glaze in random areas. Continue working in sections until you cover the entire countertop. Let the glaze dry thoroughly.

Apply clear floor urethane all over the surface of the countertop. This helps the paint withstand wear and tear better. Apply three or four thin coats and sand with fine-grit sandpaper between coats.