A long shot.

[fluffy]

I did a set of kitchen countertops for a client last year, high-end laminate with a bright white Formica Surrell solid surface accent strip inlaid at the front edge. She has now decided to change her colour scheme, and while the laminate counters will fit, she doesn't want the white accent strip any longer. Problem is, it's not feasible to remove the counters so any work will have to take place on site. Routering off the edge and applying a new one would solve the problem, but it is very, very messy, and she's really fussy about her house. I'm wondering about the possibility of applying a dye or stain that would change the white colour to something a little closer to the brown of the laminate. That's the trick, solid surface material is designed to be stain resistant or it would be much good for counter-tops, so I'm at a loss as to whether there is a colourant that would work. Another possibility would be some sort of tinted resin that would adequately adhere to the strip. Does anyone have any experience with anything like this? I've got a couple of emails out there to manufacturers' tech support sites, and a couple of postings on trade related forums, but nothing yet. I just thought that maybe, yeah it's a longshot, there might be someone around here who has faced a similar challenge, or might have a lead on who's brain to pick. I have some of the material leftover at the shop that I can experiment on, but the counters are worth thousands, so I'm not going near them until I have my ducks in a row.

[whitecandle]

Can you paint the accent strip if it's feasible? Here's an article that I found while researching formica for mom's cottage.

Painting Countertops - Step By Step Guide

Information is power, so they say. Why not arm yourself with the information you need to make an good decision about buying and installing a countertop. With what you learn about Painting Countertops here, you will be able to discuss your requirements about Painting Countertops with your builder or contractor. You will know what is available and what questions to ask. This will help you take control of the project.

One of the most often asked remodeling questions is "Can I paint my countertops?" The answer is absolutely yes! Follow these steps on painting countertops and your counters will have an instant face lift.

1. You need to use paint that is designed to work on countertops. There are plenty of choices such as Insul X brand which is used in this example. 2. Clean the entire countertop surface using TSP or a similar product. There is no need to sand if you have cleaned the surface properly. 3. Apply your primer. Your primer should be tinted the color that your paint will be. That way you will use less paint. 4. Let the primer dry thoroughly. 5. Now mix up your epoxy pouring part B into A as per the manufacturer's instructions. Mix it up thoroughly and use within 4 hours of mixing. 6. Use a foam roller or a synthetic brush to apply the epoxy. The roller provides a smoother application. 7. It will take about one hour for the first coat to dry. Then apply your second coat and let dry. 8. It takes a full week for it to cure completely.

Now that your countertop has had a full facelift perhaps you can make some other small changes to improve your kitchen's overall appearance. With a little creativity it doesn't have to cost you a fortune. After all most of us are on a budget.

Countertop Paint - Formica Can Be Painted
Surrell, Avonite, Cambria, Gibraltar, and Corian all produce a full line of ... It won't blister, crack, or scratch, and it's highly stain resistant. I...
http://www.emoderndesign.com/countertop-paint.html

[fluffy]

Can you paint the accent strip if it's feasible?

Coating or dyeing the strip would be the desired approach. The issue would be finding a coating that doesn't come off looking cheap, or would be subject to premature wear or chipping, so I'm shying away from ordinary paint. Ideally, the coating would have degree of transparency, or the ability to penetrate into the strip material. Sprayability would be nice, as an even consisitency to the colour is essential. Also essential is adequate bonding to the strip material so it doesn't flake off down the road somewhere. A dye or stain to actually change the colour of the strip would be great, as wear or chipping would not be a serious problem. I'm not exactly sure what the strip material is composed of, I'm guessing a resin base of some sort because it smells the same as fibreglass when you work it. I know in stone counter tops they occasionally use tinted resins to change the colour of the stone, that might be another place to research.

[whitecandle]

excellent product - they also have awesome tech support
http://www.insl-x.com/

[Piecemaker]

Duct Tape.

[ferri]

i was gonna suggest contac paper.

seriously fluffenstein, i hope you find a solution.

[fluffy]

Mac-tac? Do felt pens come in brown?

Oh, there's lots of solutions, trick is to find the best one.

(thanks for your suggestions whitecandle, you've given me a new direction to investigate.)

[ferri]

there was a thread on here many moons ago about changing the color of countertops. if you want me to see if i can dig it up (if it still exists even) i will sure give it a shot!

[normaM]

I used a company in Edmonton who restored old countertops ( usually for apartments) A new sink install had left chips and cracks. He did it with a compound and heat ( like he ironed it on, sorry I don't know the tech terms) You might be able to do the same thing on the white - would work ever better as you wouldn't be trying to do a perfect matched color. Or what about cladding it in thin strips? I did a backsplash with stuff looks like metal but is actually coated plastic, can cut it with shears and glue it on.

[trapp]

Is the inlay right at the edge ? And is it possible to remove the inlay and cut along the edge of the laminate ? Then put a nice shaped, stained, wood trim for a new facing. You could stain it to match the new colour decor. Just some thoughts anyway. I shaped and stained oak for all my counter top edges, then verathaned the stained wood. It has withstood the test of time.

[fluffy]

Yes Trapp, the inlay is right at the front of the counter, where the horizontal surface of the countertop meets the vertical surface of the front edge. Routering the old edge off, or even routering out the inlay and replacing it was the first thought that came to mind, and is still a possibility, but the dust that the solid surface material produces is even finer than drywall dust and the precautions that would be required to keep the stuff from spreading throughout the house, plus the clean-up at the actual location of the work would eat up a lot of time and drive the cost of the project up considerable. I'd like to explore the idea of a stain or coating first, and see if there is anything our there that will fit the bill.