Aussie mum shares her clever Kmart 'hack' – stone benchtop on a budget!
- Replies 7
When you feel like your home needs a bit of renovating or sprucing up, you can't go wrong by starting with the kitchen.
You might be surprised at how much a new coat of paint or even a new kitchen countertop can change a room and give it a new lease on life!
It can be challenging to stick to a budget when redesigning a kitchen, especially when trying to include expensive fixtures like benchtops.
So how much should you put aside for a new benchtop? Well, that depends on the kind of material, of course!
Usually, marble, granite, or stone are the most common surfaces. But these natural materials usually come with a pretty hefty price tag.
Changing up the benchtop in your kitchen may make a big difference in the overall look and feel of your place. Credit: Houzz. (Stock photo)
Among the three options mentioned, stone benchtops are usually the most affordable.
They are a classic choice for kitchen countertops and can also be requested for other rooms, such as bathrooms or outdoor kitchens. They are likely so popular because they add a classic and elegant touch to any kitchen; plus, they're durable!
But we have to admit – spending hundreds of dollars for a new benchtop is still way above our budget…
As luck would have it, a woman recently shared her clever home hack for a new kitchen benchtop, and it looks absolutely amazing!
Posting on a popular Facebook decorating group, mum Emma said she upgraded her kitchen (and even her bathroom!) using a few stone tiles she bought from Kmart.
'Ripped them off and puzzled them on with tile adhesive and then grout. Finished off with a sealer – time-consuming but so cheap!' she said.
Here's how she did it:
Emma's old benchtop compared with the new one. Credit: Facebook.
Before you begin adding the rocks to your benchtop; first, you have to paint a primer on top of the existing benchtop so that the grout will stick on.
After the surface is primed, mix tile adhesive and water to create a paste. Then, using a trowel, spread the grout evenly on the benchtop.
Now, get your stone pieces from Kmart and press them down one by one to create a pattern.
As for the corners, add a thicker layer of grout and press the stone pieces really hard.
After you're done, let the whole thing dry for up to 24 hours.
The next day, mix more grout and pour it all on top. (Emma used Light Gray coloured grout from Dunlop.) Create an even surface with a massive sponge.
Wait about 1 to 2 minutes, and then use the wet big sponge to gently wipe the grout off one piece at a time until you can see the rocks clearly once again. Continue wetting the sponge and keep wiping it off. You want to retain that uniform surface, so don't wipe too vigorously, though!
Let it dry for 2 days.
Use a foam roller to put a strong sealer on. Since the sealer is very strong, we suggest leaving the house for the day after while you're letting it dry. (Emma used 'enhancing sealer' from Dunlop.)
Emma used the leftover tiles and grout mixture to upgrade her bathroom vanity sink. Credit: Facebook.
When Emma renovated her kitchen with new tiles, she also decided to use some of the leftovers to renovate the vanity in her bathroom. And it looks stunning as well!
Several of her fellow Facebook group members commented on her post and praised her for such a wonderful home hack!
'Wow, that took a lot of guts to do that. I'd be scared of it being a kitchen benchtop and all. Looks awesome, well done!' one user wrote in the comments.
'Hands down, this is the best Kmart hack I've ever seen,' a second person said, adding: 'I would LOVE to do something like this in my laundry!'
This looks amazing! Who knew a couple of products from Kmart could do the same job as a brand new stone benchtop, which would normally cost hundreds of dollars, if not thousands?
What are your thoughts, members? Are you looking to try this hack too? Let us know in the comments!
You might be surprised at how much a new coat of paint or even a new kitchen countertop can change a room and give it a new lease on life!
It can be challenging to stick to a budget when redesigning a kitchen, especially when trying to include expensive fixtures like benchtops.
So how much should you put aside for a new benchtop? Well, that depends on the kind of material, of course!
Usually, marble, granite, or stone are the most common surfaces. But these natural materials usually come with a pretty hefty price tag.
Changing up the benchtop in your kitchen may make a big difference in the overall look and feel of your place. Credit: Houzz. (Stock photo)
Among the three options mentioned, stone benchtops are usually the most affordable.
They are a classic choice for kitchen countertops and can also be requested for other rooms, such as bathrooms or outdoor kitchens. They are likely so popular because they add a classic and elegant touch to any kitchen; plus, they're durable!
But we have to admit – spending hundreds of dollars for a new benchtop is still way above our budget…
As luck would have it, a woman recently shared her clever home hack for a new kitchen benchtop, and it looks absolutely amazing!
Posting on a popular Facebook decorating group, mum Emma said she upgraded her kitchen (and even her bathroom!) using a few stone tiles she bought from Kmart.
'Ripped them off and puzzled them on with tile adhesive and then grout. Finished off with a sealer – time-consuming but so cheap!' she said.
Here's how she did it:
Emma's old benchtop compared with the new one. Credit: Facebook.
Before you begin adding the rocks to your benchtop; first, you have to paint a primer on top of the existing benchtop so that the grout will stick on.
After the surface is primed, mix tile adhesive and water to create a paste. Then, using a trowel, spread the grout evenly on the benchtop.
Now, get your stone pieces from Kmart and press them down one by one to create a pattern.
As for the corners, add a thicker layer of grout and press the stone pieces really hard.
After you're done, let the whole thing dry for up to 24 hours.
The next day, mix more grout and pour it all on top. (Emma used Light Gray coloured grout from Dunlop.) Create an even surface with a massive sponge.
Wait about 1 to 2 minutes, and then use the wet big sponge to gently wipe the grout off one piece at a time until you can see the rocks clearly once again. Continue wetting the sponge and keep wiping it off. You want to retain that uniform surface, so don't wipe too vigorously, though!
Let it dry for 2 days.
Use a foam roller to put a strong sealer on. Since the sealer is very strong, we suggest leaving the house for the day after while you're letting it dry. (Emma used 'enhancing sealer' from Dunlop.)
Emma used the leftover tiles and grout mixture to upgrade her bathroom vanity sink. Credit: Facebook.
When Emma renovated her kitchen with new tiles, she also decided to use some of the leftovers to renovate the vanity in her bathroom. And it looks stunning as well!
Several of her fellow Facebook group members commented on her post and praised her for such a wonderful home hack!
'Wow, that took a lot of guts to do that. I'd be scared of it being a kitchen benchtop and all. Looks awesome, well done!' one user wrote in the comments.
'Hands down, this is the best Kmart hack I've ever seen,' a second person said, adding: 'I would LOVE to do something like this in my laundry!'
This looks amazing! Who knew a couple of products from Kmart could do the same job as a brand new stone benchtop, which would normally cost hundreds of dollars, if not thousands?
What are your thoughts, members? Are you looking to try this hack too? Let us know in the comments!
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