Durable kitchen counter top, coloured

[webbaldo]

Hi there, Im wanting to have a baby blue counter top in my galley (it will have a sink recessed in it etc.)

As i cant find coloured melamine anywhere, if I painted it, what would be the best way to

A. Make it look smooth, 4inch High Density roller?
B. Make it durable, eg. primer/paint/some form of clear laquer?

Any ideas?

[Woodbutcher]

Do you already have a top and want to change it, or are you buying one and then want to paint it? We use plastic laminate here, (Formica and Wilsonart) are brand names. I can't imagine that these are not available in your country in blue. But if not we have a paint here for laminate that can be used to change the color. Never used it but I just saw some at a home center store yesterday.

[stix]

Yup we got Formica and in all colours.

http://www.formica.eu/uk/products/colors/2/

This will give you an idea .

John

[Irmo Atomics]

I used a gloss alkyd paint on my countertops and trim. It went on thick, sticky and stinky and took more than a day to dry. If it gets marked up, I'll call it character, if it gets marked up really bad, I'll re-paint it. I can't vouch for the performance because i haven't put it in use yet, but it looks pretty rugged, as far as paint goes.
Re-read the post, I don't know a thing about painting melamine, sorry.

[webbaldo]

Thanks for all the advice, ill see if i can get some formica,

failing that the mel paint

[mallymal]

Isn't Formica just a printed paper pattern, with clear melamine resin applied over the top? (obvuiously all done in a very high tech way). But I'd often wondered whether it would be possible to make a low tech laminated counter top (worktop) by bonding something like a patterned wallpaper onto plywood, using spraymount, then building up 5 or 6 coats of melamine gloss over the top. Havent tried it yet though, as I'm still only at the head scratching stage after about 5 years!!!