White DIY Resin Bathroom Countertop Update (Major Disappointment)
I’ve been working slowly but steadily on my studio bathroom, and I finally got the faucet and sink hooked up. And while this should be progress to celebrate, I have to admit that I’m just frustrated right now, and the source of my frustration is my countertop.
This countertop is one that I made myself out of two layers of MDF and white tinted resin. Initially, I used ArtResin brand resin and used latex paint to tint it white. I was so happy with how it turned out. The white was so bright and clean…
If you missed that project, you can find the details here…
In hindsight, I wish I had just left it at that. It was just fine as it was, and ArtResin is one of the least yellowing resins on the market.
But then I convinced myself that because ArtResin is formulated for art and not for countertops, that I needed to do a second coat with a resin that’s actually formulated for countertops. So after doing some comparison shopping online, I decided to go with Stone Coat Countertops resin. They emphasize that their resin can’t be tinted with latex paint, so you have to purchase their special tint. I used the white tint, which is a very bright white, and it turned out great when it was finished.
Well, that was a month-and-a-half ago. And for the majority of the last month-and-a-half, this bathroom has been behind a closed door, with the light off. And even though it does have a window, it doesn’t get direct sunlight.
So imagine my disappointment when I noticed that after this short time, I no longer have a bright white countertop. I have a dingy looking antique white countertop.
It’s not terribly noticeable when standing in the back entrance and looking at the countertop, but once you’re in the room, it’s very noticeable. Here’s a comparison of the white tint that I used to tint the resin and the color of the countertop now.
I mean, that’s quite a difference. And maybe I wouldn’t be so disappointed if I didn’t have yellow backsplash tiles. But the light yellow tint of the countertop next to the yellow backsplash tiles just looks so….disappointing.
I’m incredibly frustrated by this. I want so badly to redo the countertop, and I’m still not sure that I won’t redo it. But if I do redo it, then it’ll take another 30 days to cure, and will hold up the progress of the bathroom.
So all of that to say that I’ll never be using Stone Coat Countertops resin again.
And this, my friends, is why I almost never do sponsored posts. I want to feel completely free to give my 100% honest opinion of the products I try and the products I recommend. If I recommend a product, you can guarantee that it’s my honest opinion and no one has paid me to say it. And if I have a bad experience with a product, you can rest assured that I’ll tell you about it. 🙂
So now I’m not quite sure what to do. I want so badly to move on and get this bathroom finished. If I just push forward, I feel like I could get it finished with just a few days of really concentrated effort and no distractions. But is it worth doing that if I’m going to regret this countertop every time I look at it?
What would you do in this situation? Redo the countertop and delay the completion of the room? Or press forward with a dingy yellowed countertop knowing the room could be finished in a few days, but also knowing that you’re going to be looking at a countertop that isn’t quite right every day from here on out?
UPDATE: I’m currently sitting at the design store placing my order for a quartz countertop for the bathroom (they had some Snow White remnants that will work) AND a piece of 5’ x 12’ Frosty White Wilsonart laminate for my workroom tables. I’m excited about this decision. 🙂
Addicted 2 Decorating is where I share my DIY and decorating journey as I remodel and decorate the 1948 fixer upper that my husband, Matt, and I bought in 2013. Matt has M.S. and is unable to do physical work, so I do the majority of the work on the house by myself. You can learn more about me here.
Fix it now & then work on something in your studio in those 30 days. I “know” you even though I don’t “know” you! You will regret it if you don’t fix it! Love your blog!
I agree! You are to much of a perfectionist and you won’t be happy if it isn’t done right.
I would ‘finish’ the bathroom, knowing something must be done about the countertop. Then I would keep searching for a new type of countertop. Since this is an odd size, you may be able to find an off-cut of a solid surface countertop for a bargain. It seems you must have a lot of $$ and time invested in this unsatisfactory project. Investing more of the same does not guarantee any better outcome.
I think that’s good advice. Creating a new countertop with the resin coating presents the same issue (fear of durability) that caused you to use the second ostensibly more durable coating that has yellowed.
Perhaps the other surface resin would hold up – but maybe not, in which case you will be right back at this point.
I would think it would not be that difficult to find a suitable off-cut, and even if you have to wait you have plenty of other projects to pursue in the meantime.
My thoughts exactly.
Yep! Fix it now.
Fix it now… short term discomfort, long term reward!
I don’t “know” you, but if I agree anyway. Life is imperfect enough; we have to fix what we can.
Grout the tile. Live with it for a month. This sinktop is going to get a workout and be exposed to a lot if different things. Use it for a month after it cures so you can report on durability to solvents, paint & debris. Then replace.
I agree! Finish the bathroom and see if it really makes a big deal when everything is done. Once it’s finished, it might not be all that noticeable. Also, maybe add a VERY slight touch of grey to your grout to bring in the color of the counter?
Think the yellow tint may be coming from a reflection of the yellow tiles. The yellow tiles were not done in your 1st pic. May want to check this before putting another white countertop. Great work! Read all your posts.
I promise that it’s not. 🙂 Right after I did the new resin layer on the countertops (and after the tile was installed) it looked bright and white, and was whiter than the walls. Now it’s dingy and yellow compared to the walls.
I totally feel your frustration. I honestly feel that checking into some solid surface remnets might be an option. Some of my best projects with stone and quartz have been a scrap piece from my stone guy.
You can fix it now or later but “knowing” you it Will be fixed. So sorry that happened.
Redo it. You’ll regret it every time you see it if you don’t. I know I would.
YES!!! Keepin’ real girl! It was a fun process the first time. Doing it again because you made a error is one thing. To not have a product do what you want and wasted your time! Ugh!! Remnants are my favorite!!! So happy you can push forward!!
I agree. You’re never going to be happy until it’s done right. There’s an old saying, “If you don’t have time to do it right, when are you going to have time to do it over?”
Unless the bathroom is really needed ASAP, I say fix it! It will almost certainly be a source of stress and anxiety every time you walk in the room. You have worked too hard on it to be disappointed. The colors are beautiful and cheerful and I am sure you want the room to have that feeling when you walk into it, not a feeling of disappointment and resentment for what you WANTED.. so I say JUST DO IT!! And keep us posted.
I would fix it now because it will get on my nerves. I am not in your shoes but I believe you think the same way. I’ve been following you since the beginning and I know you will do magic.
If it were me, I would definitely fix it now! I don’t really think you have much of a choice here, you know what a sore spot it will be if you don’t. Do as much as you can in there for the time it takes to cure, then move on to another project for the remainder of the cure time. You will be so happy you did!
Unfortunately, I agree with the others – fix it! Otherwise, you’ll wish you had every single time you go in there. Pretty soon (if it were me) I probably wouldn’t use it to avoid the frustration!
I would finish the bathroom and do a temporary fix to the countertop until you can figure out a permanent solution. Maybe marble contact paper as the temporary fix, I’ve seen it used many times in bathrooms and kitchens.
I’d go to a granite/marble shop and have a new top made. A remnant won’t be that expensive. It might be harder to find a remnant of something that is solid white but you won’t have to worry about it yellowing or scratching.
I think this is a great idea. I know you will never be happy with the yellowed color, yet if it were me…I would not want to waste anymore of my time trying to fix something that will never be right. I vote with Christy and suggest simply purchasing a white remnant then moving on.
I agree. Go to a marble and granite shop and find a white remnant of something really durable. We used an engineered marble (wasn’t Silestone, but a different brand) in our kitchen and love it! Those companies also make plain whites, too.
Completely agree! Why waste time on a quick fix that won’t cost that much
I hate to see you spend more time on a countertop, so I think you should go to a stone yard and see if you can find a white quartz remnant. No sense in waiting 30 days waiting for something to cure!!
I agree with the folks that say to go somewhere, buy the white countertop color you really want in quartz or whatever and be done with it. Do you really want to mess around with this when you’ve got major remodeling on the horizon, soon? Why add one more stress in your life? Cut your losses, buy the countertop, be done with it and move on. Why put this stress on yourself at this point. You did your best and thru no fault of your own it didn’t work out. Buy the countertop and move on to the big stuff.
Kristie, I’m on Team Whoa. Before any expensive decisions are made, tape some white poster board over the yellow tile to rule out reflective issues. The other issues can be lighting. Switch to a daylight LED. There is also likely to be a difference between your jar of white pigment, undiluted, and the more translucent tinted resin.
Yep, ditch it now and consider it a diy fail. There’s no shame in backing up 10 and punting. You’ve already invested enough time in something that didn’t work out. A remnant of corian probably wouldn’t be too expensive.
I’d move forward with other projects. I think you may end up with the need for a different countertop altogether depending on your use.
I agree with Christy Grube – Go and search for a remnant, bring along your sink cutout pattern and faucet pattern and have one cut. Save yourself the aggravation of another disappointment! Although I can’t tell the difference/yellowing of the present counter, I’m sure it bothers you, so I wouldn’t live with it if it pains you so much.
Knowing you, you won’t be happy if you don’t fix this now. Go ahead and do it then reward yourself with a fun part of the project to work on. So bummed for you that this happened!
It sounds like it really bothers you, so I say fix it, allow yourself the delay, and don’t feel bad about it! Maybe a month break is just what you need – a “Set Up September” to finish up little projects that will help you complete the bigger ones in the last quarter of 2019.
Yet another vote for fix it now. If you know you aren’t happy with it (and I totally understand your issue with it – I wouldn’t be happy with it either), that isn’t going to change and even if the room is “finished” it won’t really be finished because you know the countertop has to be dealt with it. Fix the countertop and find another project to concentrate on for the next 30 days.
I wonder if there is an “in between” solution. Something that doesn’t require a full do-over, but gets the dingy feeling out of the counter top.
You always end up with a good solution after you stew over it for a couple of days. Let your creative mind steep over the problem and maybe there is a simpler way!
My art teacher says, ” There are no mistakes, just a series of challenges to get to our end goal.” You tried it; it didn’t work exactly right this time so fix it and move keep moving forward! You got this!
I love what you have tried to achieve – so big thumbs up.
Sometimes one has to put things in perspective.
So you have a very crisp white in the wallpaper (I think it is wallpaper) and you have a crisp white on the moulding above the mozaic border.
To me that is what makes the opposing whites noticeable.. maybe try painting the white moulding the in the same coral colour as the vanity – it might make the difference in whites less noticeable. (It is a much easier fix.)
Honestly I would buy a pure white quartz or corian countertop. You have put so much work into it already and you are disappointed. You may redo it and be disappointed again.
…again, I think this is a super idea. You will have the white you want and deserve, yet you will be able to move on without waiting 30 days and possibly have to go through a similar problem. Best wishes.
Ok I have used both products. The problem was the art resin not the stone coat. Did this in my bathroom vanity I had art resin on hand and used that. By the time it cured my white was dingy. I sanded it down redid it with stone coat and it’s been a year and still looks awesome. And the yellow tile will cast a different hue to white. Just another perfectionist
I agree with the white quartz – it’s beautiful and durable. Best of all – it is what it is – no surprises there.
I’d just got buy a white countertop and be done. You hate the one in there now and that won’t change. Starting all over and making one will take too long and is going to hold up finishing the bathroom. I’d just go buy a countertop and solve 2 problems at once.
I wouldn’t need to completely make a new countertop. I’d just pour a new coat of resin over it — the original non-yellowing brand that I used.
If that’s the case then most definitely – redo it!! I’m sure there is something you can find to do for the next 30 days!!
I would be afraid that the reason you used the second coating would be validated and the original resin you used would not stand up to the kind of use around a utility sink – in which case you will be right back where you are now – with a countertop that you are unhappy/disappointed with.
I would splurge on a quartz countertop. They don’t stain, and it would wear well, since you are going to be using it for rinsing paint brushes, and other crafty things.
You’ve answered your own question – redo it. FYI – I used Stone Coat Countertop resin after building my own kitchen island and it turned out great. No yellowing and it’s been almost a year. I did however paint the MDF white BEFORE I applied the resin AND used the white tint. Maybe it was the combination of the two resins?
I would redo and wait another 30 days rather than finish and regret for who knows how many years. I feel that if it has yellowed in such a short time, how much more will it yellow? The bright white is so much cleaner and appealing.
Is it at all possible that the countertop is picking up the yellow of the backsplash tiles? Have you tried covering the tiles just to see if that could be the problem? I have no idea if that’s really the issue or not, but it popped into my head, so I thought I’d share it.
It’s not the tiles. Those tiles were there right after I did the countertop, and the countertop appeared bright white. In fact, it was brighter white than the walls. Now it’s dingy and yellow compared to the white walls.
“…What would you do in this situation?….”
Since you asked…
I would rip out that countertop … ASAP… and then I’d install a lovely (waterproof) quartz or granite or heavy thick stainless steel countertop that would be sturdy and beautiful.
Yes; you may have to special order it. Yes; it may take 6+ weeks to arrive, but it will be worth every second of the wait time and the money spent.
You can complete some other project while you wait for the countertop.
“Cheap” is not often the less expensive; “fast” is not often the quickest method.
You do such wonderful and creative work, but I would replace this countertop ASAP. It dies nothing for the bathroom. It does not demonstrate your remarkable talents. It will not hold up to heavy workshop use.
I would normally say to go ahead and finish the room and do the countertop at a later date, so that you get the happy feeling that it is finished, BUT: I have a different if similar problem in my half bath with an ill-applied wallpaper and I don’t like to look at the wall at all when I’m in there!!! Which is a pity as it is a lovely wallpaper, just this corner is driving me nuts. My Problem: I didn’t apply it, have never done that (let alone with a pattern) and don’t dare to fix it myself… But it just gives me the experience how it feels to have a sore spot in a room otherwise finished and lovely and that makes me say: Fix yours! Whichever way seems best, either buying a new countertop or just redoing it with the first resin formula (is that a choice??). Even though that might be annoying now, it won’t be in the future when you look at it!!!
I think the issue is the yellow tile. Its SO yellow I think it will make anything white have a yellow tint. I love what you have done so far, personally I think the yellow tile sticks out and doesnt flow .
So… would it look less dingy if you changed the yellow tile instead? Looks like you have grouted some but not all of the tile. Just wondering which one would be less time consuming? But, as others have said, if it bothers you enough to be contemplating re-doing it, then press forward and be happier with the results in the long run.
That wouldn’t help. It still looks incredibly dingy against the walls and trim.
I agree with some of the others that this might not be the best place to DIY. You moved away from the ArtResin due to durability concerns…concerns that are still valid. And clearly the current resin isn’t workable for you either. It’ll drive you bonkers every time you look at it. You gave DIY the best try. But maybe it’s time to splurge on function–a bright white quartz? If you’re willing to risk tearing it out later on down the road you can try the ArtResin again, but only if you’re willing to experiment with the durability. Maybe it’ll be fine…maybe not though.
I hesitate to give my opinion because I’m sure that other readers and possibly you won’t like the “negativity”. I’m going to go ahead tho since you asked. I’m one of those weird people who is a big fan of Formica, but I dislike most if not all granite. Formica is cheap ( I’m on a retirement budget) and has come along way in terms of design aesthetic. Especially in a work room situation around what it is surrounding a sink for my work. If I want pretty I’ll put quartz in or do what you did it make it if I was so inclined. Or even stainless steel because again I’m thinking work surface.
And if it’s honesty you wanted well in my opinion, I saw this coming.
As to what you do about it and when—
I cannot answer that only you can. I do know that you should do what makes you happy and use what fits in with your aesthetic. I can see a lot of negative comments on the horizon so I’m going to duck and run now…
No negative comment from me, but I am curious how you “saw this coming.” If Stone Coat Countertops resin is known for yellowing, I sure wish someone would have told me! I didn’t have that problem with ArtResin and was perfectly pleased with how it looked, especially after being sanded to a satin finish. I wish I would have left it. But I certainly didn’t see this coming, because none of the reviews for Stone Coat Countertops that I read (and I read tons of info before purchasing) said anything about it yellowing so much and so quickly.
Kristi, do you think the two different resins could be reacting chemically with each other?
Perhaps I overstated. When you added the extra layer & being white I had thoughts of “ I hope it doesn’t yellow”…. so yes, more of a fear than seeing it coming. I do hope you find a solution that works for you.
I’m team redo. Whether you redo it with the artresin or order a stone piece, I think you’ll be ultimately unsatisfied if you leave it as is.
I also second a previous comment that it might also be an effect of the tiles. The butter color of them has always felt very retro- 70s to me and not fully compatible with the bright colors of the rest of your studio space and bathroom. Had I not seen the posts where you made them, I’d have thought they were an original feature to the house (I think they’re almost the same color as the original kitchen cabinets, no?) I think if you redo the countertop, you should consider looking at white tile to see if that makes a difference in the brightness of the white as well.
What is 30 or so days of waiting compared to years of satisfaction? 20+ years ago I did a faux finish on my bedroom walls. After three layers of color to match the window treatment it was too bright. So I did one more layer, then one more layer. Still wasn’t ‘quite’ right so I made myself do one more layer. It was just what was needed. The whole time I was dabbing the last layers of color on I kept asking myself “What the hell was I thinking?” though by the end it was “What the HELL was I thinking?”
Was it worth it? Oh, yes! From a distance it looks like Granny Smith apple peel, and up close it looks like a Seurat painting. After all these years it still makes me smile. So I say take your time and get it just like you want it. The extra days will be totally worth it.
Definitely fix/replace it. Nothing worse than thinking “What I really wanted was…” every time you walk into the room.
I think something with the two resins. I’ve used Stone Coat for a number of projects and had no problems. Did my countertops with gray primer and their white pigment 9 months ago, and still looks white.
I don’t think I’ve ever commented on here, but I want to vote that you leave it as is, work around it, then evaluate if it’s worth re-doing later. Especially if it is an out-of-the-way spot. I think 30 days is a long time. Other things are sure to come up as your remodel, and you can decide later if you really want to redo it. It may fall down on your list of priorities.
It is such a small countertop, I would go to a granite/tile shop and get a remanent of quartz cut to fit. Those shops always have large pieces leftover that work for small job a like this at extremely low prices because they can’t be used for anything else.
Before you make a decision, I think those voting on buying a quartz counter top should be considered.
When purchasing my kitchen and bathroom counter tops the owner had numerous slabs and many times leftovers that were too short for a kitchen but would work wonderfully in your bathroom at a very reasonable cost. Just see if anyone in your neck of the woods has something beautiful for the right price before you spend more time on yours. If so it can be installed shortly and you can move on.
If no one locally has a good deal then you can go ahead with fixing it now.
I would definitely weigh both options.
Either way we know it will be great.
I second this …Check out the stone just in case it could be exactly what you wanted. If you don’t find a bargain that is perfect, redo your top.
You might think about your new master bath counter top, what will it be? would you want this the same? Just thinking ahead! It is already beautiful, and I know you’ll make a perfect decision! Can’t wait!
It’s much easier to redo it now, than it is later. I have been living with so many house projects that I never took the time to adjust to my satisfaction, all for the sake of adhering to a strict time frame. 10 years later, those little imperfections still bother me. 30 days is nothing in the grand scheme of things. I’d pull the counter top out of the bathroom to redo it to your liking, and let it hang out to cure in an undisturbed area for the 30 days while you complete as much as you can in the bathroom and elsewhere. You’ll be so glad you did!
Kristi, you know it will always be on you mind if you don’t bite the bullet and fix it now. Everything about the bathroom looks fab. Don’t change something to make the countertop “work”.
I would fix it now. It will drive you crazy every time you walk into the bathroom.
You asked — my vote would be to buy a solid white countertop or a laminate counter top — if laminate can be used with an undermount sink. Love the undermount sink!!
I vote you redo it. It is super frustrating, but I’ve been watching you long enough to know your redos are always better and well worth it!
Also, thanks for your honest opinion and review…and follow-up. It’s refreshing!
Live with it. Choose simple white quartz counters for the upcoming master bathroom reno. Have the quartz guys cut a top to replace the half bath counter in addition to the master counters..
Fix it now! If the color shifted that much in 30 days, it may continue to change and you will always be unhappy with your results.
I recommend you move forward and dont delay the completion of the bathroom and then replace the countertop with a quartz or a stone you like. It’s a small space, you could find a great deal.
I would probably redo, but what a pain in the butt! Actually, it reminds me of when I painted 30+ cupboard doors an off-white colour with oil paint, and then stored them in my basement for the winter, not knowing that darkness causes faster yellowing. Grrrr! So then I bought more paint and repainted the doors we were actually going to use (we had more cupboards than we needed because we combine two sets of cabinets). Then I painted a cupboard body and hung it on the wall and HATED it so much. The colour I’d chosen just looked dingy and dirty. So I repainted everything AGAIN, this time an apple green… which I don’t love so much 3 years down the line, but I can live with it until that mythical someday when our renos are done and I can think about re-re-reprinting the kitchen, haha!
On a side note, I was looking into ArtResin awhile ago, and I could have sworn that I read somewhere (maybe their website?) that it can be used as a countertop finish.
It may be due to the action of two diff resins with each other. I would contact both manufacturers and explain what happened. Both companies have stellar reputations and it would be a shame to eliminate a product from future use before researching the cause of the problem.
I’d probably go have a bright white quartz countertop cut and call it a day.
With all the time and money you’ve spent on it, I think at this point, I’d go have a piece of artificial stone or Corian cut and be done with it. You tried something DIY, it didn’t work as expected. Maybe just cut your losses and move on. You can always try another project with resin again later.
That said, I wonder what would happen if you painted over it with the Rustoelum Tub and Tile restore stuff.
Fix it now. Go to marble/granite boneyard. You do not need too big a piece. Hopefully you’ll get lucky and find white quartz. Have them
Template and install. Even a small piece will be heavy for one person. Then move on – living with old countertop until they bring in new white one. You will most likely be using the bathroom daily washing brushes, etc. make sure your bathroom makes you happy!
I think you’ll only be happy if you change it now. I don’t know how hard it will be for you, but I think you’ll just notice it and the irritation will only grow over time. You can do everything that can be done than doesn’t touch the countertop, and 30 days isn’t that long in the whole scheme of things. Or, go for a quartz countertop and have it over and done.
Finish the small(ish) items on your bathroom to-do list, then fix the counter as the last project. I agree with checking into whether you can get a remnant counter of some sort. If you decide to do something on your own, you can know that you don’t have to be in there looking at it curing while you still have other things to finish in there. Work on your studio while the counter does whatever it needs to do.
I’m so sorry this has happened, but I’m in the “fix it now” camp. You will never be happy if you leave it as is, feeling the way you do about it. It’s so frustrating to have the delay, but you will be much happier in the long term if you make the change now. That’s better than finishing it and having to go back and tear things apart at some later date. Be true to yourself. Yes, life handed you lemons, but knowing you, you will make some awesome lemonade!
Redo it
It’s a workroom not your front door. Live with it while you finish the rest of the studio.
I agree. In the great scheme of things, it’s a workroom bathroom. It’ll be hard keeping it white anyway. Chalk it up to ‘lesson learned’ and move on. If it really bothers you, down the line, then put it on your ‘to do’ list.
I agree with others that it might be the 2 resins interacting and I think you should probably let the vendors have a chance to chime in on the problem before moving forward. If it is the resins interacting, putting another layer of ArtResin on top might make the problem worse.
I also like some of the other suggestions: consider stainless steel, consider living with it now and then getting an extra piece cut when you do your master bath reno, consider the yellow tiles that might be impacting how the color reads.
I’m sure you’ll figure it out! Sorry this was frustrating.
I also used stone coat countertops with no other products. I followed stone coats videos and painted the countertops first and I also have major yellowing only a month out. I think the product works well but not when white is the desired outcome.
Have you tried contacting someone at the company? Working in the design industry, I always tend to go to the vendor and ask questions. Maybe there’s something they suggest you do? Maybe add in a little blue? I would definitely redo it, this is your forever home, be happy <3
There is just about nothing worse than things like this when you’ve worked so hard. It’s easy to say to just finish the rest of the bathroom and move on, no one else would notice, blah blah, but it can be tough to summon the energy to come back later and create a mess in a finished bathroom to fix an issue that probably would have been easier to fix when it happened. I can say this because I do this ALL OF THE TIME. I think bite the bullet and do another coat with the art resin to fix it. You’re going to notice it every single time you walk in there and it will eat at your soul. 🙂 Also, I REALLY appreciate the information about yellowing. I’m going to be using a router to make a design in an outdoor table I made and then do a tinted resin fill….I don’t want discoloration from the resin.
I suggest getting remnant quartz. You could have it done very quickly for well less than $500 and get to move on.
I suggest getting remnant quartz. You could have it done very quickly for well less than $500 and get to move on–my estimate is from the Austin area for a vanity remnant a few months ago.
I would have put a quartz one in. I had them installed in my kitchen 2 years ago and haven’t regretted it. They are bright white and super easy to clean. No sealing and they are stain resistant. Maybe you can find a good deal on a remnant since you don’t need a very big piece for one vanity.
I have only read the first 10 replies, but I am guessing the will all be the same. The counter looks fine to me, so I would leave it alone and finish the house! You can always come back to it in the future when the counter top gets destroyed by other products as it probably will. I would not go with that type of counter in the future as it probably will not hold up. This is a good time to test it out and see if this is even a good idea for counters around water. As it is, I think it looks good.
How much would a piece of solid surface cut to spec cost? You could just take the old one in as a template. We had 20+ year old Wilsonart in a kitchen in our former home. I had a counter specialist resurface them, it included fine sanding. They were plain white, pristine and beautiful. The investment is worth it if it lasts decades like that.
Spend the money, get quartz. You can save yourself the time and headache move on to complete the bathroom. Re adjust your budget and make cost saving moves in another part of the house.
I wouldn’t keep it. Not sure I would redo it, though. I’d probably chalk it up to a learning experience and go buy a quartz top or something and move on. If you REALLY want to have it as resin (which, it does look beautiful–when white, that is!), I’d redo it and move on to something else for the next 30 days. Maybe getting the storage closet set? Trim and fun stuff in studio?
Sorry this happened, Kristi. What a total bummer 🙁
I feel your disappointment having done all that hard work only to have it yellow and I think from your history that keeping is a sure path to regret each time you go in there. I agree with those who say to splurge and get a white quartz countertop. It’s not that large an area and I think that those who commented that this will be a hard working bathroom are right in that resin will be damaged and you won’t like looking at that either.
I’m on team quartz/granite!
I’m slightly confused here. If the 30 day wait time is just for curing, you would still have a gorgeous finished room in short order if you poured a new coat of resin. You might have to be careful about using the sink for a month, but the room would be DONE.
If you want resin and that bright white in the long run, do it now. The method is fresh and you know where the set-up materials are.
If you are done with resin, you have a master bath project in the unknown future, can you wait till then? You can have a countertop fitter measure here as well and cut the top then with fresh perspective, even if they end up being different colors/materials for the baths. This would be such a custom, but small job half the cost would go to getting a guy out there.
I’m in the camp of re-do now! I don’t believe in leaving it till “sometime later” will work for you! I know the 30 days is a pain in the butt, but you will NOT be happy seeing that everytime you walk in there. I’m so sorry this happened because you could have been doing other things now instead of re-doing something already “done”. Better to fix now than having that hanging over your head. JMHO
“Redo the countertop and delay the completion of the room? Or press forward with a dingy yellowed countertop … knowing that you’re going to be looking at a countertop that isn’t quite right every day from here on out?”
What have you done with our real Kristi? She is the queen of “re-do until it’s just right.” It seems to me that since this bathroom is taking so long to finish, maybe you are a little burned out on it. Surely there are other fun things to work on while the fix cures. I don’t see you throwing in the towel on this and getting a new countertop. I think you are gutsy and determined enough to not let this setback sway you from the end result you envisioned. Go girl!
I would leave it! Clearly, I’m in the minority. See how it wears – use it for a few years and then decide. Also understand that you’re hyperfocused on this right now but in a few weeks, you won’t even notice it! You’ll notice the other beautiful things in the room and not the countertop.
Your UPDATE: Perfect solution!
You have proven you can build a resin countertop that looked both beautiful and professionally done.
So, been there, done that.
Time to move on to NEW conquests.
I like your updated decisions 🙂 No question about durability, and you’ll achieve the look you want!
Good for you. If it bugs you this much now it will only get worse! The new one you picked will be beautiful.
As a decorator, I’m not a huge fan if the tile color- yellow is a very fickle color. How difficult would it be to change the tile? All things considered, it might be your best option.
I do LOVE your style! I absolutely and utterly admire your craftsmanship and sheer determination to tackle any project. 💪🏻❤️🏠
I had considered re-doing my countertops using Stone Coat resin in a faux marble effect, but read many accounts on Facebook of the white yellowing *unless* you used a special UVA inhibitor additive. Some of the forum posters even recommended another brand with a strong additive that added another roughly 30% to the cost. I thought even that sounded suspect, like it might only reduce the amount of yellowing, so haven’t pursued the idea any further.
I wonder if it’s the two brands (Art Resin + Stone Coat) that didn’t play well together, or just the nature of the resin itself. In any event, it’s a HUGE deterrent for anyone dreaming of light, bright, white countertops using resin. If your chances of ending up with the right resin and the right additive together are only 50/50 at best, what a waste of time and money.
So sorry to hear this didn’t work out, but I’m sure your new quartz countertop will look stunning! And I really appreciate your review, even though it was a live-and-learn experience.
Your update made me smile…..knowing you are smiling too!!! You go girl!
I just now read this. I can say that I’ve followed you long enough to know that the dingy white countertop will never work for you. I am happy to read that you are getting a new countertop as well as laminate for your studio table. You work so hard that you deserve to be happy with every detail. Will you install the laminate yourself when you get to it? If so, I wish you would record it as we want to replace the laminate on a cabinet in our house and I would love to see my favorite PRO show me how. Happy for you!!
Yep, I’ll be installing it myself. Makes me nervous, but I think I can do it! 🙂
Wonderful! Girl, don’t be nervous. You can do ANYTHING, and you’re darn good at it!! Yay!
I was going to suggest a quartz remnant. Good call. And regarding the frustration you felt from the yellowing of the resin, just imagine how many of your readers that you saved from the same fate. I imagine many of them will be grateful.
Yay! Yay for white quartz countertops! I think you’ll be so much happier in the long run. And SOOO GLAD that you didn’t decide to redo the resin!
I was going to recommend that you finish the rest of the room and then redo the countertop last. That way it would feel done. You just couldn’t use it for 30 day. hmm…. But now, I see your update. Such a great idea! you will be happy with the results and will finish much sooner. Win, win!
I wonder what different lightbulbs would do? I change all sorts of things with different LED bulbs like warm, daylight, blue bright, mostly because I am horrified at what one of them did to my decor. I wonder how that would affect the color? It’s important to know, and interesting to try.
But gee, of course you have to try to get it the way you intended. That’s what makes you so interesting and fun to follow! I am doing your porch pillars this fall!
Looks quite white and beautiful to me, but must look different IRL.
I am disappointed for you. You worked so hard on it . . .
On the other hand, I see you’re going for quartz – it’s one luxury (IMHO) that I’d definitely consider in my my future home. Love it!
Buy the pure white quartz countertop. Be done, and move forward. If I were you, I wouldn’t waste any more time with currently available products, as they won’t give you the look and durability that you want and need over time.
Just saw the update!
I’m sorry it didn’t turn out the way you wanted it to. I don’t think it looks bad at all but photos aren’t always true to reality. You will probably be happy with the new white quartz countertop.
As others have said–quartz. Zero maintenance, zero drama, and in the long run dollars saved from avoiding curing issues and time wasted. I have done this type of thing myself with DIY and if I had just spent the few extra $$, would actually have saved myself $, time and frustration. Plus the other real issue in my eyes is durability. This will be an area exposed to chemicals, paint etc. . . you need something that will hold up and be worry free.
Glad you went with a stone. This countertop needs to be a workhorse. The resin top would be a great option for a side table or end table though.
As a RESIN artist, you made the right Decision for two reasons. First of all because you were obviously anxious about the time it was taking for your project to be completed. Using another coat of resin would hold you up and you could potentially have a mishap and have to wait even longer.
Secondly, resin is not made to withstand the rigors of a sink or countertop no matter what the owners of Stone Coat say…. It scratches eventually; and you seem to be the kind of person that would really bother. Quartz is definitely a better choice 😊
I used Stone Coat Epoxy for my entire kitchen, and it looks absolutely disgusting. My designs look wonderful, but they have yellowed so much that I actually want to ask for a refund. Feeling super defeated.
Oh man. Thanks for sharing. I am literally in the same position, going back and forth about should I try to repour? Should I leave it? I’m trying to convince myself it’s not that bad! It’s better than what I started with! But I am UPSET about it. It’s in my kitchen in the most noticeable spot possible. Ugh
Perfect timing, I was looking at epoxy for countertops and was leaning towards Stone coat, tytyty…emailed Ultra clear Epoxy company, and they emailed me back w/ detailed info , so going to give that one a whirl.
Thanks again