• Refinish your countertops.the kitchen. image by guiney from Fotolia.com
  
  One of the best ways to preserve your countertops is to refinish them when their surfaces become dull and worn. Refinishing is a process applied to many types of countertop surfaces. Whether your countertops are natural stone, wood, laminate or a solid surface, the countertops are prepped with a light sanding, and a primer or polish is applied to the sanded surface before finishing the countertop with an appropriate refinishing product.
  
  

Primer

• The primer sets the foundation for a painted countertop finish. The primer is a binding agent that adheres to the original surface and receives the painted finish with its highly adhesive and absorbent properties. It also lessens the amounts of coats that are required to get a solid finish. One of the main advantages to using a primer in a countertop refinishing project is that it decreases the possibility of bubbling or loosening of the finished surface.
  
  

Epoxy Paint

• For a solid, painted countertop, use epoxy paint. While it takes longer to set and dry than other paints, its finish is well worth the wait. Epoxy paints give surfaces a sleek painted appearance, and epoxy paint has stronger bonding properties than latex or acrylic paints. Washing machines and dryers are coated with epoxy paint.
  
  

Top Coat

• A top coat is a transparent resin and acrylic liquid product that seals a countertop surface with a shiny protective layer that can handle daily use. A top coat is available in high and low gloss formulas. Apply a top coat to a sanded and prepped countertop. Top coat formulas are available for stone and other countertop materials.
  
  

All-purpose Thinner

• High-quality thinners are used with top coats to make them easier to flow and spread flawlessly over the countertop surface. According to the North American Polymer Company (NAPCO), "a thinner that is too slow can cause lots of hard-to-repair runs and sage, practically ruining your hard work."
  
  

Stone Sealer and Polish

• Apply a stone sealer formulated for stone countertops over the surface of your countertop. The sealer seeps into the stone's surface and dries with a firm bond. Once the sealer is dry, buff the countertops to a brilliant shine.
  
  Stone countertop polish is also on duty to bring back a dull stone countertop. In between sealing the countertop, apply a polish over its surface according to the instructions, and buff the countertop to bring out its shine.
  
  

Multicolored Stone Coating

• A stone coating gives countertops, such as laminate, a new appearance with the look of stone. The stone coating product is available in numerous colors and stone looks. Select the color and look that you want for your kitchen countertop, and apply the stone coating over the countertop according to the instructions to update the appearance of the countertops.