Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

Okay. People seem really happy with this product, or really dissatisfied. After reading all the reviews here, then using the product, here's my basic takeaway, along with some tips: This product was easy to use, did exactly what it was supposed to, and beautifully covered up my 70's fake butcher block laminate. I followed the directions exactly, and had absolutely no problems achieving a great look in 2 1/2 days. Now, some helpful hints: 1. If you REALLY WANT granite or stone, DON'T buy this. You will never be happy with it, because deep down, you want something else. It's not stone. It looks like a very nice, shiny laminate, minus the seams on the edges, and I think it's easier than replacing laminate tops, and slightly cheaper. 2. The Desert Sand color is awesome. The Onyx color is apparently awful. Take a look at the satisfied customers and see which color they used. Now look at the Onyx reviews (see "road tar"). Basically, single color is a bad idea with this product. Also, if possible, try to stay within the same color scheme as your current tops. This will help with base coat coverage issues (obviously you can't do this if you have some awful green or pink laminate top). I went from fake wood to Desert Sand (similar in color), and it covered very easily. 3. You need two people for adhesive/chip application. Seriously. 4. If you're doing this in winter, as I did, the air in your house is dry. Use a humidifier to raise the humidity in the kitchen a day or two before applying the adhesive. This will give you more working time. 5. SEAMS: there's just one short blurb in the video about this, so I had to call Rustoleum for advice. I have a U-shaped kitchen with two mitre joints in the counter. I wanted to cover them up, and one of them was warped slightly. I used 3M epoxy putty to fill/cover the seams, then sanded them flush before beginning the scuffing process with the diamond sander. 6. Take the sink out. I know you don't really want to. You are going to have a hard time masking it perfectly, and that tiny strip between the backsplash and the sink is going to be a serious problem. Just save yourself the trouble. I decided to get a new one while I was at it. 7. BARE SPOTS: you're going to have a few. These are spots where your adhesive dried too much before you got chips on it, or you sanded through the chips, or you brushed up against the surface during application. I had 5 small repair spots. Stop sanding in that area as soon as you notice one. Follow the directions. Dab a damp sponge in adhesive, then throw chips at the spot forcefully. Let dry 4 hours, then sand flush. I had no problem getting the spots to blend. 8. Don't try to do 50 sq. ft. with one box. I had about 30 sq. ft. and bought the 50. I had about 1/4 of the can of adhesive base left over after repairs, and about the same amount of clear coat. I wouldn't try to do more than 40 sq. ft. with one box. Don't forget to measure your backsplash area and take that into account. 9. SHOP. VAC. This is glitter art for adults. It's messy, but totally worth it. 10. Breathe. Don't freak out. You can do this. I am not really that talented in the DIY department, and it turned out just fine.