5 Best Top Coat for Painted Countertops [2022 Reviews]

After a few years of use, the countertops of your kitchen and bath lose their shine and smoothness. To give your old countertop a new look and elegant finish, you need to find out the best top coat for painted countertops. A protective topcoat will save your countertop from stains, dents, and scratches.

Nowadays, the best topcoats can be water-based, oil-based, or epoxy resin. The material of your countertop will decide what type of finish you’ll need. As there are hundreds of brands available on the marketplace, choosing the perfect topcoat can be a daunting task.

But you don’t have to worry about that as we got your back. Here we have listed some most effective and high-quality topcoats for your painted countertops. Let’s dive deep into the details of each topcoat and choose the right one for you.

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General Finishes High Performance Water Based Topcoat
General Finishes High Performance Water Based Topcoat
  • Hard and durable polyurethane top coat
  • Dry time between coats is only 1 to 2 hours
  • Interior use only
Minwax Fast Drying Polyurethane Protective Wood Finish
Minwax Fast Drying Polyurethane Protective Wood Finish
  • Protects wood surfaces
  • Oil-based durable finish
  • Satin sheen
  • Fast-drying
Giani White Diamond Countertop Paint Kit
Giani White Diamond Countertop Paint Kit
  • Low VOC, low odor, water-based acrylic paint kit
  • High gloss finish
  • Ideal for use on Formica, laminate, Corian, ceramic tile, butcher block, cultured marble and traditional granite
  • Durable acrylic topcoat
  • 5 versatile colors
East Coast Crystal Clear Resin
East Coast Crystal Clear Resin
  • Super gloss durable finish
  • Water-resistant
  • Self-leveling
  • Odorless
Rust-Oleum Countertop Transformations Kit
Rust-Oleum Countertop Transformations Kit
  • Ideal for use on a variety of countertops
  • Easy to use
  • Covers up to 30 square feet or 12 linear feet
  • Durable surface
  • Premium natural stone look

5 Best Top Coat for Painted Countertops

best top coat for painted countertops

For this list, we went through the top brands of the market and picked the finest and best-reviewed topcoats. Check out all the details and pick the best one that meets all your needs.

1. General Finishes High Performance Water Based Topcoat
1. General Finishes High Performance Water Based Topcoat
1. General Finishes High Performance Water Based Topcoat
Our Score

To keep your countertop paint intact and smooth, you need a highly durable topcoat. This pick of ours is easily the most durable and hardest water-based topcoat for painted countertops.

Thanks to the long-lasting formula, the topcoat can survive wear and tear for years. Due to its hard nature, it effectively prevents cracking and peeling. This top coat will maintain the shine of your countertop under any given weather condition.

What people love about this topcoat is the UV protection feature. The UV stabilizers ensure that the harmful sun rays will not be able to cause any damage to this protective coat. You can apply this polyurethane topcoat on stained wooden walls, cabinet doors, and even on floors.

Since the topcoat has a water-based formula, it takes a very short time to dry out. In fact, you’ll have to wait only one or two hours after each coating. The water-based formula also makes it easy to clean up the mess after finishing your project. You just need some water and soap to clean all the drips and stains.

The best part? This incredible topcoat allows you to choose your favorite type of finish. You can select from a glossy finish, semi-gloss finish, matte finish, or satin finish. Keep in mind that, this topcoat will cause a white surface to turn yellow. So, it’s better to avoid using it on white and lightly painted surfaces.

Pros
  • Highly durable coat provides years of protection
  • Features UV stabilizers to prevent harmful sun rays
  • Fast-drying, water-based formula
  • Easy to clean with regular soap and water
Cons
  • Not suitable for white surfaces

Verdict

This is easily one of the best top coats available on the market today. You can purchase this one to provide long-lasting protection for almost any type of surface.

2. Minwax Fast Drying Polyurethane Protective Wood Finish
2. Minwax Fast Drying Polyurethane Protective Wood Finish
2. Minwax Fast Drying Polyurethane Protective Wood Finish
Our Score

Looking for a clear, oil-based finish for your wooden painted countertops? Then we have just the right topcoat for you. The Minwax Fast-Drying Polyurethane Wood Finish is suitable for both finished and unfinished interior projects.

Apart from your countertops, this versatile topcoat is usable on wooden doors, cabinets, floors, and furniture. The clear finish will provide long-lasting protection without yellowing the surface. Also, the underlying paint will be completely protected from fading.

We picked the satin finish for this review, but you can also choose a regular, gloss, or semi-gloss finish. The satin clear varnish provides a unique and long-lasting shine that gives a modern look while maintaining the natural color of the wood.

As the name suggests, the topcoat is fast-drying, allowing you to complete a regular project in 4 to 6 hours only. You can apply this topcoat with a paintbrush or foam roller.

Pros
  • Compatible with all types of wooden surfaces
  • Provides a clear protective layer maintaining the natural color of the paint
  • The satin finish gives a sleek and modern look
  • Takes only 4 to 6 hours to completely dry out
Cons
  • Only suitable for wooden surfaces

Verdict

If you want to create a clear protective topcoat that maintains the original beauty of the painted surface, this topcoat will be a great choice for any wooden project.

3. Giani White Diamond Countertop Paint Kit
3. Giani White Diamond Countertop Paint Kit
3. Giani White Diamond Countertop Paint Kit
Our Score

The brand Giani Granite manufactures many different types of paints, primers, and topcoats for various surfaces. We picked the Giani White Diamond Countertop Paint Kit for your painted countertop that provides a glossy look of granite.

In this kit, you get all the necessary items and a detailed instruction manual for easily completing your DIY projects. The topcoat, along with the paint, provides a bright white granite look. If you have an old granite countertop, using this paint kit is a great way to improve its appearance without any costly replacement.

As this water-based acrylic topcoat and paint is low VOC and low odor, it’s completely safe to use it for your interior countertops. Apart from a granite surface, you can also use this paint coat for tile, cultured marble, laminate, and stone-made countertops.

With this paint kit, you’ll be able to cover around 35 square feet of area. To complement a variety of kitchen and bathroom decor, the paint kit is available in 5 different colors.

You can use this product to completely conceal the previous paint on a surface. Or, it’s also a great coat for accentuating the previous mineral color of your countertop. The package includes a paint sponge and foam brush for easy applications.

Pros
  • A complete paint kit to stimulate a glossy granite look
  • Includes all the necessary equipment for easy application
  • Suitable for granite, marble, ceramic, and stone surfaces
  • Available in 5 different colors
Cons
  • Not compatible with wooden surfaces

Verdict

Giani offers an excellent paint kit to renovate your old countertop and give it a smooth and glossy look. Get this kit to get everything you need to complete any DIY art projects.

4. East Coast Crystal Clear Resin
4. East Coast Crystal Clear Resin
4. East Coast Crystal Clear Resin
Our Score

If you want to conceal the irregularities of your countertop surface besides enhancing its shine, epoxy resin will be a great choice to do the job. East Coast Resin offers you the finest epoxy resin and hardener of the market for your painted countertops.

To provide a strong and reflective topcoat, the kit includes two half gallons, one epoxy resin for coating, the other one for hardening. The resin topcoat effectively resists all types of scratches, cracks, and dents.

Moreover, the coat is resistant to damaging sun rays to prevent fading of the underlying paint. This versatile topcoat can be safely used on the wood, plastic, marine sealer, stone, and metal. A detailed instruction manual is provided with each kit – making it super easy for you to apply the product.

As the resin is completely odorless, it won’t cause any discomfort for you and your kids. Besides providing a super glossy, crystal clear finish, the topcoat will remove irregularities and blemishes from your countertop.

Pros
  • Kit includes an epoxy resin and hardener agent to provide a strong coat
  • The topcoat prevents scratches, dents, and sun damage
  • Compatible with any wood, metal, plastic, and stone surfaces
  • Conceals the imperfections and small blemishes of your countertop
Cons
  • A bit pricey

Verdict

For a crystal-clear coat and long-lasting protection, this epoxy resin is an ideal option. Use this resin to easily cover all the minor imperfections of any type of surface.

5. Rust-Oleum Countertop Transformations Kit
5. Rust-Oleum Countertop Transformations Kit
5. Rust-Oleum Countertop Transformations Kit
Our Score

Do you need a natural color paint kit to provide a premium look for your old countertop? This Countertop Transformations Kit by Rust-Oleum is everything you want and more!

Ideal for your bath and kitchen, this paint kit provides an eye-catching look with the most durable topcoat. This kit is available in four different stone and sand colors allowing you to choose one as per your taste.

Also, you can buy the small kit to cover a 30 sq ft area or the larger kit for a 50 sq ft area. As a clear instruction manual is provided with the package, applying the coat is super-easy. Plus, the package includes everything you need to refinish your outdated countertops.

Due to its water-based formula, the topcoat doesn’t do any harm to the applied paint. Also, the formula makes it easy to clean up the mess when you’re done coating your countertop surface. Keep in mind that the whole process takes 7 days to complete, and you have to turn off the pilot lights before applying the topcoat.

Pros
  • The paint kit provides a premium stone look to your worn-out countertops
  • Clear, glossy, and long-lasting top coating
  • Comes in 4 natural stone colors
  • Package includes all the necessary equipment
Cons
  • Application process can be messy

Verdict

Purchase this paint kit if you want to completely change the look of your old countertops without any demolition. The topcoat will maintain the gorgeous look of granite stone for years.

Final Words

So that was pretty much everything. To choose the best top coat for painted countertops, it’s important to select which type of topcoat will suit the surface and paint of your countertop.

If your countertop has a water-based paint layer, any type of topcoat will go well with it. However, epoxy resin isn’t a good choice for oil-based painted surfaces. In case you’re still undecided about which one to pick, we recommend you go for the General Finishes High Performance Topcoat for the best results.