How to Install Faux Granite Film on Countertops

Instant granite | Faux granite countertops
Image: Lisa Kaplan Gordon for HouseLogic

Yes, you can easily DIY an old countertop to look like granite.

Granite countertops aren't cheap. If you want the look without the price, you may want to try vinyl adhesive film that mimics the look.

Here's a before-and-after project that shows how to apply the film:

Before: Old Salvaged Countertop

Blond cabinets with faucet | Faux Granite Countertops
Image: Lisa Kaplan Gordon for HouseLogic

This countertop in a mudroom was salvaged from an earlier demolition project.

The film, EZ Faux, comes in a roll along with a plastic squeegee tool and a utility knife.

Hair dryer, scissors, and other tools for applying EZ Faux
Image: Lisa Kaplan Gordon for HouseLogic

It uses a wet mthod of applying, so you can reposition the film when you don’t get it right the first — or second — try:

  • Wipe the surface clean with a microfiber cloth.
  • Measure and cut the film.
  • Spritz the adhesive side with water.
  • Working from the middle to the edges, run the smoothing tool along the film to remove any puckers. 
  • For the edges, heat up the film with a hair dryer to soften it and mold it to grasp the lip.

After: It Looks Like the Real Thing

Faux granite counter with picture frame and yellow flowers
Image: Lisa Kaplan Gordon for HouseLogic

Compared to the old countertop, the new faux top looks 100% better.

Only when the sun hits the surface at a certain angle, you can see a few bubbles and puckers and realize it’s not real granite. But you've got to look at the right time.

Housing And Real Estate Expert Lisa Kaplan-Gordon
Lisa Kaplan Gordon

Lisa Kaplan Gordon is an award-winning, Pulitzer Prize-nominated writer who contributes to real estate and home improvement sites. In her spare time (yeah, right!), she gardens, manages three dogs, and plots to get her 21-year-old out of her basement.