How to Fix Mismatched Countertops + Redo Your Deck for Less

Have you ever been embarrassed by a home decorating project you tried to tackle yourself? You’re not alone. Two of our viewers are in the same boat, so we brought in the big guns, Design pro John Gidding! Check out the video above to see his below tips in action.

MISMATCHED COUNTERTOPS
The Problem: Our first viewer, Rachel White of Wilmington, Delaware, had to rearrange her kitchen and ended up with unsightly mismatched countertops.

The Fix: To avoid having to pay for all new countertops, Gidding says to take a thick piece of plywood, sand it down and then paint it with chalkboard paint. Let the paint dry for 24 hours, then buff it with a couple of coats of paste wax. The finished product will look like high-end soapstone!

*Note: Gidding says this wax can’t handle anything too hot, so if you take a dish out of the oven, put a trivet under it rather than placing it directly on the countertop.

WEATHERED DECK
The Problem: Our second viewer, Rose McInerney of Ridgefield Park, New Jersey, powerwashed, primed, and painted her entire deck last summer. She got one good season out of it, but after the first snow, it was completely ruined. The wood is chipping and it looks like it’s falling apart.

The Fix: Gidding says to use composite deck tiles! They’re durable and fade resistant, and much cheaper (and labor intensive) than having to repaint every year. For the deck stairs, he says to use stair treads which can be painted a similar color as the deck.

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