When we first stepped into our boat, we saw potential, but also some of the paradoxically ravaging powers of neglect. Since the galley lies just inside the companionway under a clear acrylic hatch, it bore most of the brunt of the sun damage. As such, most of the veneer had cracked, splintered, and came off in layers like birch bark, leaving lots of surface variation.
We started by carefully stripping off some of the damaged veneer, and we both worked on carefully sanding all galley sides and surfaces to even layers. Then, I persuaded Joel to let me paint the sides a bright, sun-reflecting Hatteras White (Jamestown Distributors). I chose to leave the sliding port galley compartment in it’s original wood for contrast, so a decent amount of taping was required for this project.
For the actual countertop, we agreed the best option was to use a countertop paint. We wanted the look of modern counters without the weight or burden of alternatives, so we settled on Giani Countertop Paint. Since I’m more handy with brushes in the artistic sense, Joel left this part to me. Giani has a three-part process that is simple to follow even if you’re not artistically savvy. After cleaning the area, simply roll on their primer (allow dry time), sponge on the “minerals” layer (you can use a small paintbrush to get some of the lines commonly seen in marble if desired), and then apply the clear coat (again, after the required dry time). We were super pleased with our results. Now, our galley is bright, clean, and functional. See for yourself 🙂
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