My explanation for why I would break a 3-pound bag of Sonic ice over the granite square tiled counter’s edge would have made Lucy Ricardo proud. With plans to gut the kitchen, I was just using a bag of ice to move the plan forward. Lucy Ricardo would have done the same thing if she had her heart set on Quartz counters. And, that is the short version of the backstory and why I can share how to build plywood counters.

When everyone knows mom really, really wants quartz counters. 

My backup explanation was to tell my husband my blog needed new countertops. It was impossible to photograph anything with mud color granite squares as a backdrop. #hashtagbloggerprobs

I closed my argument with it wasn’t like we were going to have these twenty-year-old square tiles much longer.

That was almost three years ago.

The compromise to the chipped edges and corners was to build temporary plywood kitchen counters.

My husband suggested we build plywood counters, stained to blend with our existing granite counters.

We wanted the space between the kitchen and dining room to have a finished look after we took out this wall between the kitchen and dining room.

Knocking out the wall forced us to create a temporary kitchen counter that transitioned from the dining room into the kitchen. The decision gave us time to shore up finances before we gutted the entire kitchen.

Here are the details on how to build plywood counters when mom wants quartz counters.

How to Make Plywood Counters

The supply list for plywood counters is short:

• Sheets of plywood to create the rectangular frame base (counter)
• Use construction glue add 3/4 FINISHED BIRCH plywood to the top of the frame.
• Finish the edges with 1×2″ SELECT BIRCH trim.
• Prep the stain with this step.
• Stain (we used a black stain) and finish with multiple coats of a high gloss sealer.
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Until this kitchen counter project, I did not think it was possible to create a beautiful, solid surface plywood counter. With the finished Birch plywood stacked on top of the basic plywood, it keeps the countertop costs low.

This plywood counter is so much prettier than we imagined. What started as a temporary fix, has evolved to 2+ years. Plywood counters are a great compromise or fix when you want to gut the kitchen, but other financial commitments (college tuition) push the kitchen renovation further down the list. For now, new cabinets, counters and appliances are in a holding pattern which is the quirky life when you are married to an entrepreneur. It is also the reason my husband agrees we need a better, temporary solution since I chipped out the corners of the kitchen island.

Thanks for stopping by today. Please email me any questions on this project!