Dear James: I would love to remodel my kitchen, but my budget must go for my kids' new shoes first. Is there any inexpensive method to improve the appearance of my old laminate kitchen countertop? — Amy P.

Dear Amy: Do not despair. There is a very inexpensive do-it-yourself method to turn an old stained plastic laminate countertop into a real work of art. It can make a dramatic improvement in the appearance of your entire kitchen. You might even get your children to help.

Although you may have never considered this before, plastic laminate makes an excellent base for paint. You can let your creative juices run wild and try stenciling your old countertop. As your budget allows, you can later stencil the walls in matching or complementary patterns.

Paint is durable, but it will not stand up to the liquids and abuse that most kitchen countertops must endure. Finish it with several coats of high-gloss flooring urethane and you now have a durable, beautiful surface.

The only thing it will not resist is cutting with a knife, so make sure to instruct your children to always use a cutting board. Realistically, though, if your kids are like most, the cutting board will stay in the cupboard. Once or twice a year, you can lightly sand the countertop surface, apply another coat of the high-gloss urethane, and it will look like new again.

Using an oil-based paint on plastic laminate will provide the best and most durable finish. It is wise to use an oil-based primer first so that the finished coat gets a good grip. The finished coats of urethane are tough, but they are really only as good as the substrate surface below them.

First, scrub the countertop with a strong detergent solution and rinse it well, then scrub it again. It is imperative that no oil or grease residues from foods are left on the surface or even the primer may not adhere well. Hand-sand it lightly with a medium-grit sandpaper on a sanding block. Follow this with fine sandpaper on the sanding block.

Use your vacuum cleaner brush attachment and remove as much of the sanding dust as possible. Wait an hour or so for any dust to settle. Often very fine dust will escape your vacuum cleaner bag and settle again on the surface. Now wipe the surface with a damp cloth to remove any traces of dust.

Apply the oil-based primer and let it dry for the amount of time specified on the can. People often think that letting primer dry "really well" for a long time first is best, but this is not true. Apply your first finish coat of oil-based pant followed by a second coat. Follow the paint manufacturer's drying time recommendations between finish coats, too.

Now comes the fun part — stenciling! The array of stencils is tremendous. Most local arts-and-craft shops have a wide selection of both simple and complex overlay stencils. If you plan to do your walls later, it is a good idea to buy all your matching stencils at the same time.

Overlay stencils, some provide a 3-D effect, are the most difficult to apply properly. Definitely practice on some old scrap pieces of wood or laminate material first. The overlay stencils will also require several different colors of oil-based paint, but only a small amount of each.

The key to a good stenciling job is to dab the paint on to the stencil. Don't brush over with a heavy painting stroke. With a little practice, you will get a feel for it. When the patterns are dry, apply the finishing coats of urethane. Lightly sand between each coat.

Send your questions to Here's How, 6906 Royalgreen Dr., Cincinnati, OH 45244 or visit www.dulley.com. To find out more about James Dulley and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.