Painting/Epoxy Countertops - Yes, it's ok, or NO RUN SCREAMING INTO THE NIGHT!

I would avoid using paint or epoxy on countertops. Here is why. First they are not durable, second if the finish is not certified food safe, avoid it. Third, there are alternatives to paint that are a better look and are not that expensive. A lot more durable, easier to maintain and clean is a tile or stone top. Now, hold on, don’t go ballistic yet be cause of cost, just hear me out. This takes some effort on your part, but can pay off big in the long run by costing you cents on the dollar.
Have you considered either tile or stone? They are much more kitchen friendly than paint or epoxy.
You need to shop some of your local tile stores and big lot brokers. There are deals out there for both stone and tile, that these guys are willing to make. It is a buyers market. If you don’t believe me, here’s an example. My wife and I wanted to put down a pre-finished hardwood flooring down in our living room and dining room about 800 square ft., I paid $792.00 for 800 sq. ft. of prefinished clear Canadian Hard Maple flooring, that’s $0.99 a square foot. Why, cause a contractor bailed on an order and was occupying valuable space and not moving. Our kitchen is a galley style, I wanted travertine stone tiles for the floor, I found them and bought them for $1.29 a sq. ft., they normally would have sold for $3.29 to $3.75 a sq. ft. The deals are out there, you just need to look farther and deeper for them.
You can even work out deals with some of these guys. Pay for the tile over two pay periods. Some offer no payments for a year. The smaller guys are going to work with you, the BORG’s, not so much flexibility.
But please, no paint or epoxy

-- Methods are many,Principles are few.Methods change often,Principles never do.