I used Lye on my last batches and the finish on them was absolutely perfect.
One word of caution though, I thought I had protected everything, but a small drip on the paper covering my counter still led to some discoloration (blue Formica from the 70's so it's hard to tell what is damaged and what's just crap but still
).
To be sure you are not going to ruin a counter top cover it with plastic then with paper. The lye mixture just soaks through the paper and burns anyway. Other than that remember your chemistry rules and you'll be fine.
Paul