Faux Marble Microwave With Contact Paper
4 Materials
$12
2 Hours
Medium
If you want to add a little bit of fun to your kitchen this is a great and easy way to add a splash of character. Contact paper used to just be some ugly stuff you would use to line your drawers with, but it has come a LONG way. These days people are making things look like swanky marble with some simple contact paper. Adding contact paper to a small appliance is a cheap and temporary way to give your kitchen a little upgrade. I mean who wouldn't want a marble microwave? We want to help you DIY, so some of the materials in this post are linked to sellers. Just so you know, Hometalk may collect a small share of sales from the links on this page.
SUPPLIES: -Microwave -Contact Paper (I chose a marble finish) -Painter's Taping Knife -Rag -X-Acto Knife
STEP 1: Clean your microwave Clean your microwave so that there is no dirt or dust on the surface.
STEP 2: Peel and stick the contact paper Peel back a small portion of the backing to the contact paper and stick it to the bottom corner on one side of the microwave. Press any air bubbles out from under the paper with a hard flat surface. You can use a painter's taping knife or a credit card or something of that sort. You can also smooth most of it out with your hands. Slowly peel back more of the backing and repeat pressing the bubbles out as you go until you reach the bottom of the other side. (Apply the contact paper over the entire body of the microwave.)
STEP 3: Cut away the excess Use an X-acto knife to cut any excess away from the edges of the microwave, giving it a nice clean line.
STEP 4: Cut out the vent area Most microwaves have vents on the side and they can't be covered, so you will have to cut away the contact paper that is covering each of these holes. This is a time consumer, but also kind of satisfying... then again, I love tedious tasks sometimes, soooo to each their own hehe.
STEP 5: Cover the front part Now that the large portion of the microwave is covered it is time to move onto the door. My husband liked it with the front being silver, but I wound up covering the whole thing to see what it would look like. First use a small piece to cover the side portion with the buttons. (Your microwave may be different, so this part may have to be completed differently, but it should still use the same techniques) For the corners, cut a small slit from the tip of the corner out. Fold one flap in and then the other over top. Cut any excess away from the outer edges as you did for the body of the microwave.
STEP 6: Cut away the button part Obviously you will need to uncover the buttons, so carefully cut away the contact paper that is covering this area with your X-acto knife.
STEP 7: Measure and cover the door The only thing left to cover is the door! First place a large piece over the front starting at the top and allowing enough clearance for the top to be folded over the top ledge of the door. Now cut directly above and beneath the handle so that you are simply covering the outer trim that surrounds the door. Cut out the majority of the window space as well.
For the corners, use the same technique you did for the front flap in after the other.
At this point cut the outer edge away as well and fold all edges over so that all the trim is covered.
STEP 8: Make sure everything in covered As you can see in the picture above there is still a small strip that is uncovered. Take a small strip and place it so that it lines up evenly with the upper and bottom rims edges and blends nicely. Fold it around the edge smoothing out bubbles as you go. Trim away any excess.
STEP 9: Trim away the rough edges Now take your X-acto knife and trim away any rough edges so that the window is completely clear and cleanly outlined. I left a bit of the stainless steel showing because it was curved and the contact paper didn't stick well, plus it looked like an accent edge, so I thought it looked nice uncovered. I also didn't cover the handle as I felt that it would look chunky and awkward.
I honestly didn't know if this would look good at all, but I kinda think it is fun! It is a great way to add a fun piece to your kitchen, plus it isn't permanent, so if you hate it you can take it right off!
If only they made real marble microwaves! This makes me want one haha... not that I use my microwave much, but it would still be fun. I know some people may get worried about heat, but honestly people cover their ovens with contact paper and those get much warmer than microwaves. Not to mention I tested mine first and the sides don't get hot. Plus uncovering the vents allows it to operate as normal. I used it afterward just to see, and everything was fine!
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Comments
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2 of 90 comments
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It looks great! I did my Frig about 10 yrs ago and it still looks fabulous! Holding up very well. I have done many floors, dishwashers, garbage cans, windows, car windows, mirrors, picture frames the glass, coffee tables toys laptop covers. If you can think it, it will work! I have many different patterns of contact paper. Do it!
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YES! Thanks 😁😃🤗
Frequently asked questions
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Would this work on my kitchen counter tops. They're old and have some permanent stains. I'm only renting so I don't want a permanent solution.