Did you know you can get the look of stainless steel appliances for cheap?! Use Stainless Steel Contact Paper to cover your refridgerator or dishwasher and this DIY project only takes a few hours. So let’s get started!
Hello, friends! Today I am sharing how I upgraded our appliances by covering the dishwasher in contact paper. Yes, you read that right! Contact paper! When we remodeled our kitchen, I was in an “all black must go” kind of mood. Still am, actually. But in my thrifty DIY adventures, I hate throwing out something that is functioning well. So we decided that covering the dishwasher front was the best way to go for now.
This is the original dishwasher and, apparently, it is pretty hard to photograph scratches on black but it had a few deep scratches, a lot of abrasion scratches, and a few dings.
Supplies
- Contact Paper – These come in rolls like this or in sheets that are made for dishwasher size. I like the sheets – less lines.
- Credit Card or Other Stiff plastic like a plastic scraper
- Pin or Sewing Needle (optional)
Tips for using contact paper on an appliance
1. I won’t lie, this is a 2 person job. It’s not hard though and the whole thing took about 1 hour to put on (I am slow and precise).
2. A couple of friends have made the comment “Oh, you must have a lot of patience”. I sort of scoff at that because although it is tedious I suppose, it’s a relatively small area. I am proud because it really does look great and authentic.
3. If you do get a small bubble that you can’t smooth out, use a sewing needle and poke a super-tiny hole to release the air and flatten it out.
4. I purchased my stainless steel contact paper here. It really does look like stainless steel appliances, it has the horizontal lines and matches my real stainless fridge exactly.
5. The after picture was taken 4 months after installation. We run the dishwasher almost every day and I worried that the heat and potential steam from the dishwasher would affect the contact paper over time. It hasn’t, but I did make sure the wrapped sides were firmly attached to the dishwasher glass well with no loose ends.
Contact Paper Instructions
First, clean and dry your surface thoroughly. Starting with the top part of the dishwasher, cut the sheet of contact paper to size so that it wraps around each side (I cut mine a little larger just in case).
Gently peel the backing down several inches evenly, making sure that it does not roll back on itself. I highly recommend two people so one can hold it away from the surface as you smooth it down. As you can see above, my husband was asleep when I decided to do the bottom of the dishwasher. I felt more confident since this was a much smaller sheet.
Line up the top of the contact paper where you want it so that only the tip touches the surface. Your assistant’s job is to hold the working material so that it doesn’t touch the appliance or fold back on itself. Using a credit card or flat plastic scraper (not metal), move evenly from one side to the other, moving in the direction of the stainless grain. Move horizontal 1-2 inches, then even out vertically.
Watch for any bubbles as you work and push them out or lift the contact paper back up a bit and redo. Patience is key. The picture of this technique was unrecognizable, but this is the same technique as I use with wallpaper.
Covering the dishwasher was a bit trickier with the corners. After cutting the sheet, I smoothed out the front and then cut these wings on the sides. This way I could fold the top and bottom down first, wrapping around the side edges a bit. Then the sides are smoothed down and the excess is cut off.
Looking For More Easy Upgrades for the Home? Look no further!:
- Repairing Baseboards like a Pro
- Upgrading Kitchen Cabinets with Trim
- Peel and Stick Backsplash Idea
- How we Built Our Breakfast Bar
Tada! I think it is pretty awesome for $10. If your looking for where to buy contact paper that looks like stainless steel, here is a really large product that should work!
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Cindy says
I am so happy that I found your blog on Pinterest. I want to simply cover the handles of my refrigerator, so I have ordered this contact paper. Do you have any tips for applying it to a rounded surface like an appliance handle?
Rachel says
That’s a great idea for making wiping smudges and things off! The main tip that I find useful is to have two people – one to hold the excess sheet away and the other to slowly smooth it down from one end to the other. That way you get it well bonded and without bubbles. For a rounded surface, I would probably smooth right up the center where it is flat and then wrap around slowly using a plastic card to smooth.
Samantha says
What is the contact paper you used? Can you provide a link? All the stainless contact paper I find isn’t wide enough so you have to use two pieces side by side to cover the whole door.
Rachel says
Hi! The contact paper that I used was from home depot but you can also find it on Amazon here. The 18 inches is about 1 inch short for my style of dishwasher but you have to really look to notice it as I lined the pieces up pretty well to cover the whole area. However, if you have a larger or completely flat fronted dishwasher, there is this one and it even works with refrigerators. I haven’t tried it personally, but I also found this magnetic option that seems rated highly I hope that helps!