Did you know you can get the look of stainless-steel appliances for cheap?! Use stainless steel contact paper to cover your refrigerator or dishwasher in about an hour. This DIY project looks great too and holds up over time with the right prep.
When we remodeled the kitchen, I didn’t have all new appliances in the budget and the dishwasher was actually functioning pretty well. So we decided to put our money towards building a kitchen island, new countertops, and adding more cabinet storage.
But the dishwasher was still saved! I upgraded by covering the dishwasher in stainless steel contact paper. Yes, you read that right! Contact paper! And years later, it held up very well until we eventually replaced the appliances.
I often get questions about this project. How does it hold up to heat and steam? Does it actually look like stainless steel? Is the contact paper waterproof? Does it leave any sticky residue or damage walls when you remove it? All the details are included!
Supplies
- Contact Paper – These come in rolls like this or in sheets that are made for dishwasher size. I like the sheets because it will leave less seams.
- Credit Card or Plastic scraper
- Pin or Sewing Needle (optional)
- All-purpose cleaner that won’t leave a residue. I used Windex because it dries fast.
Tips for using contact paper on an appliance
1. This is a 2-person job. It depends on the direction of the contact paper. For large horizontal sheets, it’s much easier if one person holds the sheet straight and pulls the backing while the other smooths it out.
2. Take measurements beforehand. You want to make sure the sheets will be large enough for your project.
3. Bubbles. 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. Where to buy? I purchased my stainless-steel contact paper here. It really does look like authentic; it has the horizontal lines and matches my real stainless fridge exactly. It also has a great adhesive and I have not had problems with the edges. I would not recommend purchasing any ol’ contact paper you find from the grocery store, as some of those are thinner and have less durable adhesive.
5. How does it hold up? This project looked good as new 2 years after I did it. The dishwasher broke around that time, so we had to replace it. However, I think it would have lasted at least a few more!
6. Want to avoid seams? There are rolls that come in more sizes for all kinds of appliances and even countertop width! These weren’t available years ago when I did this project, but I definitely would have went with this option.
7. Heat and water. I never had a problem with this brand pulling up at the edges even though the dishwasher gets quite warm, and steam came out the sides. Contact paper is usually waterproof, so that should not be a concern if the paper is applied well. I will say I have not tried this on an oven, so I am not sure that would work.
Our Project Step by Step
Much like my recipe posts, there are full instructions in the card at the bottom of this post that can be printed. I am sharing our particular project here for a few tips and decisions we made.
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. Before starting I cleaned it thoroughly with Windex (no residue) and made sure it was cool and dry.
Because of the lines in the paper, we had to lay this horizontally from left to right. Since it is a vertical surface, I highly recommend two people so a partner can hold the sheet as you smooth it down. We did the bottom as a separate piece.
If you pay attention to the dishwasher, you may notice that the sheet was about 1 inch short of the top part. Therefore, we do have a seam on ours. It doesn’t bother me, but there are much better sizes available today so that you won’t get seams on dishwashers or refrigerators.
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, so the above photo is the same technique that 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. Fold the top and bottom down first, wrapping around the side edges a bit. Then the sides are smoothed down, overlapping the previously laid bits. This ensures no gaps in the corners.
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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 and the sides.
FAQs
It depends on the brand and the strength of the adhesive. Some are made to be repositionable or renter friendly, but If walls are painted in flat paint or have surface problems, the contact paper may damage the walls on removal. In small spaces, you can add the contact paper to a thin plywood board and then nail to the wall. Then the contact paper is very easy to remove with no damage.
This is not a good idea because contact paper can scratch and will not prevent water damage. If the surface below (tile, grout, etc) is not sealed, water can seep behind the paper and cause much bigger problems than ugly tile.
Yes! Use a good quality contact paper that has a durable adhesive backing for best results. Make sure the surface is clean and don’t forget to wrap around the sides for best effect.
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How to Use Stainless Steel Contact Paper
Tools
- Scissors
Supplies
- Stainless Steel Contact Paper
- Plastic Scraper or Credit Card
- Windex
Instructions
- First, clean and dry your surface thoroughly. Determine if your sheets will need to be laid vertically or horizontally, which can differ depending on the pattern and surface you are working on.
- Cut the sheet of contact paper to size with a little extra to wrap around the sides.
- Gently peel the top line of the backing down several inches evenly, making sure that it does not roll back on itself. Line up the edge along the top of the surface and press down firmly along that edge when you have it straight. If your edge is not perfectly straight, you can overlap the edge about an inch and remove excess with a razor knife and smoothing tool.
- A few inches at a time, continue removing the backing from underneath, pressing the contact paper down as you go. Pulling the roll taut with one hand and sliding a scraper or credit card (to smooth the paper) towards the roll helps. This prevents air bubbles. Don't try to stick the entire sheet down and then smooth – a few inches at a time is much easier.
- Once you have the front side done, wrap around the corners and continue smoothing. Remove any excess with a razor knife.
Amy Bui says
What a genius and affordable idea! Love it!
Amy | Canary Street Crafts says
This looks amazing! It looks like the real thing and you can’t go wrong with the price! Great option if you’re renting or just don’t have the budget for new appliances.
Lorelai @ Life With Lorelai says
Hi, Rachel, I’m just stopping by to let you know that your 10 resume Tips is a FEATURED POST at the #HomeMattersParty #37 this week. Congratulations! 🙂 Don’t forget to check out the other featured bloggers.
Lorelai & Kristen
Rachel says
Wow! Thank you so much Lorelai! I just got back from vacation this week and this is a wonderful surprise!
Lorelai @ Life With Lorelai says
Hope you had a marvelous and relaxing time! We loved your dishwasher makeover at the #HomeMattersParty 🙂
Vineta says
Wow, great idea! We have a stainless refrigerator but a black dishwasher. Doing this should tide me over until we redo our kitchen.
All that's Jas says
WOW, it looks great! Thanks for sharing at Thursday Favorite Things!
Shantel says
Oh WOW! I want to try this so bad now!
Christine | Where The Smiles Have Been says
This looks AMAZING! You’re so right…..it does look like the real thing! Thanks for the great idea and tutorial!
Kristen from The road to domestication says
A beautiful idea! You’re right, you can’t beat it for $10! Thanks so much for taking the time to link up with us over at the #HomeMattersParty – we hope to see you again next week! Feel free to bring a friend 🙂
Katherines Corner says
this is a terrific and thrifty makeover, love it!Thank you for sharing at the Thursday Favorite Things blog hop. xo
Megin says
What a great idea ~ this makes a huge difference!
Thank you for sharing this at Brag About It Link Party on VMG206.
~ Megin of VMG206
Rachel says
Thank you so much, Megan! Saving money while updating is a great match!
the cape on the corner says
i wish my dishwasher was a flat front so i could do this to it! ugh. such a great fix.
b
Travel Animal Doctor says
Wow that is extremely practical and could save someone A LOT of money. What an amazing idea.
HOlly says
That’s awesome! Small prices for huge differences are the best!
Trish says
Wow!! Thanks for this idea. I purchased new appliances for my kitchen because of a fire. The dishwasher didn’t work and needed to be replace prior to the fire. So, that purchase was on me. I had purchased a stainless steel refrigerator because I decided I wanted to go from white to stainless steel. Well, later I ran across a over 500.00 dishwasher for 200.00. But it is white. I couldn’t let that deal pass by. Besides, if it would have been more than 200.00…I wouldn’t have been able to afford it. I didn’t know about the stainless steel contact paper. So, thank you…thank you…thank you.
Rachel says
So glad to have helped! Budgets can be grueling, I know. I recently purchased some kitchen cabinets off of craigslist for my office desk for cheap. No way I would have been able to afford those new. Aren’t unpassable deals the best thing ever??
Erlene says
Wow that’s so cool! It looks like a brand new dishwasher with the contact paper. Now you have me thinking what I can wrap with this paper…lol.