Step By Step Process To Apply Wallpaper To Kitchen Countertops
Wallpaper is a kind of design process that are not just for walls, it can also be used to cover cabinets, line shelves as well as turn old dressers into conversation pieces. Wallpaper is the best way when it comes to turning an old laminate countertop into the center of attention of a freshly painted as well as remodeled kitchen. To keep away from making it dirty or untidy with contact cement or wallpaper adhesive, it is important to use pre-glued vinyl wallpaper, which is thick and resilient enough in order to survive the blows of kitchen knives. If you are looking for the pattern on a non-glued paper product, then you should be ready to protect it with several coats of polyurethane.
- Make Any Needed Repairs: Make any necessary repairs to the countertop, such as gluing down lifting laminate using contact cement as well as filling holes using wood filler. It is not important to make perfect repairs, instead, you have to make sure the surface is flat, you will notice any bulging or depressions underneath the wallpaper.
- Clean The Countertop: Now, clean the countertop with the help of a strong detergent in order to get rid of grease and grime that could keep away the wallpaper from sticking. Combine or put together 1/2 cup of trisodium phosphate with a gallon of warm water. Wear gloves and goggles, before wiping down all the surfaces you plan to cover, with the help a sponge. Rinse with clear water, before allowing everything to dry.
- Use A Roll Of Wallpaper: Take a wide roll of wallpaper in order to cover the countertop from the backsplash to the outside edge of the current covering. There is no need to create a seam anywhere on the horizontal surface. Unroll it lengthwise before cutting what you need from the roll. Allow a few extra inches on both the ends.
- Fit The Wallpaper On The Counter: Fit the wallpaper on the counter before making any cuts you need to fit it around obstructions, including the sink and faucet, with the help of a utility knife. These cuts need not to be accurate but it is better to cut around the obstacles after you put down the wallpaper but you need to take out any excess that prevents you from laying the wallpaper flat.
- Apply Adhesive On The Countertop: Apply adhesive on the countertop if you are not using a pre-glued product. One of the best adhesives to use is contact cement, but wallpaper adhesive also works. Apply a thin layer of adhesive, with the help a paintbrush. You need to open the windows for better ventilation as well as wear a respirator when using contact cement.
- Lay The Wallpaper: Lay the wallpaper at one end of the countertop, & make sure to allow an inch or two to expand up through the wall, you can cut this later. Lay the paper slowly, & work any air bubbles in the direction of the leading edge with the help of a plastic paint scraper. If you are using pre-glued paper, pull out the backing as you lay the paper.
- Apply Clear Polyurethane Finish: Cut around the sink, faucet as well as any other hindrances, with the help of a sharp utility knife. Make the cuts as accurate as you possibly can, however, don't worry if the knife slips, you can hide mistakes with caulk. Put or spread two or three coats of clear polyurethane finish to the countertop if you are using a paper product. There is no need to coat vinyl paper, but you can for extra protection. Sand each coat using 320-grit sandpaper before applying the next in order to get a smooth, glossy surface.
- Use Clear Silicone Caulk: Seal the edges of the paper that are in opposition to the wall and around the sink and faucet using clear silicone caulk. The caulk will help prevent water from getting underneath the paper, and it also stops the edges from lifting.