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Creative technologies

Spruce up your home: decorate your kitchen, doors and furniture with stickers

Fabian
3 min read

Is your flat showing its age, and have your kitchen, doors and furniture lost their lustre? Then spruce up your flat now by covering kitchen fronts, door panels, tables, chests of drawers and more with high-quality adhesive film! There are plenty of colours and designs to choose from!

As a little gift from YOW! to all our blog readers, here’s a 15 per cent discount voucher on all self-adhesive films for your upcoming renovation projects – valid up to and including 15 January 2014: UDXBG3UV

An old kitchen with a new lease of life

An older kitchen with cabinet fronts in a light wood finish, a grey-and-white tiled splashback and a sink – an example of kitchen cabinet fronts suitable for covering with film

To give old kitchen fronts a new lease of life, simply re-cover the doors with adhesive film – ideally usingthe ‘wet application’method. We recommend the Ritrama PRO series or Oracal 751C for this. For special designs and patterns, we recommend Oracal 975 Structure Design.

A kitchen with high-gloss dark blue fronts and silver handles – this is what kitchen doors can look like when they’ve been re-covered with adhesive film
A kitchen with cabinet fronts covered in glossy yellow-green foil, a stainless steel extractor hood and a dark wooden worktop, as an example of kitchen doors with new foil finishes
A kitchen with turquoise-blue foil-covered cupboard fronts, a black splashback and a built-in oven, as an example of kitchen fronts refurbished using adhesive film

When applying film to a surface over its entire area, it is vital that the surface to be covered is thoroughly cleaned and degreased so that the film adheres completely and is free of debris. It is advisable to test the material on an inconspicuous area before proceeding. As a rule, however, the film adheres to all surfaces without any problems and can be removed at any time without leaving any residue. Any adhesive residue could also be tackled with a special adhesive remover, but if you’re applying the film to a kitchen, it’s usually for a good reason.

Useful tools include a spray bottle containing a mild washing-up liquid solution forwet application(simply add 1 drop of washing-up liquid to 1 litre of water, e.g. in a spray bottle), a squeegee (or, if necessary, a credit card or a shower screen squeegee) for smoothing and spreading the film, and a small needle for pricking any bubbles.

When applying the film, it is advisable to remove the fronts where possible, though applying it to a fitted kitchen is also no problem. Handles and knobs should be removed. Moisten the cleaned and degreased surface evenly with the washing-up liquid solution, then place the appropriate film loosely over the surface and align it. The great advantage of wet application is that the film can be easily moved into the correct position. Once this has been achieved, simply press the film down from the centre outwards towards the sides and smooth out the water with a plastic squeegee. Use the needle to prick any bubbles that may have formed. The surface should be used with care until the water has completely evaporated, to prevent the film from accidentally peeling off, particularly at the edges.

Once the film has dried, the kitchen is ready for immediate use; the surfaces covered with the film are just as robust and suitable for everyday use as before. And, of course, they can be cleaned too…

Re-covering doors, door leaves and door frames

A closed orange-brown wooden door with a white frame in the hallway next to a radiator; its condition before being covered with film

Much like kitchen fronts, door leaves can also be enhanced by removing the door leaf, taking off the handles and applying the new film to the cleaned door. The same procedure can be followed for door frames, although these usually need to be covered whilst still fitted. We also recommend theRitrama PRO seriesorOracal 751C as suitable self-adhesive films for this purpose. For special designs and patterns,Oracal 975 Structure Designis recommended.

Two interior doors with frames, one with red foil and one with yellow foil, fitted with silver door handles – an example of door leaves with new foil cladding

The bonding technique is the same as for the kitchen fronts described above.

Re-upholstering furniture

Table with a wood-effect top and a dark metal frame on a tiled floor; the surface shows light signs of wear; condition prior to applying the sticker

Following a similar approach, chests of drawers, tables, cupboards, TV stands and much more can also be given a ‘new lease of life’ and bring you fresh joy once again.

A square table with a matt black tabletop, after being covered with self-adhesive film, in a kitchen with a tiled floor and wooden cupboards
Tags Adhesive film Wet bonding Furniture

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