Boys and girls do I have a surprise for you. You’re in for a TREAT today. This DIY is for you renters and homeowners alike who are sick of their dated, ugly, stained up countertops. I transformed my ugly rental countertops into gorgeous faux-soapstone granite countertops in one day and spent less than $100 doing it. Yeah. I have your attention now!! For years I have lived with ugly countertops and WHYYYY??? Because I didn’t know about this product! But now that I know, I’m passing it onto you. Because I care. I care for you. Truly. I know how frustrating it is to live in a home that you don’t LOVE.
Make sure to check out all my rental hacks here.
First off, this isn’t like the regular contact paper.
This faux soapstone peel and stick contact paper is not like regular ole’ contact paper. Oh, no it’s not. This stuff is THICK and DURABLE. This is premium peel and stick. It’s made with PET and PVC (like the stuff they use on vinyl flooring!). AND it’s bubble resistant. This peel and stick paper has 5 layers with a non-toxic water-based adhesive.
It has a high gloss finish topcoat that is stain, tear, and wear resistant and it resist heat up to 240 degrees Fahrenheit. It’s produced using recycled plastics in an ISO certified facility.
The water based adhesive cures over a 2-3 day period, but don’t let that stop you from enjoying your new countertop right away. It just means that it will be completely within 48 hours and become even better with time.
You can use this contact paper over any smooth surface (including laminate, corian, formica, ceramic tile, butcher block, cultured marble, traditional granite).
HOW-TO + TIPS
Make sure you know how much film you will need. You can find how to measure your surface here.
When you first get your roll of film, unroll it completely while putting weights on both ends. This will give it time to acclimate and make it much easier to work with so you’re not fighting against the folds.
You need to clean your countertop. Make sure you get rid of any grease, crumbs, etc…I used this ammonia-free multi-surface cleaner.
Grab a friend and get to work. Using a spray bottle, wet your counter. You need it to be really wet so that it’s easier to work with. Don’t worry about getting it too wet; the wetter the better. This will allow you time to get it adjusted correctly before committing. This stuff is SUPER strong so once it’s in place it’s really hard to move.
You can remove your sink or cut around it. We chose to cut around the sink. If you know how to remove a sink, it may be the best option for you. We just didn’t know how to remove the sink.
My rental countertop had a lip that went up about 5 inches on the wall. We started from the top of the lip and rolled it down to the bottom. However, I think it would have been best to start from the bottom and work your way up to the lip. This will allow you to really get into the lip crease much easier.
Brandon and I were soooo nervous about doing this. We thought we would mess it up. The key is to take your time. Have patience and make sure you have a helping hand! I could not have done this without Brandons help.
After you have your countertop vinyl in place run your squeegee over it. The squeegee will remove all the bubbles and the water underneath.
We trimmed the excess with a box cutter. Then, flipped it under the cabinets. If underneath your cabinets aren’t smooth you will need to glue it down or use mounting tape to make sure it is in place. Or, you can cut off the excess directly underneath the cabinets without folding it underneath. If you decide to go from the bottom and work your way up to the lip, trim off the excess with an x-acto knife.
Again, take your time. Make sure you get it really tight and secure. Continue to work in sections and take your time.
If, at the end of the application you feel like it needs to be tighter onto your countertops you can use a blow-dryer to shrink it into place.
You can remove this peel and stick contact paper without any sticky residue. Sounds too good to be true, but I promise you, it’s real. And it’s amazing.
How do you feel about this project, is it something you plan to do? I would love to see your before/afters so don’t be shy! Leave a comment and show us! Make sure to check out all my rental hacks here.
SHOP THIS PROJECT
