Teak chic

Hands-on time: Less than an hour.
Total time: Add several hours for the film to fully bond to the surface.
Skill: Super easy.
Project cost: Less than $5 per adhesive roll (enough for several projects).

Materials and Tools

• Four round mirrors, 20cm in circumference (available at IKEA)
• Tall, plain glass vase, and small, square glass container
• Clear plastic frame (available at dollar stores)
• A pencil and a compass or circle template
• Scissors or a craft knife
• Steel ruler and a cutting mat
• Wood-grain decorative self-adhesive vinyl by Coates and Colours (comes in 137 cm x 45 cm rolls, in assorted patterns and colours, and is available in various discount stores)
• A straight-edged tool and a cloth
• Optional: Vitrail self-adhesive silver lead strips by Pébéo

Spring has traditionally been the time of year when kitchen cupboards and shelves are re-lined with coverings. Today, decorative self-adhesive coverings are being used to renew just about any household item to create sleek accents for a contemporary or even traditional home.

I've received quite a few letters inquiring about uses for adhesive coverings, and some readers have had trouble finding the products in stores. For this project, I used Coates and Colours, a readily available Canadian brand.

Not only is simulated wood-grain adhesive vinyl a low-cost alternative to wood veneer, it's also easy to use. The adhesive backing allows you to reposition the film during installation without leaving a sticky residue. The vinyl can be repositioned because it becomes fully bonded only after several hours.

Adhesive vinyl sticks to smooth, dry and dust-free surfaces, and is best applied at room temperature. It can even be applied to previously painted surfaces, as long as you clean them first.

Round mirrors

Unroll a length of wood-grain vinyl, and then re-roll it in the opposite direction to flatten it. On a flat surface, use a compass (or a circle template) to draw four circles of the same size (about 17.5 cm in diameter) onto the paper backing. Inside each of the circles, draw a smaller circle (about 10 cm in diameter) slightly off centre. Cut out the circles using scissors or a craft knife.

Peel off the backing, and apply a circle in the centre of each mirror. Use a cloth or a straight-edged tool to remove creases and air bubbles by applying light pressure from the middle to the outer edges of the circle. If needed, reposition to eliminate stubborn wrinkles, but be sure not to pull or stretch the shapes. Form the completed mirrors into a group, applying to a clean wall using the double-sided tape enclosed with the mirrors or with 3M Command adhesive strips.

Glass vase and container

Measure the circumference of the glass items. Place the film on a cutting mat and use a straight-edged steel ruler and a craft knife to cut several strips three centimetres longer than the required length and in various widths, using the square grid on the paper backing as a guide.

Peel the backing and apply each strip around the container, overlapping the ends. For extra appeal, apply silver lead strips over some of the wood-grain bands, or at different intervals on the glass surface.

Clear plastic frame

Cut a rectangular shape a bit smaller than the size of your frame, then cut out an opening for the picture. Peel the backing, and apply to the centre of the frame. If desired, embellish the edges with silver lead strips.

Variations

• Use adhesive vinyl to decorate boxes, serving trays, napkin rings, lampshades and more. The leftover pieces can be cut to create motifs that can be applied to various surfaces, and can even be used for scrapbook embellishing.
• Adhesive vinyl can also be used as stencils for painting. Draw designs on the backing, cut them out and apply the film to various surfaces. Paint, let dry and then remove the film.
• Pierce stubborn bubbles with a needle and squeeze the air out. To strip off old vinyl, heat it slightly with a hair dryer first.