Degrease first
Kitchen cabinets carry a thin film of cooking grease, and adhesive will not grip it. Wash doors and drawer fronts with warm water and dish soap, rinse, and let them dry completely.
Take the doors off and lay them flat. You will get straighter edges on a table than on a hinge.
Wrap the edges
Cut each piece about an inch bigger than the door on every side. Smooth the face first, then fold the extra round the edge and onto the back.
A wrapped edge cannot catch on a sleeve or a fingernail, which is how most cabinet paper starts to peel.
Counters take a beating
On a counter, the paper takes the knocks the laminate used to take. Cut on a board, keep hot pans on a trivet, and expect the front edge to wear first.
For a counter, pick a longer roll and lay one piece front to back, so there is no seam where you work.
How much paper each roll covers
Coverage is roll width times length. For cabinet work, a longer roll also means fewer joins on a tall pantry door.
| Roll | Covers | Designs | Per sq ft |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15.7 in × 6.6 ft | 8.6 sq ft | 3 | $0.81 to $1.51 |
| 17.3 in × 6.6 ft | 9.5 sq ft | 74 | $0.50 to $1.16 |
| 17.3 in × 9.8 ft | 14.2 sq ft | 8 | $0.21 to $0.91 |
| 17.3 in × 16 ft | 23.5 sq ft | 29 | $0.55 to $1.06 |
| 17.3 in × 16 ft | 23.7 sq ft | 17 | $0.67 to $0.97 |
| 17.3 in × 20 ft | 28.4 sq ft | 4 | $0.46 to $1.51 |
| 17.3 in × 32 ft | 46.3 sq ft | 12 | $0.43 to $0.65 |
| 17.3 in × 33 ft | 47.2 sq ft | 54 | $0.59 to $1.00 |
| 17.3 in × 66 ft | 94.5 sq ft | 3 | $0.80 to $0.91 |
| 17.5 in × 6.6 ft | 9.6 sq ft | 8 | $0.52 to $1.23 |
| 17.5 in × 16 ft | 23.9 sq ft | 7 | $0.67 to $0.84 |
| 17.5 in × 33 ft | 47.8 sq ft | 7 | $0.56 to $0.75 |
| 17.7 in × 4.9 ft | 7.3 sq ft | 3 | $0.96 to $0.96 |
| 17.7 in × 6.6 ft | 9.7 sq ft | 3 | $0.41 to $1.02 |
| 17.7 in × 9.8 ft | 14.5 sq ft | 10 | $0.28 to $0.69 |
| 17.7 in × 16 ft | 24.2 sq ft | 3 | $0.62 to $0.78 |
| 17.7 in × 20 ft | 29 sq ft | 5 | $0.28 to $0.55 |
| 17.7 in × 33 ft | 48.3 sq ft | 5 | $0.27 to $0.83 |
| 23.6 in × 9.8 ft | 19.3 sq ft | 5 | $1.19 to $1.55 |
| 23.6 in × 16 ft | 32.3 sq ft | 3 | $1.55 to $1.55 |
| 23.6 in × 33 ft | 64.4 sq ft | 5 | $0.78 to $1.24 |
Measure every door and drawer front, add an inch on each side for the wrap, and add the areas up. Then add about 15% for trimming.
Drawers and shelves
Clear film protects a wood or painted drawer without hiding it. A patterned paper turns a plain drawer into a small surprise every time you open it.
Line drawers with the backing grid face up while you cut, and the pieces come out square.
