My Magic Trick for Applying Contact Paper to Glass Surfaces

Hi guys!  A few weeks ago I found a roll of the cutest gray trellis patterned contact paper while I was picking up some stuff for another project at Lowes.  I knew it was exactly the thing I needed to clean up my fridge and give it a little makeover.  I know, I know.  Lining shelves with contact paper -- be it in the fridge or the pantry -- is hardly a novel idea.  But have you ever tried to apply contact paper to glass?  It's quite possibly the most difficult thing in the world to do and have it look good. Today I want to share a little magic with y'all to make the job the job soooooo much easier!

Here's a little example of my best attempt at applying contact paper to my glass refrigerator shelf the "old fashioned" way.  Try as I might, I could not avoid getting bubbles, which inevitably creased when I tried to scrape them out.  At one point I tried to peel the contact paper up and smooth it out again, and tore it tout suite.  But add one simple step to the process and . . . 

PERFECTION!  And in a fraction of the time.  I know you're on the edge of your seats to see how I did it, right?!  It's so simple . . . 

Just add water.

It seems counter-intuitive, doesn't it?  Water and sticky stuff usually do not make fast friends.  You just have to trust me on this one.  The contact paper will still stick -- like, really stick -- and the water makes to process of adhering it to the glass soooo much easier.

How to apply contact paper to glass the easy way:

1. Begin by cutting a piece of contact paper approximately the size of your glass shelf.  Err on the generous side because we will trim it down later.

2. Remove one shelf at a time from the fridge and clean it with warm water and dish soap.  {At least I needed to wash mine.  Your fridge may very well be cleaner than mine. Just sayin'.}  After you rinse off the soap, don't dry off the top of the shelf.

This is the look you're going for.  Then, peel off the backing of the contact paper and place it on top of the glass.  I promise, this is going to work!  

3.  Use a soft cloth to gently smooth the contact paper and push the excess water out the edges.  Just keep rubbing gently from the center to the edges until all the bubbles have been removed.  If you find a really stubborn bubble, you can poke it with a small pin and gently squeeze the water out.  {I used one of my son's insulin syringes to draw the water out, which worked liked magic.  I know not everyone has syringes at their disposal, but if you do, use 'em.}

4. After the contact paper is perfectly smooth, use an X-acto knife to trim off the excess paper around the edges for a perfect fit.  Voila!

Perfectly smooth, perfectly adhered, perfectly perfect in just a few minutes. 

I love the way it makes my boring old fridge look fresh and clean, but it can be used in so many other applications.  I first used this method years ago to put clear contact paper on the french doors in my master bedroom for a frosted glass effect.  Seriously, plain old clear contact paper on a window looks just like frosted glass, for a fraction of the cost and hassle.   It's still there and still looks as good as the day I first applied it.  

{To do a window, use a spray bottle full of plain water to spritz the glass before applying the contact paper.}

Have a great day, friends!

Amy