Marichelle - DIY: Refurbished Wallpaper & Cans
Hello everyone! Marichelle here from Lifeflix with an easy to do project using coffee cans and leftover wallpaper scraps. I've been saving my empty coffee cans and cashew nut cans for a rainy day and since it's been raining for the past month, I finally had some time to make something useful out of them. You could also use gift wrap paper, but it's a good opportunity to use up any leftover wallpaper. Plus it's also a little thicker and easier to work with, especially if your coffee cans have the ridges on the sides. I decided to use my left over Orla Kiely scraps (perfect since I wasn't lucky enough to get a hold of her Target jars!) By the way, you could also cover these IKEA Celeber containers if you want something with lids! So here's what you're going to need:
1. wallpaper scraps (a piece long and wide enough to cover the can)
2. clean coffee cans or nut cans (you don't have to remove the labels, but check to see that the paper that you'll be using to cover the cans is opaque enough to hide the original label/design on the cans)
3. xacto knife
4. glue (I used Mod Podge)
5. sponge applicator (if you don't have one, just cut a small piece of a new dish sponge)
6. sewing tape measure and/or ruler
7. scissors or a rotary cutter (I have a rotary cutter that I use for paper, these are generally used for cutting fabric)
8. self-healing cutting mat if you're going to use a rotary cutter
This project should take you about 30 minutes per can or less. Let's get started!
Step 1. Measure can(s): This is going to be a lot easier to do if you have a sewing tape measure. You want to measure the height and around the can (circumference). If you just have a regular ruler, no problem - just goes to prove that geometry is useful after all! Measure the width of the circle and multiply this by 3.14 (yep π).
Step 2. This will give you the circumference, the actual width you'll need to cut the paper. Take the measurements and add 1/4" to both width and height. Measure and draw the rectangular piece on the reverse (no design) side of your wallpaper. You'll use the pencil marks as guides when cutting. If your wallpaper has a distinct pattern, you might want to adjust
exactly where you're going to cut the piece, making sure that the
design element you want will be included in the piece you cut.
Step 3. Cut: Carefully cut out the measured piece. Check to see if you measured correctly by taking the cut piece and wrapping it around your can. Line the paper to the bottom ridge of the can (you should leave the 1/8" raised lip at the very bottom of your can uncovered. You should also have a bit of extra paper on top and a bit of an overlap around the can.
Step 4. Glue: Sponge a thin layer of glue all over the wrong side of the wallpaper, making sure that you get the edges.
Step 5. Attach: Carefully place the sticky wallpaper onto the can, make sure you line up the bottom of the wallpaper to the bottom ridge/lip of the can. (see pic #5, see how there's 1/8" at the bottom that's not covered). Add a tiny tiny bit more glue to the very edge to make sure it's secure.
Step 6. Press down the wallpaper, careful so you don't get air bubbles. If you do get bubbles, just let them be for now. You can take a needle and carefully prick the center of the bubbles - just like you would when applying wallpaper. This will prevent you from getting unsightly folds/creases.
Step 7. You'll notice that you have a bit of extra paper hanging over the top. With your finger nail, feel the bottom of the top lip. You want to press this down and create a nice crease all around.
Step 8 & 9. Once you've created an indentation, take your xacto knife and carefully (very very carefully) cut around the can using the top lip as a guide. Make sure you cut towards the lip so you don't end up accidentally cutting more of the paper than you need to (I speak from experience).
Step 10. Ta da!
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| by Ez Wednesday, August 5, 2009 
Reader Comments (19)
Hope Ez is having a good road-trip :)
I love this idea so much and have been meaning to do for ages..just never schedule in enough time! Seeing the end product here though is very inspiring :-) Thanks for sharing!!