Self-adhesive film on the refrigerator: how to paste over +50 photos

If the appearance of the old refrigerator leaves a lot to be desired or it simply does not fit into the new design, but according to the rest of the indicators, it completely suits you, do not rush to abandon the old and reliable "Friend". Its appearance can be changed beyond recognition in just a couple of hours with your own hands. Solving this problem will not require serious financial investments from you. All you need is a self-adhesive film for the refrigerator and a little diligence.

Peculiarities

There is a huge selection of films for decoration on the market today. The variety of shades, patterns and textures is off the charts. Among them:

• monochromatic products of any color;
• canvases covered with all kinds of patterns, floral and plant ornaments;
• imitation of building materials - wood, stone, brick, concrete;
• photographs of movie stars and landmarks;
• natural motives;
• animal prints;
• abstraction.

With custom order, you can print any image you can imagine on film. There are no restrictions and if you want your family members to smile at you from the refrigerator door, this is also not impossible.

The films can be divided into separate categories according to the type of surface. The texture of the material can be:

• glossy;
• matte;
• mirrored;
• textured;
• embossed;
• metallized.

Such a variety of the presented material will allow you to design a refrigerator in any style and color scheme.

Advantages and disadvantages

Before going to the store for self-adhesive, it is worth considering in detail its positive and negative sides and only after that make a decision.

The main advantages of the film include the following features:

• the budgetary cost that makes film a generally available material;
• rich palette of shades, excellent selection of prints and textures;
• allows you to hide stubborn stains, small scratches and chips on the surface of the refrigerator;
• protects the paintwork from possible damage;
• lasts a long time without fading and discoloration;
• not afraid of moisture and detergents, so regular washing does not cause any damage to the coating;
• able to serve for many years, while maintaining a presentable appearance;
• simple installation - it is quite possible to cover the refrigerator with your own hands.

The only drawback of the film is its inability to smooth out irregularities in the base. It is necessary to exclude the ingress of foreign particles under the material. For perfect fixation of the canvas, you will have to thoroughly clean and degrease the surface of the refrigerator.

How to choose

The downside of the wide variety of films is that it is difficult for an inexperienced person to understand all this abundance and choose a product taking into account all the significant nuances.

Film properties

There are films from various manufacturers on the market, and the image quality, material thickness and its cost depend on this. Acceptable cost and taste should not be the deciding factors when choosing a product. It is important to take into account that the refrigerator will be located in a room where high humidity and temperature are present by default. In addition, in the kitchen, the appliance will be exposed to frequent attacks from splashing grease and other contaminants. Therefore, the most significant characteristics for self-adhesive will be the following indicators:

• water resistance - the appearance of the product should not suffer from the effects of steam, settling condensate, water and detergents;
• resistance to sunlight - the picture must retain the brightness of the colors throughout the entire operational period;
• abrasion resistance - the coating must courageously withstand numerous cleanings, without which the kitchen appliance simply cannot do.

In order not to be mistaken with the choice, before buying, you must familiarize yourself with the characteristics of the material and the manufacturer's warranties.

When choosing a material, first of all, you need to pay attention to:

• components that were used to manufacture products. The main substance can be used - polyester, propylene, polyvinyl chloride. In addition, the composition contains various plasticizers and stabilizers. The rigidity of the future film depends on which plasticizers were added. Various fabrics and paper are sometimes used;
• glue - most often acrylic, rubber or silicone is used;
• material structure - single or double layer;
• surface type - glossy, matte, mirror;
• purpose - when choosing a film, you need to consider where it will be used;
• decorative qualities.

Drawing

The main advantage of self-adhesive is a huge selection of all kinds of prints. This provides the designer with complete freedom of action, allows you to create without holding back your imagination and come up with the most unexpected options.

It is very important to take into account certain requirements when choosing a particular pattern.

1. The size. The fragment located in the center of the film should not be distorted, therefore its dimensions should not be larger than the surface to be pasted.
2. Form. It should be borne in mind that the refrigerator has a rectangular shape, and its height always exceeds its width. Therefore, it is better to choose vertically oriented pictures.
3. Subject. Abstract images, macro photographs, animal prints, ornaments and patterns, collage compositions, panoramic photographs will look great on the refrigerator;
4. Permission. The clarity and quality of the image depends on the number of pixels per cm of film.
5. Style. Focus on the chosen direction. For the Provence kitchen, a film with the image of flowers or rural landscapes is perfect, the Japanese style will decorate the image of sakura, and for the high-tech style it is better to choose abstraction and geometric shapes.

Method and quality of printing

There are various technologies for printing images on self-adhesive.

1. Silk-screen printing. It is most often used for printing advertising products and allows you to get a high-quality image that is resistant to external factors. It is used when drawing pictures on vinyl, metallized or holographic films of various shades.
2. Digital printing using solvent or eco-solvent inks, thanks to which it is possible to achieve full and correct reproduction of shades. The deep penetration of ink into the film structure ensures the durability of the image. This technology is most often used in the creation of films for the interior.
3. Offset printing. In this case, the transfer of the inscription is carried out in 2 stages - first to the rubberized drum, and then to the film.
4. Large format printing. The ability to create large-sized products allows you to use them for the manufacture of display posters, banners, decor for the facade and flooring. The quality of the images is complemented by their durability - the service life can be plus or minus 3 years.
5. Flexo printing. A special roller is used to print images.

The size

In order for the picture to retain its quality when printed, its size should be approximately equal to the area of ​​the product that is planned to be decorated. This parameter is usually specified in pixels. To convert these values ​​to the metric system, you need to know that approximately 38 pixels can fit at a distance of 1 cm. Based on this, you can calculate that if the height of your refrigerator is 180 and the width is 55, then you should choose images with a size of 6800 by 2090 pixels. Since it is unlikely that it will be possible to find a suitable drawing with such parameters in the public domain, it is better to use the filing cabinet of a company that prints on film. Most often, the service for creating a layout is free, provided that you order the decoration of the film in this company.

How to glue it yourself

Decorating the refrigerator is carried out in several stages. The procedure is quite simple to perform, so it is quite possible to cope with it on your own. Take your time while working, especially if you are using an expensive exclusive image. You need to act very carefully and carefully so as not to spoil the material.

Required tools and materials

First of all, prepare the following tools and materials:

• self-adhesive film;
• marker or pencil;
• putty knife;
• spray;
• scissors;
• dishwashing liquid;
• alcohol;
• a dry microfiber cloth.

Surface preparation

At this stage, you should start preparing the refrigerator. The device must be freed from food, disconnected, thawed and washed thoroughly. After that, you need to dismantle all the existing fittings. This must be done in order to be able to apply the film as a single sheet without the formation of joints and folds. To do this job correctly, read the instructions for your refrigerator. If you are new to the application of film, we recommend removing the door, as it is much easier to work with surfaces that are in a horizontal position. If you have sufficient experience, this stage can be excluded.

The entire surface to be glued must be clean and free from grease. Use liquid dish soap for washing, and then treat the base with alcohol. Make sure there are no debris on the surface. Even the smallest of them will show through the film and spoil the appearance of the refrigerator. Deep scratches and chips can have the same effect, so sand them well.

Measurements and fit of the drawing

Place the cloth against the door or side of the refrigerator. Make sure the drawing fits exactly where it was supposed to be. If necessary, align the image with the boundaries of the glued surface. Leave a margin around the edges, which will be enough to form folds.

Dry gluing

Detailed master class

• We fix the strip along the edges with tape so that the picture does not move.
• We begin to glue on top of the left corner. We bend the corner and separate the base.
• We glue the adhesive part of the corner and smooth it with a cloth, starting from the center downward and then to the sides.
• We continue to gradually remove the base and glue the canvas, smoothing it from the center to the sides. Too much rush can lead to bubbles and creases. If they do form, try to expel air over the edges.

A regular needle and hairdryer will help to deal with bubbles and wrinkles. We pierce the bubbles and smooth them. Heat the resulting folds with a hair dryer and gently stretch.

• The edges of the film must be pushed with a spatula into the gap between the door and the rubber band, and the excess material must be cut off with a knife.

Wet bonding

Step-by-step instruction

1. Prepare a mild soap solution by adding a small amount of liquid dish soap to the water. It is needed to wet the outside of the refrigerator.
2. Pour the solution into a spray bottle.
3. Place the film face down on a flat surface. You can use a countertop, and if its surface is not large enough, spread the material on the floor, first covering it with a clean cloth.
4. Separate a strip of base 2-3 cm wide from the top edge and cut it off.
5. Place the adhesive tape on the top edge of the surface and smooth it out with a dry cloth. The resulting bubbles should be removed with a rubber spatula. If you can't get rid of them, just carefully pierce them with a needle and smooth out the material with a squeegee or rag.
6. Roll a piece of film with the image facing inward.
7. Spray the free surface of the door.
8. Slightly peeling off the paper base, attach the film, carefully smoothing it on top with a squeegee.
9. Check the coating regularly for bubbles and try to expel air towards the edges.
10. Dry the film and install the fittings.

How to care for the film

Caring for a refrigerator covered with foil is identical to caring for ordinary furniture. To clean the surface, use conventional gel detergents. Harsh chemicals will have to be abandoned. It is unacceptable to use coarse sponges with an abrasive layer or hard brushes.

How to remove old film

If you are tired of the colors of your refrigerator or tired of drawing, you can always get rid of the film. But it is not recommended to apply paint or glue a second layer of film in order to renew the interior over the old coating. There remains one option - the pasted material must be removed. The main question is how to remove self-adhesive while preserving the integrity of the paintwork?

Dismantling methods

1. With hot water. Try to wet the cover thoroughly and after a few minutes start peeling off the film. You can pick up a thin layer with a knife or spatula. Be careful not to damage the surface of the refrigerator.
2. If the hot water fails, use a hair dryer. We thoroughly warm the surface, returning the viscosity to the glue, so that it will be possible to tear off the film without difficulty. Ideally, you need to use a building hair dryer, since it has a high power, but if it is not available, a home hair dryer is also suitable.
3. You can replace the hair dryer with a heater with a fan. We set it to the strongest mode and direct it to the device that needs to be cleaned. When the material becomes softer and more plastic, we pry the edge of the film and carefully separate it from the surface.
4. Leftover glue can be removed with thinner, gasoline, or alcohol.

Conclusion

You can also use other techniques to decorate the refrigerator - decoupage or painting. The process of turning an old household appliance into a unique art object is a very exciting activity that you can do with your child. Suggest that he decorate the refrigerator with napkins or paint instead of ruining expensive wallpaper. A beautiful magnet will complete the composition. Take inspiration from our photo gallery, which presents a selection of real examples of decorating refrigerators.