Do Contact Paper Countertops Hold Up – Three Year Update
Are you wondering, “Do contact paper countertops hold up?” Today, we’re looking at my DIY contact paper countertops three year update.
DO CONTACT PAPER COUNTERTOPS HOLD UP – THREE YEAR UPDATE
It’s always a (fun) challenge to figure out how to add your own style to a rental home, apartment, or even a dorm. At MWA, I’ve added a board-and-batten-like accent wall, painted my living area in an afternoon, and I’m currently adding the finishing touches to my modern coastal bathroom makeover with several temporary updates.
If you are new to My Wee Abode, one of my favorite temporary upgrades to my tiny loft apartment are the adhesive vinyl countertops in my kitchen.
Can you believe in September it will be three years since I first covered my ugly laminate countertops?
Well, since then, I’ve had quite a few people ask, “Do contact paper countertops hold up?” “How are your countertops working out?” “Would you use adhesive vinyl for your kitchen counters again?”
Well, today I’m going to give you a three year update on my DIY cheap countertops with contact paper!
DIY Cheap Contact Paper Countertops – The Bad
First, let’s talk about “the bad”.
There have only been two things that have happened that I’m not happy with since using the adhesive vinyl on my counters. Both were mistakes on my part that YOU can do differently!
When Seams Separate
The first ‘issue’ is that there is a VERY small separation where two of the pieces meet on the counter.
This only happened at this seam because I didn’t overlap the pieces. I butted them up against each other and with weather changes (I assume), it has created a minuscule parting of the seam.
However, where I did a tiny overlap of the pieces on the left of the counter, there has been no issue and it still looks lovely.
What I Would Do Next Time:
I’m actually thinking of replacing the piece on the right and placing a new piece slightly over the piece near the sink. (Just like I did on the ‘sink seam’.) But, there’s another reason I’m thinking of replacing it as well…
Too Much Heat Makes for Brittle Contact Paper
The second snafu I had with the faux marble countertops was that the corner has gotten a bit brittle and a couple of little chips have appeared. I don’t even know how or when this happened.
However, I know that I heated and reheated (with a hairdryer) the adhesive vinyl in this area. When you heat the vinyl, it becomes pliable and shapes and forms to the corner. I think I just did it too often.
The interesting thing is… chips and cracks can happen with regular laminate, too… However, you can’t replace a piece of laminate, like you can replace a sheet of vinyl. 😉
What I Would Do Next Time:
Next time, I would definitely be sure to heat the vinyl maybe two to three times at the most… I probably did it about 5 or 6 times! But now, YOU won’t make the same mistake. And this is ANOTHER reason for replacing the one piece of contact paper in the near future.
DIY Cheap Contact Paper Countertops – The Good
There are so many good reasons to use durable adhesive vinyl on countertops in a kitchen… or even a bathroom.
These are all pictures of my countertops from today.
The seam near the sink that I overlapped has done well, and still looks the same as it did the day I installed it. Here’s the seam behind the sink.
The caulked edges around the sink have done GREAT! No mold, cracks, or stains!
The countertops clean-up just like laminate. And to prove it, this is my coffee cubby. Coffee splatters here on a regular basis, and sometimes I don’t see the splashes for a couple days. But it has NEVER stained, and clean-up is a breeze!
And here is the counter area with the separated seam. It still looks wonderful, and every aspect of my counter tops that are covered with heavy-duty contact paper are holding up wonderfully! They are easy to install, durable, replace-able, and easy to clean.
A tile-mason friend of mine saw the seam and said, “There are granite counters that have seams that look like that, too!” Not sure if that’s true, but it was kind of him to say it! 🙂
The adhesive vinyl finish has stood the test of time, as well! The matte finish looks the same as the day I bought it!
Here are a couple more photos of my cheap kitchen countertops, almost three years after installing them.
If you read my post for finding your signature home fragrance, you can see that my rose diffuser is going strong… and isn’t the saturated color lovely???
I hope this update has been helpful, and maybe it will confirm that using durable adhesive vinyl on your countertops is a good option for your home!
Let me know if you have any questions in the comment section below and, of course, let me know if you plan on using this affordable countertop option in your abode!
WOW!!! I think they look great and you did a great job. I have seen “professional” granite jobs with bigger seams…I wouldn’t worry about it. As for the end where the chipping is, why not just paint the chipped areas? Ya know what can happen if you try to fix those seams……..You open a can of worms that leads to a much bigger fix then what you started with!!! It looks GREAT!!!
Those fixes just might work, Addie! I’ll have to consider that! Thanks for the kinds words!
That is amazing, Julie! What a brilliant way to inexpensively update countertops you dislike! So great to see how well they have held up.
Thanks, Janet… I’m really proud of them. Hehe!
As an apartment manager, I’m wondering how this would work? Are you extra careful when something is placed on the counters? Could you apply a sealer on the vinyl to help seal it? I love the way this looks!
Hi, Laura… and thanks for commenting. You have to take care of this just like you would laminate. I put down hot plates and I cut on cutting boards. This is extra thick adhesive film/contact paper and super durable. And, if I *do* damage it, I can replace it easily. 🙂 No need for a sealer. It cleans up GREAT! No stains for almost 3 years!
This is such a great improvement for countertops.
Thanks you, dear friend! Hugs!
What a great post for your readers, Julie! It’s so helpful to see how things hold up, instead of just how they look when you first DIY them. This was such a brilliant project that I’m sure many have found useful. Pinned!
Thanks, Crissy! I’m hoping this will encourage others to take the plunge and use this affordable countertop solution.
Wow Julie these really held up well.
I have to tell you the contractor is right. We have quartz and have a seam.
Doesn’t bother us. It’s because lucky fir us our counters are very long so we have a seam.
Pinned
Thanks, Cindy! And thanks for the encouragement and validation. 🙂
I remember when you did them, and I am still amazed at them! It’s so great to show how well they’ve held up.
Thanks, Pam… I still love them and would do it again!
Great post Julie! It’s so helpful to not only see the project but to know how it will hold up in the years that follow. It looks amazing and it’s nice to know what you would do differently next time!
Thanks, Denise! I love that, even though there have been a couple small issues, I can replace it. Can’t do that with other counter types!
DO YOU HAVE A VIDEO PN HOW TO APPLY THIS? I DON’T THINK I COULD DO THIS BY MYSELF, CONTACT PAPER IS SO STICKING AND HAS ALWAYS GIVING ME TROUBLE, THANKS! lOVE YOUR NEWS LETTER
Hi, April… I personally do not have a video, but before I applied my adhesive film, I checked out all kinds of videos on YouTube. Check out these Contact Paper videos, and these Adhesive Film videos. Hope that helps! And all my tips and tricks are on my original post.
I found your instructions after I asked. I should have looked first 🙃 Thank you so much for the free printables. You have a kind heart. Blessings
Of course, April… and thank you for the kind words! Enjoy the printables!
I’m looking to replace my very ugly blue kitchen countertops and this was one of my concerns.
I’ve hated the colour of my kitchen since we moved into this house, but I’ve never had the money to renovate and replace the countertops. So contact paper is a good affordable idea.
Do you have any brand suggestions of which durable contact paper to use?
Well, it sounds like this will be the perfect option for you! (I just saw on Beach House Hunters a home with blue counters, and I thought, “Contact paper would work for that!”) Anyways, if you go to my original post for DIY Cheap Countertops, there is a link there for the brand I use. I’m SUPER happy with it! Hope this helps!
Excellent! Thank you so much 🙂
Of course! 🙂
You did beautiful job on contact paper, I would like update my bathroom vanity can contact paper be use in bathroom. Around the sink.
If you are asking if the vinyl adhesive that I used can also be used on a bathroom counter, yes, it can. Just be sure to caulk around the sink where the vinyl hits. Hope that helps!