Coloured vinyl wrap

Coloured vinyl film: the adhesive designs in this collection

These are plain films, with no patterns or grain, sold in rolls. Most of this coloured vinyl wrap is vinyl; some designs are PVC, such as the roll 40 cm wide and the matt black in a pack of 2 rolls. The adhesive is already spread on the back, under a backing paper that you remove as you put it on.

• matt and satin films, which reflect little light;
• glossy films, including a coloured one for furniture and kitchen worktops;
• pearl finish films and glossy films with a pearl effect, with a light sheen;
• a plain glossy or matt vinyl, for wardrobes and fridges.

Matt, glossy or pearl finish adhesive vinyl: how to choose

The finish changes the look of the furniture as much as the colour does. A matt or satin adhesive vinyl recalls a matt lacquer: it reflects little and makes small irregularities in the surface less noticeable.

Glossy makes a small kitchen brighter, but it highlights every speck of dust left underneath: here a clean base matters even more. The pearl finish sits halfway, with a softer sheen. Then look at the width: where it is given, it is 40, 55 or 80 cm. With 80 cm you can normally cover a whole door in one piece; with 40 or 55 cm you work better on shelves, drawers and narrow fronts.

Blue, matt grey or sage green adhesive vinyl: the colours

On the product pages you will find this coloured sticky back plastic in blue, grey, green (also in a sage tone), black and white. For blue adhesive vinyl there is a plain removable roll, to use on a wall or on the side of a wardrobe. Grey is in the matt grey adhesive vinyl for shelves and furniture, also sold in black and in white: these are the tones easiest to combine with wooden floors and metal handles.

Sage green and matt green look good in the kitchen and in bedrooms with light walls. Some designs come in several colours, listed on the product page. If you are looking for red, yellow, purple or brown adhesive vinyl, bear in mind that these tones are not among those listed above: check the variants of those designs before ordering.

Coloured vinyl wrap for furniture: where to use it at home

In the kitchen you smooth it onto doors, drawers, the sides of wall units and the fridge. A glossy design is also listed for kitchen worktops: there, do not put hot pans on it or cut directly on the vinyl. For other kitchen finishes there is the kitchen vinyl wrap; for the strip of wall behind the worktop, kitchen tile stickers.

In the bedroom and the dressing room you can renew wardrobes, bedside tables, chests of drawers and shelves. A dark matt colour on the doors and white on the inner shelves bring order without changing the furniture. For the doors of the house, see the door vinyl wrap for interior doors.

How to apply adhesive vinyl to a piece of furniture

You need a tape measure, a craft knife with a new blade, a soft plastic or felt squeegee and a hair dryer. Remove handles and knobs first, then go on like this:

• clean and degrease the surface and let it dry: dust and grease are the main cause of bubbles and lifting edges;
• cut the piece 2 cm larger on each side, following the grid on the back if the roll has one;
• peel back 10-15 cm of the backing paper, rest the edge in place and carry on section by section, running the squeegee from the centre outwards;
• if a bubble is left, prick it with a pin and push the air towards the hole;
• at the corners warm the vinyl with the hair dryer on a low setting, fold it over the edge and trim the excess with the craft knife.

How to clean coloured vinyl and make it last

A soft cloth dampened with water and a little mild soap is enough; then dry. Avoid alcohol, solvents, bleach and abrasive sponges: they dull the gloss on glossy finishes and mark the matt ones. Near the sink, dry any water left on the edges straight away, because that is where the vinyl starts to lift.

How long it lasts depends on where you put it. On a wardrobe door it wears little; on a kitchen worktop in daily use, much sooner. Keep it away from the oven, the hob and very hot lamps, which soften the adhesive. If a corner lifts, warm it for a moment with the hair dryer and press it with your palm for a few seconds.

What coloured vinyl wrap costs and how much you need

The price changes with the design, the finish and the size of the roll. To compare them, work it out per square metre: divide the price of the roll by the area it covers (width × length). Delivery is free above a minimum order value and comes with tracking; the maximum delivery time for your country is shown on each product page before you buy, and you can return your order within 30 days. To colour a whole wall rather than a piece of furniture, consider peel and stick wallpaper; for the glass in your home there is window film.

To know how much you need, measure each surface and add 2 cm on each side. A door of 45 × 200 cm fits on a roll 55 cm wide and needs about 2.05 m in length: for a two-door wardrobe you need a little over 4 m. A shelf of 80 × 25 cm, front edge included, also fits on the 40 cm roll and uses about 85 cm. Add up the lengths, add 10% for cutting errors and compare the total with the metres given on the product page.