How to Make a Light Switch Plate Cover

You can make your light switch plates seem to disappear into your wallpapered walls by making covers for the plates from matching wallpaper. On painted walls, a light switch plate that is covered with wallpaper provides a nice accent. Fancy light switch plates that you buy in the store can be quite expensive, but you can buy inexpensive plastic ones and cover them with wallpaper to provide a decorative but cheap alternative.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Scrap of pre-pasted wallpaper
• Ruler
• Pencil
• Utility knife
• Shallow container

1. Place your light switch plate on a scrap of wallpaper. If you will be putting the finished switch cover on a wallpapered wall, be sure that the cover is placed on the scrap so that when it is cut, the pattern will match up with any stripes or other designs in your wallpaper.

2. Mark a line 1/2 inch all around the switch plate. Trace the rectangular opening for the switch and the circles for the screws.

3. 
   Cut a cover for your light switch from wallpaper.

   Cut along all straight lines with a utility knife. Use the tip of the utility knife to poke small holes in the screw circles.

4. Dip the wallpaper piece into a pan of shallow water for about a minute. Fold the piece in half so that the glued sides are touching and let it rest for five minutes. Unfold.

5. Place the glued side of the wallpaper onto the right side of the light switch plate. Smooth out any wrinkles. Fold the edges over onto the back side. Let dry. When fully dry, screw the light switch plate onto the wall switch.

Tips & Warnings

• If you must use wallpaper that is not pre-pasted, follow directions provided with the wallpaper for gluing.

[ny2paris]

on 9/22/2009 Hello Deborah. Wonderful & useful Article. To find great handcrafted light switch covers-out of the ordinary lightswitchbydesign.com its the place!
Everything else its just the same old boring stuff
Thank you for sharing your wonderful decor ideas!
Sincerely: your new friend!