How to Cover a Light Switch With Fabric

Freshen those boring light switch covers by covering them with fabric to match your room's decor. With the abundance of fabric choices that are available, you can match your light switch cover to your painted wall, furniture, accessories or chosen room style. Medium- to light-weight fabric is used to allow it to fold and wrap easily around a basic cover. This project is simple to do and quick enough to be completed in less than an hour.

Things You'll Need

• Small amount of medium- to light-weight fabric
• Ruler
• Pen; optional: pencil or disappearing ink pen
• Scissors
• Screwdriver
• Basic light switch cover
• Embroidery or cuticle scissors
• Craft glue
• Paintbrush
• Straight pin
• Toothpick

Instructions

1. Cut a rectangle 4 inches wide by 5 1/2 inches long from your chosen fabric. If the fabric has a directional pattern, make sure the short ends are at the top and bottom of the design. Remove the light switch cover from the wall using a screwdriver.

2. Place the fabric rectangle, wrong side up, on your work table. Center the light switch cover, wrong side up, on the fabric rectangle. Place a pen inside the center switch hole of the cover and trace the shape of the hole onto the fabric. Insert the pen in each of the screw holes and mark dots on the fabric. Set the light switch cover aside. Note: Test the ink pen on a scrap of the fabric first. If the fabric color is light, the pen marks may show through. If they do, use a pencil or disappearing ink pen for the markings.

3. Draw an X in the traced center switch hole. The hole is a rectangular shape. Draw each line of the X , diagonally across the rectangle from one top corner to a bottom corner. Insert the point of sharp embroidery or cuticle scissors in the center intersection of the X. Cut the lines of the X to the corners of the drawn rectangle. Do not cut past the corners. You will have four triangle flaps in the center of the fabric.

4. Apply craft glue to the outer side of the light switch cover. Completely cover the surface in a thin layer using a paintbrush and your finger. Be sure to add glue to the outside edges of the cover and the inside edges of the center hole. Lay the fabric rectangle wrong side up on your work surface. Center the light switch cover, glue side down on the rectangle, matching the center hole of the cover with the cut hole of the fabric and the screw holes with the dot marks. Turn the switch cover over with the fabric attached. Adjust the fabric and push the cut triangle flaps from the center hole down into the hole, smoothing them over the inside edges. Smooth the fabric over the light switch cover surface and side edges, eliminating any bubbles or wrinkles.

5. Turn the light switch cover over so it is lying face down. Cut the corners of the fabric, from the corners of the rectangle to the corners of the light switch cover. Apply craft glue to the back of the excess fabric around the cover edges and the triangle flaps. Fold the fabric to the back of the cover and smooth in place.

6. Turn the cover over. Poke a straight pin into the area of a screw hole, until you find it. Remove the pin and insert a toothpick in the same place. Push the toothpick all the way through the cover. Repeat with the other screw hole. This will open the hole enough to insert screws. Place the cover over the light switch on the wall and reattach it with the screws.