With an older kitchen, we’d done an update before, and I’d written about it here. Since then, I’d longed for an even more current look, preferably one that contained stainless steel appliances, counter tops and more. The only problem? With one son in college, a heating system needing replacement and other costs, we didn’t have extra money to spare for a kitchen overhaul. Also, we may be going into a recession.
That was when I turned on a home decorating show on HGTV or another channel and saw a peel-and-stick stainless steel finish. I was definitely skeptical but decided to give it a try. It would definitely be less expensive than replacing or even refacing most of our appliances, counter tops and back splashes.
Here’s what we did and the results we got:
1. We went to the website for Faux Stainless Steel at fauxstainlesssteel.com
We then let our fingers do the walking as we browsed the site. It was pretty impressive to see the Before and After photos of appliance and even counters covered with peel and stick brushed steel. To see actual examples, go to this page on the site: fauxstainlesssteel.com/wst_page2.php . There were plenty of examples of people who’d cut and pasted this product to their appliances and counters.
2. We compared the price of Faux Stainless Steel to the cost for refacing or replacing counter tops and appliances.
At about fifty dollars plus shipping, it was possible to purchase enough Faux Stainless Steel to cover some refrigerators or a dishwasher with some of the peel and stick stainless steel sheets left over. For that price, we got a piece 26 inches wide and over 7 feet long. It is also an easy fix for small appliances like microwaves, garbage pails and outdated canisters for flour and sugar.
3. We read carefully about the durability of Faux Stainless Steel and noted its limitations.
The product can be used to update old appliances, counters, backsplashes and oven doors. It can not be used over cooktop. The versatility of the product was a real selling point for us. It’d be for homeowners looking for an inexpensive fix before selling their homes in a tight housing market.
It is scratch resistant, durable and also heat resistant. Even so, we use cutting boards and don’t put most pans directly onto the counter top. For someone looking to sell a house, it’d be easy to maintain until the home was sold. For those looking to keep the kitchen looking nice for a longer period of time, you do have to take some care in maintenance.
When we saw the product in use on the home decorating show, it looked like the kitchen was completely different! I urge you to look at the Faux Stainless Steel site to see the before and after photos. Quite impressive!
4. We researched the application technique and made sure we knew someone who could help us apply it, an experienced handyman.
Although it turned out to be fairly easy to simply cut, peel and stick (especially with the special cutting tool we bought at the Faux Stainless Steel site), we did use an experienced handyman to do the job.
5. We ordered the product and our total cost came to under $300!
It doesn’t take a home decorating expert to tell that this is a huge bargain compared to replacing counters, stoves and other kitchen appliances with stainless steel products. We are saving up for a major kitchen redo but this definitely gave our kitchen – and us – a nice, updated look in the meantime.
6. We installed the product according to directions and were very pleased.
We used it on our dishwasher, backsplash and refrigerator and counters. While this isn’t a perfect substitute for real stainless steel, it is certainly an improvement over what we had and is surprisingly durable. We do have to maintain it more carefully than we would solid stainless steel but our investment isn’t as great, either. Everyone who has seen our kitchen has been fooled into thinking we bought new appliances. The counters look better than we even expected and hot pads keep it looking nice and new.
I think this product more than lives up to its potential. If you are wary about using it for surfaces as large as a counter, consider refacing an old dishwasher, microwave or garbage can. It is also ideal for covering boxes, even cardboard boxes, resulting in a very upscale and popular look. For home sellers who want that quick sale, you really couldn’t get this look for a better price – or I haven’t found one -out there.
