How To Use Contact Paper and Mod Podge on Wicker

When it comes to Mod Podging on wicker, I found paper napkins and tissue paper to be too thin. The wicker showed through which distorted the design on the paper. I gave contact paper a try since a.) I had it on hand and b.) it's much thicker. Anyone can do this, but it does require time and a little patience.

1. I started out by spray painting it a flat black using Rust-Oleum. It took 2 cans of spray paint to cover all of those grooves and crevices.

2. I wanted the thick black “trim” to show for contrast and interest; therefore, I cut the contact paper to fit between the black borders. Since the contact paper shrinks a little with heat, I cut it into pieces that were slightly larger than the area between the two trim pieces. You will have to overlap pieces so keep that in mind when picking out a contact paper design.

3. I added Mod Podge to the wicker using a small paint brush and then removed the backing from the contact paper. I placed the contact paper on the wicker and used the blow dryer on a low setting to “melt” the contact paper onto the wicker. I used my fingers to “wrap” the edges of the contact paper around the borders of the wicker and I kept the blow dryer heating the area until I was certain the edges wouldn’t come loose. WARNING: The contact paper can get hot so you may want to use a wooden craft stick, pencil, etc. to help wrap those tight areas.

4. With each strip of contact paper, I would start heating a small area on the left hand of the paper, making sure the edges were firmly attached and the paper was adhering well to the grooves before I would heat the next small area of that same strip of contact paper. This is a slow process and I split it up over a couple of days to preserve my sanity.

5. Finally, I added 3 coats of Mod Podge Gloss to the contact paper and trim.

I wasn't sure how well it would hold up over the long haul, but 9 months and many hide-n-seek games later, the contact paper looks the same. I give it an A+ for looks and durability. To see more check out The Tattered Rabbit:

Original article and pictures take http://www.hometalk.com/11709781/use-contact-paper-and-mod-podge-on-wicker site