Jazz Up Outlet Covers!

So I recently painted one of the bedrooms in our home and the previous owner had gotten hot pink paint on the outlet covers.  So to fix them, I decided to break out the mod podge!

Materials:

• mod podge
• foam brush
• scissors
• outlet to be covered
• scrapbook paper
• pencil (or other writing implement)
• razor/ scapel/ knife
• patience (what? who has those for sale? :)  )

Start by cutting your scrapbook paper down to slightly larger than your outlet cover.  Remember, the outlet cover has curved edges, so to fully cover you need 0.5cm or so larger than the outlet.  I found that I can get 5 outlets out of one scrapbook page.

Once you have your paper pieces, place your outlet on the backside of the paper and trace the actual outlet holes (don't worry about the screw hole).  Now I experimented with several ways to cut out the outlet holes.  You can A) razor carefully around the whole shape or B) just razor the curvy sides and then razor through the shape to connect the two sides and fold up. (yeah.. see the pictures below).  I preferred method B.

Once you have your shapes ready, mod podge the outlet first, then the paper.  Why this order?  Not all scrapbook paper is created equal I found.  If you do the paper first and it's cheap scrapbook paper, the paper gets super saturated and the design will actually come off.

Use your fingers to line up the outlet holes and then use your hands to hold 2 of the curved sides.  Hold for 10-15 seconds and then switch and hold the opposite sides.  Squish up the corners, don't worry if you have extra, we will cut it off in the end.

Once the paper is adhered to the curved edges, mod podge the top and put it down.

After the mod podge is completely dry, trim corners and edges on the back side.

Now, to put it back on the wall, use a sharp object (like another screw or the scissors) and slightly puncture where the screw hole is, then place the normal screw in.

I used matte mod podge

cut down to outlet size

place outlet on backside for tracing

After tracing, cut out shape (A) or cut curved sides and then across (B)

pop shape through (method B)

Mod podge outlet first!

Use outlet holes to line up paper

hold sides first

switch and hold other sides after 15 seconds

after glazing top with mod podge and drying

after glazing top with mod podge and drying

in the wall!

TIP!  If you didn't cut the outlet holes perfectly and are having trouble getting it on the wall correctly, just place it approximately and start screwing.  The force of the screw will fit it correctly.