Are air bubbles ruining your contact paper countertop project and driving you nuts?
Asked by Valeriya Netrebko 
2 weeks ago
Last Updated: November 8, 2024
I decided to put some contact paper on my countertop. I made sure it was clean and used one of my Circuit tools to smooth it out and get rid of any air bubbles. But now, a week later, the bubbles are back! I keep pushing them out, but they just come back overnight. Any tips or hints for dealing with this? It’s really starting to drive me crazy. I’m thinking about just painting over the blue countertop with white instead.
The Heirloom All in One countertop paint kits have received excellent feedback.
Do you rent or own your place? If you own and have a smaller countertop, you may be able to find a inexpensive granite or quartz remnant.
I don’t think it’s a very large kitchen, , but I own it.
That could be a great solution if you’re planning on keeping the cabinets and sticking with the current layout, .
Warm up the contact paper using a hair dryer and smooth out any bubbles by running a credit card over them. If the bubbles reappear, it means they were never completely removed.
What type of countertop do you have?
Hey !
I painted my countertop wood and then I purchased a laminate sheet (not a whole new laminate countertop) and simply glued it on top of the existing countertop. I found it at memards for around $50. Much easier to maintain than repainting.
Take a very thin needle and gently poke a hole in the middle of the bubble. The smaller and finer the needle, the more effective it will be. In some cases, you may need to poke the bubble twice. This technique works well for stubborn bubbles, such as those found in window tint or film. You can also use a hairdryer to help.
Contact paper is not designed to withstand the wear and tear of countertops.
Prior to applying the liner, was the countertop thoroughly cleaned with lacquer thinner or alcohol?
I covered my countertops with contact paper 6 years back … I never encountered any issues with bubbles, so unfortunately I can’t offer much advice there. I suggest investing in a large clear acrylic “cutting board” for the areas of the countertop that get the most use, as this can help prolong the life of your contact paper.