A bargain hunter has saved £500 by transforming her kitchen worktops using rolls of sticky back plastic from B&Q.
Claire Stewart, 34, from Kilmarnock in East Ayrshire, Scotland, spent £21 in total on her DIY project - including £18 on three rolls of the plastic sheeting and £3 on a toolkit, which contains a knife and smoother to stop bubbles forming.
She decided to use sticky back plastic instead of forking out hundreds of pounds on new worktops after being inspired by her friend, who used sticky back plastic to redesign her kitchen cupboards.
Images show how Ms Stewart used the sheeting to transform her grey worktops into a black, glossy marbled theme.
Speaking to LatestDeals.co.uk , she said: “I was inspired to give this project a go after seeing how a friend had transformed her kitchen cupboards using sticky back plastic.
“I wanted to stay with the black glossy theme I had in the kitchen with tiles of that colour, and I wanted the worktops to match the black marble floors.
Have you saved hundreds of pounds by transforming your home on a budget? Let us know: levi.winchester@reachplc.com
“So I found a black marbled pattern in sticky back plastic which went perfectly.”
Sticky back plastic usually comes in a roll and has an adhesive layer on one side that you use to cover a surface.
If you’re trying it out yourself, you’ll need to do your measurements first to make sure you buy enough rolls to cover the surface you want to decorate.
Once you’ve got your rolls, you then clean the surface, cut the sheeting into size and stick it down carefully to avoid bubbles appearing.
If you don’t live near a B&Q, discounter B&M also sells rolls of sticky back plastic for £5.99 each.
Ms Stewart added: “I made sure I left a bit over - if you cut it too short you risk ruining the area, whereas if you’ve got a bit left over you can trim away until it fits the worktop.
“The main challenge I encountered was ensuring the surface remained clean as I applied the plastic.
“Obviously you would clean all of the crumbs and dust from it beforehand, but I found that sometimes there were bits of dust and plastic from where I was cutting the materials.
“A few times I found that the surface would bubble up if there was debris underneath it and I would have to peel it back and reapply it. So make sure you thoroughly clean the surface repeatedly as you go.
“I’ve probably saved about £500 from not having to get new worktops. If I’d gotten new marble worktops it could easily have cost thousands!”
Tom Church, co-founder of LatestDeals.co.uk, said: “This transformation is stunning and does indeed look professionally done so hats off to Claire.
“Sticky back plastic is a great worktop material for many reasons. It’s water and heat resistant and you can also use it outside.
“Why not try applying it to your cabinet doors as well for a total kitchen makeover?”
