First of all, this stuff is GREAT.  Several companies make it and numerous Ebayers sell It, but all appear to be comparable.  I purchased all of mine from EZFauxDecor.  The film I received is durable, impossible to tear and looks terrific...IF you take the time to properly apply it.

I have worked with vinyl decals for vehicles for over 30 years and I've learned plenty of tricks.  Believe me, that experience really made my projects with Soft Metal stainless film go a lot easier.  For that reason, I thought I'd pass along some tips on successfully applying this product.

Rule number 1:  Plan out your project.  Thoroughly familiarize yourself with the item to be covered.  Look at the surface you're going to be working with.  Smooth surfaces create their own unique problems but are generally easier to work with than any kind of texture.  Look at things that can be removed such as trim, gaskets, hinges, etc., so the film can be applied to a flat surface.  Remember that if you are trying to replicate a factory stainless steel finish, the film will need to be applied under all trim, gaskets, hinges, handles and emblems as that is how it would have come from the factory.

Rule 2:  Measure twice, cut once.  This is an old carpenters' tip and it certainly applies here.  Before ordering your stainless film, measure every surface that you intend to cover.  Then step back, look and measure again.  You want to order enough material to cover all of the intended surfaces without having to seam it. You also don't want to get partially through your project only to discover that you don't have enough film to finish.   I recently covered a large side by side fridge, built-in oven and dishwasher in Soft Metal.  The fridge alone took two 3' x 8' rolls but I covered both doors, both sides and the top.  A third roll was used to cover the stove and dishwasher.  Be aware that you ARE going to have some wasted film as there is no way to avoid it.  Keep the scraps as you never know what neat things you can find to cover.

Rule 3: NEVER try to cover anything that is larger than about 2 square feet by yourself.  If you want professional results, employ the services of a friend as it nearly impossible to line the material up straight and apply it without an extra pair of hands.  My neighbor helped me with the fridge as it took one person just to remove the backing and to keep the film from rolling onto itself.

Okay, now that we've gotten a few rules established, we'll proceed to the actual application of the film on the refrigerator.  I was determined to make my 14 year old KitchenAid fridge look like new.  The first thing I did was to disassemble the fridge door.  I know this sounds a bit intimidating but it was quite easy.  Since you will want the film to wrap around the door edges, you will need to remove the door gasket.  The gasket is held in place by hidden screws and all you have to do is fold the gasket over to expose them.  Remove everything from the inside of the door such as food, storage trays, shelves, etc.  Next, remove the screws at the bottom and sides first and be sure to lay them aside where you can find them later.  Now, before removing the top screws, slightly move the gasket on the sides and insert one screw through the plastic door liner.  The reason for this is that the door liner is held in place by the gasket screws.  Once all of the screws and gasket are removed, the door liner will come off.  This is a lightweight plastic shell so be careful handling it as it can crack or break. 

Next, remove any emblems, door trim and handles.  Handles are installed in one of three ways but are quite easily removed.  If your handles are chrome with a black, white or other color insert, then this handle is most likely attached from the outside of the door.  There probably are trim caps at the very top and bottom of the handle which will come loose by wiggling and pulling them either up or down as they are usually slid in behind a screw in the handle.  Yours may have a small spring clip but at any rate, the cap will come off with a little persuasion. After the cap has been removed, take a wide flat blade screwdriver and insert it down into the hole at the top of the handle.  The screwdriver will go between the handle frame and colored trim.  A WORD OF CAUTION: The handle trim is made of plastic or a very thin sheet metal which is either painted or covered with a textured material that looks like leather.  VERY CAREFULLY pry the trim loose from the handle and proceed slowly so as not to bend or break the insert.  Once the trim has been removed, you will see screws holding the handle in place.  Once these screws have been removed, the handle will come off.  Please note that there may be double-sided tape also holding the handle in place.  Remember that I said that handles can be attached three ways.  The other two ways are usually associated with solid or tubular handles.  These handles will be attached to threaded studs from either the inside of the door or with small set screws in the handle.  Remember that every item ever built was assembled in a logical manner and will disassemble in the same manner.

Now that we've got the door stripped, WASH the door surfaces.  Make sure the door is squeaky clean, as anything left on the door will show through the film.  I suggest lightly sanding all of the surfaces and then wiping everything down with amonia or degreaser.  The better the prep, the better the finished job. 

At this point, I'm going to describe my favorite technique, called wetting,  for applying the film.    Wetting involves spraying a fine mist of water and dishwashing soap onto the appliance surface.  I use a hairspray bottle filled with cold water and about 5 drops of soap.  This wetting agent allows the film to adhere to the surface while allowing you to squeeze any air bubbles out or to easily remove the film for repositioning.  When you're ready to apply your film, generously spray the entire surface with the wetting agent.  Next, peel back the film backing about two inches and gently press the film to the top edge of the door, making sure that you are properly aligned at the top and especially the sides.  Working from the top of the door down to the bottom, use a hard plastic squeegee or a credit card to gently squeeze the water out from between the film and the door.  Take your time and look for any bubbles and smooth them out.  I'll tell you now that bubbles are very difficult to remove from this film after it has set.  The old trick of poking a hole in the film with a straight pin works, but the results are much better if you squeeze the bubbles out first.

Now that you've got the film applied to the door surface, allow the residual water under the film to dry before trying to wrap the edges.   DO NOT USE THE WETTING AGENT TO WRAP THE EDGES as Soft Metal or similar films are very stiff and will have to be applied dry.  My neighbor tugged the film around each corner while I squeegeed it into place.  If your doors have fairly sharp edges, I suggest using a hair drying to slightly heat the film while pulling it around the corners.  Continue wrapping the film around all of the edges and end the film on the inside of the bare door.  Once all of your film has been applied, look for any mistakes or missed areas.  If you're satisfied with the results, reattach the handles, trim and emblems to the outside. Complete the job by reattaching the interior door panel, gasket and screws.  Check for proper operation and sealing of the door.

The previously mentioned technique works on virtually any appliance or surface.  Of the three appliances I covered, the fridge took the longest.  The dishwasher was next due to having to remove quite a bit of small trim and the original thin metal door panel.  I spent considerable time on both the stove and dishwasher doors in an effort to prevent bubbles.

I hope that these tips are beneficial.  Remember that good planning and taking your time will greatly improve your results.  I truly enjoyed covering the appliances and the final results are amazing. 

Mike Pettit