Tutorial: Decorative Switch Plates

January 30th, 2009 · 28 Comments · Tutorials

Decorative switch plates can inject a little color and personality into a room. I generally prefer plain switch plates, but I think in the nursery or kids room a decorative switch plate is charming. After I made my first one of these with Mod Green Pod fabrics I was addicted. You can use any size switch plate. I like to use the stainless steel switch plates instead of plastic. For safety reasons, I have also developed a method that does not require folding any fabric onto the back of the switch plate.

Supplies:

Smooth Stainless Steel Switch Plate
Scrap of fabric large enough to cover switch plate (organic cotton swatches available in Tiny D�cor Etsy shop)
1/8″ hole punch
Sharp scissors
Yes! Paste
Mod Podge Gloss
Brushes for applying paste and Mod Podge

Step by Step:

Trace switch plate onto backside of fabric. Trace the rectangle hole for the switch and mark the position of the screw holes. I held mine up to the window so I could center the fabric design on the switch plate.

Use a 1/8 inch hole punch to punch out the screw holes.

Carefully cut out the fabric and the switch hole. Note: You can rough cut the size of the fabric to the size of the switch plate and then trim the excess in Step 5.

Use a brush to cover the switch plate with a thin coat of Yes! Paste. Apply the fabric to the switch plate making sure to line up the holes.

I like to use masking tape or painters tape to help hold the fabric on the curved edges of the switch plate while the paste dries.
Once the paste is dry, remove the tape, flip the switch plate over and trim any excess fabric with a sharp scissors.

Use a brush to apply an even coat of Mod Podge over the fabric side of the plate. The Mod Podge will make the switch plate very durable and easy to wipe clean.

Share and Enjoy:

Tags: craft tutorial·decorative switch plate·DIY

28 responses so far ↓

1 Jen // Feb 1, 2009 at 8:16 pm

this is so cool, what a cute way to pretty up some boring switchplates!!!
2 Maureen // Feb 2, 2009 at 12:27 am

Aww, that’s lovely!
I’m going to have to try that :]
3 Brie // Feb 2, 2009 at 12:34 pm

You can also use scrapbooking paper or wrapping paper!
4 Kristen // Feb 2, 2009 at 12:53 pm

I’m so doing this in the kids room later today- great post
Kristen
5 Beverly // Feb 2, 2009 at 6:04 pm

I bet fabric would be very nice as well.
6 Going Green // Feb 2, 2009 at 7:46 pm

What a great idea for using up leftover bits of fabric! I like the idea of reusing paper too
7 Patti // Feb 2, 2009 at 8:45 pm

I loved this idea. I have covered all of my switch plates and outlets with favorite prints.
8 Veronica // Feb 3, 2009 at 4:39 am

This doesn’t look safe to me…
9 V // Feb 3, 2009 at 10:28 am

Why wouldn’t it be safe? looks pretty neat to me.
10 Stephanie // Feb 3, 2009 at 11:13 am

Cool! Thanks for the tutorial.
11 Rebecka // Feb 3, 2009 at 12:42 pm

Thanks a lot for the tutorial (I found it through WhipUp I think), think I’m gonna try this!
12 anon // Feb 3, 2009 at 6:42 pm

lol @ veronica

also, the cover would’ve looked better if you’d wrapped it over the hole for the switch… to hide the edges…

ALSO, wtf, who stumbled this…? stumble is meant for cool things people want to see. not lame things maureen wants to see.
13 modern bean // Feb 4, 2009 at 4:38 pm

I’m going to try this one.
Thank you for the tutorial!
14 mellowknees // Feb 4, 2009 at 5:53 pm

For those of you wondering about why people mention the safety issue: if there is any fabric on the inside of the switchplate, it’s a potential fire hazard (although a very small one).

However, the last step is to trim up all excess fabric…so as long as you don’t have giant flaps of fabric trapped behind the switchplate (where it could potentially come in contact with the wiring that’s also in there), I think it’s probably pretty safe.
15 Elaine B. // Feb 6, 2009 at 3:30 pm

Beautiful idea!! Thanks for sharing it!
16 aidan // Feb 9, 2009 at 2:16 am

wow this is cool…im gonna try this…thanks for sharing this..
17 Laurie // Feb 9, 2009 at 11:40 pm

Anon, don’t put “crafts” as something you want to StumbleUpon if you don’t… want… to stumble upon them.
18 kawai // Feb 11, 2009 at 9:18 pm

such a great idea…
19 Krika // Feb 12, 2009 at 7:45 am

Thanks, I love crafts! Beautiful and creative idea.
20 Savvy Housekeeping » Make Your Own Decorative Light Switch // Feb 13, 2009 at 12:26 pm

[...] tiny Decor has a great tutorial on how to cover a light switch plate with fabric. It looks pretty simple. All you do is pick the fabric, cut it so that it fits the plate, glue it on, and then cover it with a coat of gloss. The last time I saw one of those decorative switch plates in the store, it cost $24. (Via) [...]
21 Little Fabric Samples for Little Projects | Tiny D�cor Blog // Feb 17, 2009 at 9:19 am

[...] Decorative Switch Plates [...]
22 Tired Bethanie // Feb 21, 2009 at 10:56 pm

Hi
Just thought I’d mention that
A: Yes Paste, not so good. It tends to go all slippy-sloppy in humidity, it does not stay dry, and isn’t as archival as some would like to think.

and B: Mod Podge. Never ever fully sets or dries, so it will be forever tacky, unless you put lots and lots of layers of it, and then sand it into oblivion, thus losing the nice shiny effect you want. Whatev.
23 drain my brain « not dark yet // Mar 4, 2009 at 3:38 am

[...] 1. a tutorial for making a fabric covered switch plate. [...]
24 rekha // Apr 3, 2009 at 6:06 am

Lovely idea, I have linked this tutorial back in my site.
25 links for 2009-04-11 // Apr 16, 2009 at 11:18 am

[...] Tutorial: Decorative Switch Plates | Tiny D�cor Blog Share and Enjoy: [...]
26 Cores nos detalhes… | Cl�nica Autoestima // May 3, 2009 at 9:48 am

[...] um coment�rio Falando em coisas de casa, o blog Tiny Decor postou um tutorial bem bacana forrando espelhos de interruptor com tecido.� bem simples de fazer e [...]
27 Lucinete // May 8, 2009 at 10:19 am

Genial muito criativo.Beautiful thanks.Brazil.
28 Miranda // May 11, 2009 at 1:24 pm

Huh. Very nice! I did the same thing to my lightswitch and outlet covers (and bulletin board matching) a few weeks back. I “made it up myself”, but I knew someone somewhere had probably done it before me.
I just didn’t seal it – so yeah, the fabric will probably get very dirty.
To cover the plates, I sprayed Elmer’s Spray Adhesive (from a hardware store) over the face of the plate, smoothed the fabric on top of that, then I used a glue gun on the very very edges of the back. I am not concerned about safety – there is no electrical hardware junk anywhere near the plate. It’s all inches back. So I think I’m all good.
Anyway, I love the fabric that you used!! This is great. It’s just such an easy way to throw in some colour to any room.
Here’s a picture of mine: http://img100.imageshack.us/img100/6260/md4832726faa0457a999213.jpg