Updating a Curio Cabinet

I have updated this curio cabinet once before, but the peel and stick paper I used wasn’t sticky enough, and started to release from the cabinet. I also wanted to change it to a darker background so the items I had on display would show up better!

This time I removed the wood back, and did it the right way.

Since there was a light wired in the cabinet, I unhooked the light, and pulled the cord out from the back. It wasn’t wired inside the cabinet so this was pretty simple to remove.
Using a small flat head screwdriver I gently pried the wood back away from the cabinet.
Once I got most of the staples loose, I was able to gently pull with my hand to remove the top row of staples. The very top of the cabinet is a thinner veneer, so I couldn’t use anything to pry that loose without damaging the top.

With the back completely removed from the cabinet, I used a hammer and hammered the staples back through the wood.
I used pliers to pull them out the rest of the way.
This time, I decided to use spray adhesive (or this adhesive) to help the paper stick. The original paper was stuck really well to the wood, so it wasn’t coming off! The spray adhesive definitely helped the peel and stick paper adhere. I used this dark gray grasscloth style paper.
Working slowly, I unrolled the paper over the back panel, and used my hand to smooth it as I went making sure all of the wrinkles were removed.

I turned the back panel over, and used an exacto knife to trim the excess paper from the edges.
To reattach the panel to the cabinet, I used a Pneumatic Staple Gun. You could also use an Electric Staple Gun or even a heavy duty Staple Gun – just make sure your staples won’t show on the front side of the cabinet.

Instead of re-wiring the original light, I decided to go with a battery powered puck light, so I needed to fill the holes and repaint the inside of the cabinet.
To patch the holes, I used the Bondo Wood Filler. This is a 2-part product, and I added a little too much of the hardener so I had to work fast. You could also use a wood putty like this one. Just make sure it’s paintable and stainable!
I used a plastic knife to fill holes, and sanded them lightly with 150 grit sandpaper once it dried to prep for paint.
The paint is Amy Howard at Home “one step” paint in black.