Funking up a piano - wallpaper? sticky back plastic?

all_greek_to_me

My ultra-conservative 76-year-old mother has (most unexpectedly) come up with an excellent idea for funking up our unlovely upright piano. In order to keep it, we need to move it into our new dining room. But that has a white gloss table, multicoloured chairs and a soon-to-be-installed jazz "muriel" (titter/vomit ye not!) and the big brown piano lump doesn't really suit the vibe. My mother's suggested that we cover the two front vertical pieces (there's no doubt a technical term for the bits of wood above and below the keyboard) in funky wallpaper. I really like the idea, but am not sure how best to go about it. Would standard wallpaper work? (The wood is currently highly varnished.) Or would some sort of sticky back plastic product be better? Top tips very much appreciated.

Thanks,
all_greek

TonyMMM

Either would work, but I would expect to be quite difficult to get a good finish - unless the panels are pefectly flat with no detailing at all ?

I would just give it a light sanding, and then paint it with undercoat then gloss paint - white perhaps to match the table ?

all_greek_to_me

Thanks. The panels are completely flat. White paint might be a bit stark against the mahogany, but a funky pattern (stripes, possibly) would brighten it up.

all_greek

all_greek_to_me

TonyMMM wrote: »

Either would work, but I would expect to be quite difficult to get a good finish - unless the panels are pefectly flat with no detailing at all ?

I would just give it a light sanding, and then paint it with undercoat then gloss paint - white perhaps to match the table ?

Ah, just had a thought. You probably meant the whole piano, didn't you, rather than just the two panels? Apologies. We had considered that, but thought it might be difficult to achieve a decent finish.

Thanks again,
all_greek

diable

Vinyl cover like they put on cars if the surface is flat enough.

all_greek_to_me

diable wrote: »

Vinyl cover like they put on cars if the surface is flat enough.

Thanks. Just tried Googling. Do you happen to know what it's called?

all_greek

diable

Uncut Vinyl Sheeting this was what I was thinking of, you may need to do a search on the internet to find a better price.

aboard_epsilon

you can wall paper it ..and then put clear sticky-back plastic over the top of it ..for a durable finish ..i did this to a bedroom fitting drawers/come vanity unit top sort of thing ..over 20 years ago ..the finish is still very very good ..and would probably last a lifetime.


BTW the clear sticky back comes in high gloss ..matt..and semi gloss .
all the best.mark

ukmaggie45

Or decoupage it with sheet music and then varnish? Or maybe a jazz theme to go with your "muriel"?

Hope you come back and show us photos when it's done!

dave82_2

To be honest I think you may do something to the piano that sounds a bit like Funking but is a different word entirely!! Its going to be hard to get a good finish!

all_greek_to_me

dave82 wrote: »

To be honest I think you may do something to the piano that sounds a bit like Funking but is a different word entirely!! Its going to be hard to get a good finish!

Ha, I am a bit worried about that!

I'll be getting someone in to put up the muriel (which is essentially just custom-sized wallpaper). Might it be worth asking him/her to tackle the piano, too?

Thanks,
all_greek