decopatching a Roberts radio

Decopatched Wireless

In 2006 when we were all beginning to ride the retro wave I was given a beautiful Roberts kitchen radio. It looked like this, all shiny and new:

After 9 years in the kitchen something had happened to the false leather casing. Just light pressure was causing it to shear off and it was in a very sorry state. Must have been all the fry-ups degrading the material.

All was not lost, however. Last week I discovered a new craft: Decopatch. All you need is deco patch paper (I used 3 sheets) and the proper glue and a stiff brush.

First clean off all the faux leather casing (using the side edge of a darning needle, it just scraped away like frosting). Then wipe it with surgical spirits to remove any residual grease.

Then for the fun part:

• Tear the paper into small strips. 
• Paint the decopatch glue onto the surface to be covered and the strips and just like paper mache, cover the entire thing. 
• Care needs to be taken at edges to ensure a neat result (I used strips of the edges of the deco patch paper). 
• Paint a layer of glue over the strips as you apply it.
• It dries in hours    
• Or watch the video tutorial:

The results are so pleasingly professional, I guarantee once you try this craft you will be looking around at familiar objects through decopatch-tinted glasses. There are so many possibilities.... 

My deco patch Roberts radio - better than new