How to Decoupage Furniture with MINT by Michelle Papers
A Step-by-Step Guide to Beautiful, Flawless Results
MINT by Michelle papers have become one of my favourite ways to transform furniture. The artwork is stunning and there are now over 100 designs to choose from.
The papers are Michelle's secret paper recipe and are wonderfully thin. They blend into painted furniture incredibly well.
One of the questions I'm asked most often is how I achieve such a smooth finish without visible edges or bubbles. The good news is that it's much easier than you might think.
In this guide, I'll show you the exact method I use when applying MINT by Michelle decoupage papers to furniture, including the products I recommend and a few little tips I've picked up along the way.
What You'll Need
For the best results, I recommend using:
- MINT by Michelle Decoupage Paper - your choice of design
- MINT grip (or other white primer or paint from your stash)
- MINT Finish (used as your decoupage medium and top coat)
- MINT Felt Applicator
- Sharp scissors or craft knife if you need to trim.
- Fine sanding pad
Step 1 – Prepare Your Furniture
Before applying your decoupage paper, make sure your furniture is clean, dry and free from wax, grease or dust.
Start by applying a base coat of MINT Grip or a white paint or primer from your stash. Allow it to dry fully before moving on to the decoupage stage.
A smooth, well-prepared surface makes all the difference.
Step 2 – Position Your Paper
Before opening your MINT Finish, spend a few minutes deciding exactly where your design will sit.
If you're working with a portrait or floral design, think about what you want to become the focal point.
Once you've decided you can hold it in position with a small piece of yellow frog tape.
If the paper doesn't cover the whole panel and you plan to paint in the background or extend the image you can carefully tear the edges for a less obvious transition.
Step 3 – Apply MINT Finish
MINT Finish is the perfect decoupage medium for these papers. You can also use something like Polyvine varnish.
Because MINT papers are fairly thin, I find thicker adhesives can leave too much product underneath the paper, making it more difficult to achieve that lovely smooth finish. Adhesives like Mod Podge and PVA are too thick and will wrinkle the papers.
Instead, I use MINT Finish as both my adhesive and sealer. It's much thinner, spreads beautifully and has been designed to work with MINT papers.
Using a soft brush, apply a stripe at the top of where your paper will go and get this first stripe glued down. Smooth down with your applicator starting at the centre and moving out to the edges.
⭐ My Top Tip - Spray the paper with a mist of water to make it a bit more flexible. This will help you to get a smooth finish. A fine mist bottle is perfect for this.
Step 4 – Work in Sections
Work in stripes moving down the piece. Apply the next stripe of MINT Finish and smooth from the centre outwards. The paper will lift back up once or twice if needed but don't keep doing this as you'll risk tearing it.
⭐ My Top Tip - Before you start, slide the felt applicator inside the clear plastic sleeve that your MINT paper came in. This allows the applicator to glide much more easily across the paper while reducing the chance of catching or tearing the paper.
Step 5 – Seal the Paper
Once you're happy with the finish let your paper dry. Then you can apply another thin coat of MINT Finish over the top. This will protect your paper if you are going on to paint over some of the paper or extend the design.
Avoid repeatedly brushing over the same area.
Step 6 – Next Steps
At this point you can start to paint if you are extending your design or painting in to the paper. Any imperfections can also be touched up with paint.
If your paper covers the whole piece then you can get a neat edge by sanding off any excess paper.
Seal the whole thing when you are finished to protect your work.
FAQ's
Can I use PVA glue?
You can for some decoupage papers, but I don't recommend it for MINT by Michelle papers. Because the papers are thinner, the thicker glues can make it harder to achieve the smooth finish they're known for. I get my best results using MINT Finish, which has been designed to work with these papers and spreads much more evenly.
Can I reposition the paper?
Yes, but only while the MINT Finish is still wet. Once it starts to cure, it's best to leave the paper alone. If you continue moving it after this point, you increase the risk of stretching or damaging the paper.
Why are there small wrinkles?
Don't panic. It's completely normal to see a few wrinkles while the paper is still wet, and they will often flatten out as it dries. The temptation is to keep brushing over them, but that's usually when problems start. Sometimes the best thing you can do is simply let the MINT Finish do its job and allow the paper to dry naturally.
My Favourite MINT Papers
Whether you love dramatic portraits, colourful botanicals or vintage-inspired florals, there's a MINT paper to suit every style.
If you're looking for inspiration, take a look at My Thirteen Project #001 – The Siren Chest of Drawers, where I use a MINT by Michelle paper to transform a plain chest into a striking statement piece.
Or if you'd like to create your own MINT piece you can browse the full range and choose your favourite!