The Aluminum Foil Hack All Savvy DIYers Should Know To Protect Their Countertops

When working with paint, glue, wood stains, varnishes, and other supplies often used for crafts and DIYs, it can be difficult to keep splatters off your countertops, table, or other areas in your workspace. With some aluminum foil, though, you can neatly cover your counters, floor, or whatever surface necessary to keep it safe from your craft supplies. Old newspaper or other scrap paper is often laid down to protect surfaces like countertops during DIY projects, such as painting your walls, but liquids can seep through paper. By using foil, you'll ensure that nothing will bleed through and ruin your gorgeous counters.

Foil is also rather inexpensive (75 square feet of aluminum foil is around $4 at Walmart) and can be easily wrapped up and thrown away to keep messes contained. For those who don't end up spilling glue or whatever else everywhere, you can repurpose your aluminum foil or use it again the next time you have a project. If you already have some foil stashed in your kitchen, grab it before starting your next DIY or crafting session.

For those who like to do crafts at the kitchen counter, by themselves or with their kids, start by unrolling enough foil to cover the entire length of the surface. If it doesn't cover the width, lay down another long piece of aluminum to ensure every area is protected. You could place painter's tape to hold these two pieces together if they seem inclined to slide apart. The foil can be bunched up around the edges of the counter to hold it in place, or you could tape it to keep it from moving. 

This same method is suitable for tables or any work surface. Wrapping aluminum foil around your doorknob, for example, is a great hack for keeping it clean while painting your door or walls. Additionally, since foil is oven safe, you shouldn't need to worry about hot glue getting through it. Even if you're working with supplies like glitter, the foil should help with easy cleanup. Simply pick up the corners of the foil first and begin balling it up, keeping everything inside, and your kitchen countertops will be spotless.