Hiding a Fuse Box: DIY Fuse Box Cover

This post chats about hiding a fuse box with a a simple DIY fuse box cover. If you’re looking for ideas about how to cover up a breaker box, I’ve got you.

Hiding a Fuse Box: DIY Fuse Box Cover

Hey there. Popping in today to share some progress on our guest bedroom/office/playroom space that we’ve been working on very slowly but very surely. The first thing we did was build the DIY murphy bed, shelving, and did some painting. But that fuse box on the left-hand side presented a bit of a pickle. We needed to keep easy access to it, but it’s also super ugly.

So I decided to whip up a DIY fuse box cover for it. It was actually a very cheap and easy project, and IMO, makes a massive difference in the space. Let’s take a look, shall we?

HERE’S WHAT I USED:

• 1×2 furring strips
• Nail gun
• Fabric
• Hand-held staple gun
• Hammer and nails to hang

And here’s how we approached hiding a fuse box.

(Remember to wear a mask and eye protection while sanding and working with wood, and wear an appropriate mask while working with stains and finishes. Follow the directions and warnings from your particular brand. Do not use any tools without proper training, precautions, and supervision. Read my full terms of use here.)

Step 1: Build the frame

First I built a frame using four pieces of 1×2 furring strips. I measured the fuse box and added about 1.5 inches on each size. Since the fuse box was raised a bit from the wall, I wanted the frame to be able to sit down over it neatly.

We used a nail gun to attach the pieces to one another. At first I was planning to use pocket holes and pocket hole screws, but I figured that’d be overkill for this project.

Step 2: Begin attaching fabric

Then I laid the fabric down on the floor with the right side down and put the frame on top of it. I had a pattern on my fabric, so I made sure to position it evenly. This wouldn’t be a problem if your fabric is solid.

I began attaching the fabric by using the hand-held staple gun along the top of the frame. You can start from any side; the top of the frame just seemed logical to me. Here’s what it looked like when I stood it up to check it out from the front:

Then I repeated this process for the bottom. Here’s what it looked like then—taught top to bottom, but still loose on the sides.

Step 3: Wet and stretch the fabric; finish attaching

I used the spray bottle to wet the fabric, especially the wrinkly areas. Then I pulled the fabric taught and stapled it in place along each long side.

It was easiest for me to do this on the ground; this is just a view of it stood up from the back so you can see the staples and some of the wet lines from spraying out the wrinkles. I folded the corners much like you’d do when wrapping a present, stapling them in place.

And here’s the final cover! What do you think?

…eeeeexcept Mike and I agreed that although I loved the pattern, it looked terrible in the room, so I put plain black overtop of the pattern. 🙂 Looks much better, and when you walk in the room, it isn’t even entirely evident there’s a cover there!

What do you think?

Share my tips about how to cover up a breaker box on Pinterest!

If you like nifty simple but high-impact projects, check out our DIY spice drawer organizer, our DIY junk drawer organizer modeled after the spice drawer, my DIY monitor stand, and our simple C-shaped sofa table made from scrap wood.