Stenciling 101

Learn how to stencil with the help of Blain’s Farm & Fleet.

You’ve admired the technique in interior design books or magazines, but have been afraid to try it on your own. With the patterns and paints that are available today, stenciling is easier than you may think. Simply follow these steps to turn an ordinary room into an extraordinary room.

Tips for Stenciling:

1. Surface to be stenciled should be clean and painted with a non-glossy paint. If painting on fabric, pre-wash fabrics. (WARNING: Some colors may become deeper when ironed.) Different fabrics absorb paint differently, so practice on a separate piece of your fabric before using your project fabric.

2. Practice stenciling on paper. These prints can then be taped in place to check design placement and color.

3. Lightly mark the area to be stenciled to coincide with guidelines printed on the stencil.

4. Blot off excess paint onto paper towel until brush is “dry” and seems almost out of paint.

5. Place print #1 of your stencil in the correct position and tape to surface with repositionable stencil adhesive spray.

6. Hold the paint brush as a pencil with bristles flat on surface and the handle straight. (Notice bristles of a stencil brush are specially cut for this action.) Start at outside edges of cutouts and paint in a circular, clockwise motion toward the center. Hold your stencil with the other hand. Begin with a light touch.

7. Now reverse direction to a counter-clockwise motion, building up color. You control the color in 2 ways – amount of pressure applied on the brush and number of times you go over an area of the design. Lift the stencil corner and check the color before removing stencil.

8. If you’re using a two print stencil, align print #2 using the register marks as guides for proper placement over the previously stenciled area. Change to a clean brush when changing paint colors. When doing a wall border, remember to follow your “center line” guideline on the stencil to keep your work level.

9. Clean the stencil with paper towel, which has been dampened with turpentine or mineral spirits, if using oil-based paint, or water for water- based paint.

10. Follow the curing and heat setting guidelines per paint manufacturer’s recommendations.

Stencils don’t only have to be used on the wall. You can decorate fabric, mason jars and more. For more painting tips, visit our Painting & Staining blog.