DIY Decor - Using Stencils In Your Home
The world of DIY has so much to offer, with thousands of tricks and techniques to make decorating your home simple and fun. Whether you do it as a family or prefer to decorate alone, DIY is a great way to capture your style and personality. In this article, we want to tell you about some of the different ways you can use stencils in your home.
Stenciling is super easy to do. With the right templates and a little paint, you can create all kinds of intricate borders, geometric patterns, and beautiful floral details to transform your walls or furniture. So, go ahead and grab all the materials you need, and let’s get to work.
Using stencils
Also known as pochoir, stenciling involves creating a specific template to paint patterns and images onto a specific surface.
It’s super easy to do, allowing you to radically transform your walls, furniture, or accessories with minimal effort. And don’t worry if you’re not all that good at art. As you’ll soon see, this won’t be an issue.
A 4-step guide to using stencils
1. The first thing you’ll need to do is place your chosen template over the surface you wish to decorate. Secure it in place with tape so that it doesn’t move.
2. The next step is to dip your stencil brush in paint. It’s best to use a very small amount of paint, removing any excess before you start applying it to your surface.
3. The trick is to use a dabbing or swirling motion to apply the paint evenly, always placing the brush perpendicular to the surface.
4. Finally, all you need to do is carefully remove the template, and leave it to dry.
What kind of paint can you use?
In theory, you can use any kind of paint for this technique. It’s simply a question of choosing the right product for the material you’re going to be working on.
For example, if you’re going to be decorating your walls, we’d recommend using acrylic paint. Alternatively, if you’ve decided to decorate your furniture, you have the option of using either acrylic or synthetic enamel paint. If you want to try this technique on fabric, you’ll need specialist fabric paint.
Where possible, we’d recommend using acrylic paints. They’re super easy to use, dry quickly, and have little to no odor. Plus, you’ll be able to clean your brushes and equipment by simply running them under a faucet.
If you’ve mastered the art of using chalk paint, it’s a great option when it comes to using stencils, allowing you to play around with different styles and designs to decorate your furniture and accessories.
Stencils and templates
Stencils are typically made from sheets of plastic or card and feature a cutout pattern or image. Ideally, you should fix them to your surface with a couple of pieces of masking tape to ensure they don’t move. Once they’re in place, you can start applying the paint to create your design.
Many decorating and DIY stores sell a wide range of interesting templates, as well as online stores like Amazon.com. Alternatively, you can also make them yourself, using acetate and a box cutter or Stanley knife.
Top tip: before using your stencil, apply a thin layer of clear acrylic varnish and leave it to dry. This will make it slightly more rigid and durable.
Paintbrush, sponge, or spray can?
For a professional finish, we’d recommend buying specialist stencil brushes. They have coarse, stiff bristles, and their shape is specifically designed to allow you to apply the paint evenly. You’ll find these brushes in most good craft and DIY stores, although you could also reuse brushes you already have at home.
If you’re decorating large surfaces, you can also use a foam roller. In this case, it’s really important to remember to remove as much excess paint as possible, applying only a tiny amount. Remember to apply several layers, changing direction each time to ensure even coverage.
Another option is to use sponges to apply your paint. This is a great way to give your designs a more irregular, casual, and boho feel.
Spray paint is also a good alternative when it comes to decorating larger surfaces. However, it’s important to make sure you know how to control the intensity and the direction of the spray before you get started.
So, there you have it. Using stencils opens up so many different possibilities when it comes to decorating your home. You can play around with all the different colors and designs, and use them to decorate anything you like.
Walls, bathroom tiles, furniture, accessories, or even cushions – the possibilities are endless! Give it a go, and see just what a difference it makes to your home.