New life can be breathed into old furniture with stenciling.You can add color, patterns, and personality to your furniture with a few supplies.You can get a stencil at your local craft store or make your own.Apply the stencil with paint after Sand and Prime the furniture.It looks great for years to come if you maintain your stenciled furniture.
Step 1: You can buy a plastic stencil at your local craft store.
Pick a stencil design that matches the style of the room you plan to put the furniture in.The stencil should be made of thick plastic that can hold up to paint.If you are stenciling a big piece of furniture like a wooden dining table or a rocking chair, you should use a large stencil with a floral pattern or geometric shapes.If you are stenciling a small piece of furniture, choose a smaller stencil.If you are stenciling furniture for a kid's room, choose a stencil with animals on it or a striped pattern.
Step 2: You can make a stencil.
You will need a program to make your own designs.Pick an image on the internet that has bold lines, such as the outline of a building or a floral design.Use an exacto knife to cut it out of a piece of clear plastic.You can use your own stencil on the furniture of your choice.If you want your image to fit the dimensions of the furniture you are stenciling, you may want to use a larger image.
Step 3: It's a good idea to clean the furniture.
To remove dirt and dust from the furniture you are stenciling, wipe it down with a clean cloth.You can use wooden furniture for this project.The stencil can be used on furniture.If you want the fabric to soak up paint, make it cotton or denim.Before you stencil the fabric, make sure it is free of dirt and dust by wiping it down with a cloth.
Step 4: Sand and wooden furniture.
Sand off the top layer of furniture to remove paint or varnish.After you have sanded the furniture, wipe it with a clean cloth.Apply one coat of furniture primer with a paint brush.The primer will give the furniture a nice clean surface for stenciling.Furniture primer can be found at your local hardware store or online.
Step 5: Paint furniture with a base color.
If you plan to paint the stencil in a bright color, use a neutral color.The stencil can be popped on the furniture.If you are using a bright blue or purple for the stencil, you could use a gray or white base color.If you want the base color to be bold, go for a bright color.Use a neutral color for the stencil.The furniture could be painted with a base color that is blue and a stencil color of pale blue or white.You can pick the base color and paint color for the stencil based on the room you are going to put the furniture in.The teal and white color scheme in the room could be used to paint the furniture.
Step 6: The stencil should be on the furniture.
Place the stencil flat on the area you want it to appear in.Make sure the stencil is on the furniture.It should not appear crooked or slanted when you paint it.If you are stenciling a table, you could line up the edge of the stencil with the top edge.You could stencil against the edge of a drawer.The stencil can be placed on fabric furniture, such as the fabric portion of the seat of a chair, or the bench covered in fabric.
Step 7: Put painter's tape on the stencil.
Attach the stencil to the furniture with a few pieces of painter's tape.If you are painting over the stencil, make sure it is straight.
Step 8: Put paint on a brush.
You can use chalk paint in your choice of color.The brush should be dipped into the paint.The brush should have an even amount of paint on it.To remove excess paint, gently press the paint brush into a cloth.
Step 9: For more control, use a sponge.
Some people find it easier to use a small sponge instead of a paint brush to apply paint to a stencil.The sponge should be dipped in the paint to make it wet but not dripping.It's easier to get clean when you use the sponge.
Step 10: The paint should be on the stencil.
The paint should be applied over the stencil.Slowly, you will get a light, even layer of paint over the stencil one section at a time.If you brush the paint over the stencil, it can lead to a sloppy looking stencil on the furniture.Only apply a small amount of paint at a time, as you don't want the paint to smudge under the stencil.
Step 11: Let the area dry after removing the stencil.
Remove the painter's tape from the furniture.It may take a few hours for the paint to dry, depending on the type of paint you used.If you touch the paint with your finger, it is dry.You can look at the stencil to see if you like it.If you want to stencil other areas on the furniture, you can.
Step 12: Clean the stencil.
To remove excess paint from a stencil, use a wet cloth and wipe it off.The stencil should be easy to clean.
Step 13: The stencil pattern should be put on different parts of the furniture.
Line up the stencil on the edge of the area you stenciled to create a continuous pattern.To continue the pattern, tape down the stencil and paint it.You can place the stencil on different spots on the furniture, such as on each drawer of a bureau or on either side of the shelf, and apply it to these spots.
Step 14: The stencil should be touched as needed.
Stand back and give the item a good look after it has dried.There are spots where the stencil is incomplete.To make the stencil look even, use a small paint brush to fill in the areas.When touching the stenciled item, use very little paint as you don't want the paint to be too thick.
Step 15: A top coat is needed to seal wooden furniture.
A polycrylic is a top coat.Once the stenciled item has dried, apply one coat.It will prevent the paint from peeling and give the furniture a nice, clean look.A topcoat is built in for some paints.Make sure the paint you use has a built in top coat.You don't need a top coat if it does.
Step 16: If you want to change the furniture, try a new stencil.
If you want to change the stencil on the furniture, you can sand it down and do it again.If the decor in the room changes, you can change the stencil pattern on the furniture.Sand and prime the furniture before painting it.