Project Guide: Stenciling Furniture

Stenciling Furniture:

1. Buy the right medium for your project

• You can use any type of paint that you would usually use to paint furniture. Currently, chalk paint is a very popular choice, and its chalky matte texture decreases bleeding under the stencil




• As far as the stencil, the type and size you choose depends on the piece you're decorating. Stencils adhere best to flat, smooth surfaces, so if your surface is a little rougher, opt for a less uniform or geometric stencil so that any irregularities won't be as visible




• Use a larger stencil for full tabletop or desktop designs, so that you can simply lay it out and paint, and use a smaller stencil (or cut parts from your larger one when the tabletop is finished) for the detailing around other areas of your piece

2. Prepare Your Work Space

• Take your piece into a well-ventilated room where it will dry well




• If you are indoors, open windows to increase ventilation




• This project will not be a messy one, but if you're concerned about paint droplets or spills, lay down a dropcloth

3. Prepare Yourself for Working

• Dress in clothing you won't mind marking up with paint




• Tie back hair




• Put on a painters mask to protect yourself from fumes and sanding dust

4. Prepare Your Surface

• Clean your surface well with a microfiber rag, or another cloth that won't leave behind threads or fluff




• Using painter's tape, tape off any areas you don't want to get paint on, like the edge of a tabletop or the molding around a drawer




• Remove any pulls or hardware in the area that you're working on

Basic Tools Include:

• Microfiber Cloth (to clean surface)




• Stencil




• Stencil Brush




• Dense Foam Roller




• Painter's Tape




• Base Color Paint




• Accent Color Paint




• Paper Towels




• Level




• Palette (or plate)




• Ruler




• Baby Wipes (for cleaning or touch-ups)

1. Securing Your Stencil

• Pre-cut or tear pieces of tape, so you can immediately secure your stencil without needing a hand




• If you're working on a flat surface like a desktop, your hand and roller will keep the stencil flat, so less tape is needed




• As you work, line up each painted area by the edges of the last one, so that your partially filled-in design is viable at the edges or your new area

2. Painting

• Load up your paint slowly, making sure that it coats your foam surface evenly on all sides




• Before you start painting, roll excess paint off of your roller onto a folded paper towel until your roller looks fully coated, but almost dry




• Roll your paint over your stencil with medium pressure, going over sections multiple times to cover them fully




• If you press too much on your roller, you risk the paint bleeding underneath your stencil




• Leave edges and corners for last, so that you can cut your stencil to fit those tighter spaces

• Dip just the tip of your brush in the paint and then, like the roller, unload the excess on a paper towel until your brush looks dry




• When filling in your stencil, paint in a pouncing motion, lightly dotting the design, or try gently swirling your brush in small circles over your stencil




• Make sure to apply pressure along the open edges of your design to get crisp lines




• Don't brush in a regular back and forth motion, or paint will build up on the open edges of your stencil and will likely bleed under




• Leave edges and corners for last, so that you can cut your stencil to fit those tighter spaces

• Even though your stencil will be covered in paint, if you're making sure to get rid of the excess paint before you fill in with your brush or roller, you won't need to wash your stencil in between areas




• Don't be afraid to cut your stencil to fit smaller corners or tighter space, just make sure that you've finished painting the larger spaces before cutting your stencil

3. Cleaning Up

• As you're working, feel free to carefully lift a small corner of your stencil to make sure the design is coming out well without major bleeding




• Though bleeding is a natural side effect of stenciling, you can quickly clean up and messy edges or areas with a baby wipe while the paint is still wet




• If the area is too tight to clean with a wipe, or if it's already dried, use your base coat to touch up stray marks or fuzzy edges

Once everything is dry, seal and then reassemble your piece:

• Add inner hardware, like hinges and tracks to your cabinet doors




• Once everything is in its place, add the rest of your outer hardware, like drawer pulls and handles

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