DIY Floor Stencil

5 Materials
I recently painted my front door, and then everything else spiraled out of control and I set out to try to breathe some life back into our horribly boring front stoop. I don't have a cutting machine, and have no idea how to use image editing software, so I made this stencil for my front patio the old fashioned way - print and cut!
Yikes - here's how my little front porch looked a couple of weeks ago.
I found a pattern I liked online, added it to Microsoft Word, and just expanded the image to take up a page. I printed two pages because my stencil sheet was exactly the size of two sheets of paper.
Stencil material, a printer, and a cutting tool were all I needed to create this stencil!
I taped the pattern over the stencil material and used an Exacto knife to cut it out.
I taped the stencil down and painted down the pattern. I have a sure-fire, fool-proof way to avoid bleed through under stencils (even ones that curl like crazy), but you'll definitely need to stop on over to see my tricks! I will tell you I used white, semi-gloss exterior paint for the top coat, to help keep it in good shape.
After the white was painted down, I used acrylic paint in four different colors to add some pops of color to the porch.
I sealed it all off with clear shellac, since it is only semi-covered, and of course, people will be walking on it.
Here's how the whole little front porch looks today! Stop by for more details on stenciling tricks, and how I keep those lines so clean.
Jenny @ Refresh Living
Want more details about this and other DIY projects? Check out my blog post!
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  • Laura Adolphus Hathcoat Laura Adolphus Hathcoat on Jun 20, 2019

    I think you did a great job. My stoop is awful, too, but isnt covered at all. Nobody uses that door, but I am worried about the elements. Would it hold up?

  • Marty Marty on Jun 20, 2019

    Is it slippery with the top coat you used?

  • Mary Howard Mary Howard on Jun 20, 2021

    Why didn't you complete the whole thing? Meaning the pavers.

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