How to Stencil Paint Interior Walls
- 1). Wash walls and repair any cracks or chipped paint in the area you will be stenciling.
- 2). Lay down drop cloths on floors and furniture, if needed. Organize your supplies on a central workstation.
- 3). Mix enough paint to complete the project and avoid mismatching batches if you are not using a standard color directly from the manufacturer. Writing for the Bob Villa website, stencil expert Polly Forcier recommends three small jars of paint for the main color in a wall-to-ceiling stencil. Adjust your amounts according to your project.
- 4). Remove any bits of plastic that did not completely pop out of your stencil. Align your stencil against the least noticeable corner of the room. Tape the stencil to the wall with painters tape.
- 5). Place a bubble level against the bottom of the stencil. Adjust the stencil, if needed, to make it level and replace the tape.
- 6). Place approximately 1 tablespoon paint in a plastic container or on a paper plate. Choose an appropriately-sized brush, a large brush for larger designs and a smaller brush for delicate designs, and load the brush by dabbing it into the paint and working the paint up and into the sides of the bristles.
- 7). Wipe off some of the paint from the loaded brush with a paper towel. Remove any paint that oozes out of the bristles from the sides or bottom. Stenciling utilizes a technique called "dry brushing." Test your brush on a paper plate or towel to make sure it is not overloaded before stenciling your wall.
- 8). Practice a variety of stenciling techniques on a paper plate before starting. Swirl the brush in a circular motion, rapidly dab or "stipple" the brush or fade the paint by applying a heavier coat around the edge and leaving the center of the design nearly empty. Choose one method to use for the entire project.
- 9). Hold the brush perpendicular to the stencil and apply the paint by your chosen method. Work with only one paint color at a time. Fill in the larger designs before beginning the smaller ones. Continue stenciling until the design is complete.
- 10
Reposition the stencil and repeat the entire process until your project is complete.
