Stencil Tips from Wall Stickers for Kids
Stencils are a great value option to easily decorate a large surface such as a wall or furniture and with your own colour choice allows you put your individual stamp on a room!! We have put together some tips for stenciling to make the process enjoyable for you!
Preparing wall
Wipe down the wall or paint if painting and tape off any areas / floor that you don’t want to get paint on!
Fixing stencil to wall
Use repositionable adhesive spray to fix stencil to wall, such as Bostik Fast Tak Repositionable Spray Adhesive. It will allow you to keep the stencil in place and then reposition the stencil for further use. Spray a light layer onto the back of your stencil and then set it in place. Check the level of the stencil to make sure it is straight, especially if it has words!
After you remove your stencil, there may be a very light residue left on the surface from the adhesive. This is easily wiped away with a baby wipe or damp paper towel.
Paint type
When choosing paint for the stencil, it doesn’t need to be wall paint. You can use acrylic paint from an art and craft shop and using their small acrylic containers makes it really easy to test colors.
Applying paint
You can use a special stenciling brush but makeup sponges are the perfect tool for stenciling, such as wedge shaped cosmetic sponge with a smooth texture.Just pour a little of your paint onto a paper plate or a plastic painter’s palette if you have one. Lightly dab the sponge into the paint, the key is to get very little paint on the sponge. Extra paint will just squish under the stencil and make a mess. You can gently dab off any excess paint on your paper plate or a paper towel before stenciling.When you start painting your stencil, gently dab the paint straight down onto the surface. It is important not to paint as you would normally so don’t rub paint back and forth, just up and down.
A foam roller brush is also another option as it won’t absorb too much paint and makes the process quicker also.
Stencils can have little connector lines that you may want to hide. The best way to do this is to use a toothpick! Take the toothpick and lightly dip in paint, dabbing off the excess. Then carefully use it like a paint brush to fill in the gaps.
Drying Paint
If stenciling a large area you can use your hairdryer to speed up the drying time, so you have less smearing and paint bleeding under the stencil.
Washing / storing stencil
The best tip for washing your stencils is to clean them straight away after use with warm, soapy water. After washing them, store your stencils in a place where they can lie flat or gently clip them and hang them up.
Enjoy!
So there are our tips for stenciling and to see our range of stencils just click here. Happy stenciling!!
