Tile Stencil Tutorial
Hey friends!
I recently painted our porch with a tile stencil and loved our results! Was it time consuming? YES. But it was also cheap at looked amazing in the end.
When I was working in design in Southern California, someone I really looked up to told me something that has stuck with me. She said, "Cheap. Fast. Good. You can only pick two!" When it comes to doing projects and improving your space, you can't have it ALL. If it's cheap and can be done fast- it almost always it's good. And if it's good and fast, it usually isn't cheap. For this project, it is both CHEAP and GOOD, but definitely not fast...ha. It's a labor of love, but seriously anyone can do this! Let me walk you through the process:
Tools You Need-
A tile stencil of your choice an size- I used the Amalfi Tile from cuttingedgestencil.com
Two Contrast Paint colors- for outdoor I recommend purchasing Floor & Porch Paint- the one I used was by Valspar and the colors were Pacific Fog and Colbalt Cannon
A roller brush (I would recommend using a small one made for cabinets and trim)
Rags
Sander or sanding sponge (depending on what surface you're painting)
Paint tray
Step #1- Prep the area you are planning on painting by cleaning AND sanding anything that is uneven or chipped. If you are covering up tile or linoleum you won't need to sand. We painted over existing concrete which was covered in chippy paint, so sanding was a must! Always remember that the paint is only as good as the layer underneath it. If you have a layer of uneven, chipped paint it won't look as good as starting with a nice smooth surface.
This was our porch before painting, half way through the sanding process.
Step #2- Make sure your area is SUPER clean and dry! Remove any dust and dirt and make sure your surface is dry before you paint. The cleaner the space the smoother the paint will go on.
Step #3- Roll on your entire base color. I recommend doing your lighter color on the base, because the stencil will really pop with a darker color on top. It's much easier to paint dark over light than vise versa. I did three coats of the Pacific Fog color (light gray) before I started using my stencil. The entire base color will have to dry before starting your stencil.
Step #4- Pull that stencil out! If you really want to be precise, you could map it out first or even use a chalk line to help you plan out your stencil. I did not plan it out, and just started in one corner and went from there. Depending on your space and how 'perfect' you want it to be, you may or may not need to plan it out first.
Step #5- Using your small roller, pour your stencil color paint in a tray and wet your roller using a very light amount of paint. You may have to go back and forth to get some paint off of it before you begin. If you use TOO much paint, it will bleed through the stencil, so it's been to not have enough and go over it a couple times that get too much. You'll get the feel for it once you start! Lay your stencil out and begin to roll the paint on. Pay attention to the amount of paint and pressure you are applying and try to be as consistent as possible.
Step #6- Each stencil must be lined up with and match the other squares around it so you have to let the paint dry in between. I found that it worked ok if the paint was still a bit tacky, but not if it was too wet. If you start a new square before the one next to it has dried, you will get back on the wrong side of the stencil and it will rub off where you don't want paint. It's hard but you really have to be patient and let the squares dry before you continue. Try doing a couple and then taking a break for 15-20 mins before continuing.
Step #7- Continue carefully lining up the edges and just repeat over and over. If you get a little out of line or off kilter, don't worry! You can make small adjustments to fix it, and when you're done you won't notice small imperfections. Our porch is definitely not before but unless you look at it close up you really don't notice. I also found that it can be helpful to rinse off the stencil and dry it a couple times throughout the process. Paint and can get stuck to the stencil making it hard to keep your work space clean, so rinsing it off and starting fresh really helps!
Step #8- Let everything dry and SEAL! Sealing is no fun after doing so much painting but it will preserve your work! I used Behr Clear Matte Seal for covering concrete, but depending on your surface you will want to use the appropriate sealant for that material. Just talk to your local hardware store employee and they can make recommendations for you!
What a difference paint makes! Here's the finished product- I also repainted the door! The color pink is call "Pink Cameo".
Here's another close up, not perfect- but definitely better than before!
Enjoy the process, take your time, and happy painting everyone! I hope this was helpful:)