diy project: stenciled floors

I’ve always loved the symmetry and flow that patterns provide, but finding an actual pattern in the form of a stencil that I would want to use on my walls or other places in my home is a bit difficult. Most arts and crafts stores carry about five different stock patterns. Though there is a larger amount of custom options online, the prices are often high for most DIY projects. I recently decided to tear out the carpet in my bedroom and paint the plywood sub-flooring, until I am ready to put in a hardwood floor. After painting the floor, I opted to add a custom stencil using some of my favorite vintage fabric to add an extra kick. — Ashley

CLICK HERE for the full how-to after the jump!

Materials

• Sharpie
• X-Acto knife
• blank decorative stencil or clear thin acetate
• vintage fabric & doily
• self-healing mat or hard surface for cutting
• repositionable adhesive

Instructions

1. Begin by getting your design the correct size for the stencil. The print on the vintage fabric I chose was a bit smaller than I wanted for my stencil. I took a photograph of a section of my fabric, increased the size in Photoshop and then printed it. You could also take your fabric to a copy store and print a magnified or reduced copy of the image.

2. Place your printed design (or actual design if it is the correct size) under the blank stencil. Using a Sharpie, trace the sections you want included in your stencil. Keep in mind that the base of the stencil has to be connected when you are finished. You might need to modify parts of your initial design when drawing on the stencil to make sure all areas are connected. I chose to add “filler” designs, like a doily, to my fabric to create a full-sheet stencil.

3. Using an X-Acto knife and self-healing mat or hard work surface, cut out your design.

4. After you have finished cutting your stencil, spray the underside with repositionable adhesive (what scrapbookers use). Let the first coat dry for ten minutes and then spray again. Let it dry for another ten minutes. Your stencil will now stick to the surface, but should not leave a residue when you peel it off.

5. Paint your floor using the stencil design.

Tips for Using Your Stencil

• Keep in mind how you want the stencil to connect to itself when you begin painting. To create a diagonal stencil, I used half a doily design on one upper edge. When I painted the stencil, I simply rotated it until the doily was complete, thus creating a diagonal design.

• Be careful not to bend any area of your stencil.
• I prefer using small foam rollers when painting a stencil.
• Keep in mind that the more precise your pattern, the more difficult to get it looking exactly right when painting. If you opt for an organic design rather than a geometric design, it is easier to fix mistakes and paint smudges.
• Depending on the size of your stencil, you can use it on walls, floors, ceilings, furniture, canvas, fabric and countless other places.

6. Enjoy your one-of-a-kind stencil!