Here are some tips to help make stenciling easy for you.
- Make-up wedges make the perfect sponges for stenciling projects.
- Less is more! The less paint on your sponge, the cleaner your letters will be.
- Dab your sponge on a paper towel to remove excess paint. Too much paint can seep under your stencil and cause a mess that is hard to fix.
- Stencil gently! Pressing too hard could cause the paint to seep under your stencil.
- Sand your surface really well. A smooth surface is the best canvas for stenciling. A rough board can cause the paint to bleed under the stencil causing messy letters.
- Use painter's tape or masking tape to hold your stencil in place.
- Don't be afraid to get a little messy and use your fingers to hold down the stencil in the areas the tape cannot hold.
- Remove your stencil before the paint has fully dried. Leaving it to dry on your board could cause your stencil to rip.
- To wash your stencil, lay flat, spray with cleaner of your choice, let sit and rinse. Hang to dry.
- You can use a soft tooth brush when cleaning your stencils, brush gently.
- It isn't necessary to wash them after every use but washing them before the paint really builds up will help the paint come off more easily.
- I use plastic retail hangers to hang my stencils, for drying and storage. You can fit two or more on one hanger. You can also store them by laying flat in a drawer or tote.
- For a finished look, use a fine-tipped paint brush to paint the bridges. Bridges are the lines/gaps left from the small pieces of plastic that hold the centers of letters like O's, A's, e's, etc... in place.
- I only use flat paint or chalk paint. I seal my signs with finishing wax. These stencils are not meant to be used with paste or thick substances. Use with regular paints only.
- I don't recommend using an adhesive spray, but if you do, make sure you remove the stencil very carefully so you don't damage it.
If you are not familiar with the stenciling process, please contact me. I will be happy to answer questions.
