Using stencils for decorating walls or other surfaces is not new. However, recently they are witnessing a renewed surge of interest as an increasing number of people are waking up to their versatility and advantages over other methods like painting and wallpapers. For the uninitiated, stencils for wall décor are cutouts of patterns you can place on the walls and paint over for interesting patterns and designs in various colors. While a stencil is generally small, you can use them repeatedly to cover the entire wall.
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Different Types of Stencils
Craft/Hobby Stencils: These are the kind of stencils you will use to decorate your home walls. While they may be of paper, flexible plastic materials are common nowadays. These can be larger than paper since they are stiff and have a longer life for repeated use. You can make stencils for wall décor out of any rigid but thin material that you can cut easily with a knife. The ones available commercially have an adhesive backing allowing for easy placement on different surfaces.
Scrapbooking/Paper Craft Stencils: These stencils are much smaller than those meant for wall decoration because they are intended to make cards, scrapbooks, and other craft items. You can use the cutouts to draw directly on the surface or even make cutouts with a sharp knife by following the design on the stencil. Stencils for painting on canvas are an adaptation you can use to create lovely pieces of art to decorate your home.
Quilting stencils: These stencils are simple tools that allow you to mark patterns on the fabric of your quilt or any other furnishing material. Typically, these stencils are made from thin translucent materials like plastic, acrylic, or screen fabrics that allow you to see through the material. You can get a very wide variety of shapes and designs. The most common are floral, geometric, and Celtic. While you can use stencils to give your quits a unique look, you should always make sure that the stencil size fits the size of the item you are decorating. According to Quilter’s Connection, using a chalk pencil is best for working on dark fabrics.
Different Paints for Using With Stencils
Acrylic and latex paints: These paints have the perfect consistency for stencils since the paint does not bleed or run under the stencils. They also dry faster, which makes them ideal for use on walls or furniture.
Fabric paints: Fabric paints are also convenient for using on stencils, especially for decorating pieces of cloth or furnishings.
Spray paint: Spray paint is a great alternative to using brushes and rollers, especially for people who do not have much experience of painting. Using spray paint makes it much easier to apply the paint cleanly and in the right quantity.
Conclusion
The biggest advantages of using stencils include a high degree of personalization, lower cost, and less hassle than decorating with wallpaper. The choice of the stencil, the paint, and the tools you work with depend on the surface you want to decorate. Some amount of experimentation will help you make the right choices.
