Stenciling Wall Borders

Stenciling wall borders is an inexpensive way to add a personal touch to any room in your home. The work is easier than you might imagine, and in terms of design, you are limited only by your imagination. Here, we walk you through the process of stenciling wall borders so you can test out this project in your own home.

Like any interior design project, you will want to make sure you have all of the materials and tools that you’ll need on hand before you begin. For wall stenciling, you will need:

• A selection of paint brushes – the sizes you need will depend on the stencils you are using. If your chosen design includes lots of intricate detail, then be sure you have brushes small enough for the job. Home improvement stores contain special brushes for stenciling that you may want to consider investing in.

• Pencils for tracing out the stencil design on your walls

• Erasers

• Masking tape or painters tape

• Paint trays. Make sure you have enough of these trays to accommodate all of the colors you will be using in your design. Paper plates make a fine substitute.

• Ruler

• Stencils/Stencil Kits

Of course, you will also need some ideas for your stenciling project. Need some help getting those create juices flowing? Let us help you out – check out these articles for inspiration:

• Stenciling Ideas - Plenty of inspiration to get you started!
• Wall Stencil - A look at different things to consider before you start your design project.

Ready to get started with your stenciling? Here is how to get the job done:

• Using your ruler and your pencil, draw a line around the wall where you want your stencils to be. This line will form the bottom barrier for the stencils. Make sure the line is as straight as possible or your stencils will be crooked.

• Take your stencil and using your masking tape, tape the stencil in place where you want your border to start. Trace the stencil design on to the wall.

• Now it is time to pour the paint you want to use. Pour small amounts of all of the colors you need either into your tray or onto your paper plates.

• Start to paint your stencil design. It is usually best to start with the lightest color first and work your way to the darkest color. Likewise, start from the inside and work your way to the outside of the design.

• Take down the tape and remove the stencil paper from the wall.

• Move the stencil paper down to the far edge of the design you have just painted, tape it back into position and repeat the painting process until you have covered the entire space you wanted to stencil.

Here are a few tips and techniques that will make your stenciling job a little easier:

• For the smoothest looking paint, move the brush in a circular motion.
• Wipe excess paint off of the brush before you start to paint.
• If you prefer a speckled effect for your stencils, dab the paint onto the wall by holding the brush perpendicular to the wall.
• Be careful to not allow paint to pull in the corners of the stencil or the paint may bleed under the stencil and onto the wall, skewing the design.

Did you follow these steps to stencil your walls? Let us know how it worked out for you and any tips you picked up on the way by leaving us a comment.

• Country Style Decorating Ideas
• Bathroom Design Pictures
• Interior Paint Color Combinations

• Country French Style Basics
• Common Themes for Teenage Bedrooms
• Designing for Small Spaces
• Basics of Color Design
• Asian Style Interior Design

• Wall Painting Techniques
• Using a Mural in Interior Design
• Wallpaper Border for Girls
• Stenciling Ideas
• Category:How Tos, Projects and Rooms