How to Make a Wall Stencil

Multiple Stencil Design

Stenciled walls can add just the right amount of change to room décor with minimal expense. Rather than purchasing pre-made stencils, use your own design to make wall stencils by following these four easy steps.

Things You'll Need

• A pattern
• Sheet of tracing paper or copy paper
• A fine-point permanent marker
• Sheet of clear plastic (like acetate)
• Exacto knife
• Cutting mat
• Masking or painter' s tape
• Colored markers or pencils

Instructions

1. 

   Select designs for your stencils. You can freehand sketch your own pattern or find one to trace. Creating your own design from photos in books or magazines, fabric or wallpaper samples or other designs that inspire you is another option. Check online for patterns to download. Use your imagination to create a unique design for your room!

2. 

   Create the pattern on paper. Look at pre-made stencils noticing how designs have open areas or "positive space" and closed areas or "negative space." The disconnected spaces between the open areas create the design lines so keep this in mind when creating your pattern. Enlarge or reduce image as needed to reach appropriate size for your stencils.

3. Tape selected pattern securely to back of a plastic or acetate sheet. Use fine point marker to carefully trace your stencil pattern. Take your time and be as accurate as possible. If you are worried you will cut the wrong parts, darken in areas on stencil to be cut out. After tracing, remove pattern and set aside.

4. 

   Tape plastic sheet to cutting mat and carefully cut stencil with the Exacto knife. Cut directly on stencil line pressing entire blade of knife firmly into plastic sheet. Remove cut sections and file rough edges as needed. Mark a guideline on both sides of the stencil to assist in accurate placement on the wall when repeating pattern as you stencil.

Tips & Warnings

• Always use non-sticky tape such as masking or painters tape as they do not leave a residue on the stencils or walls.

• Color stencil pattern with colors you plan to paint to help you visualize the finished design.

• Make separate stencils for each color used in patterns having more than one color. This helps ensure you paint the correct area and minimize overlapping paints on the wall.

• If design is too large for the plastic sheet, overlap sheets and draw remaining pattern. Be sure to draw connecting segments on adjacent sheets so you can line up the pattern on the wall.

• Keep your free hand above the blade when cutting to prevent getting cut if the blade should slip.

• Paper or heavy cardboard may be used for stencils but are limited in number of times they can be used; plastic stencils can be cleaned with ease and have unlimited reuse.

Resources

• Wall to Wall Stencils