How to Refinish a Headboard With a Stencil Pattern

In bedroom decor, the featured item in the room is usually the bed. Many people spend a great deal of time and money to make their bed beautiful with luxurious bedding and coordinating accessories. One item often overlooked, however, is the headboard. The headboard is the backdrop that sets the scene for your bed so it should make a statement. One simple, inexpensive way to spruce up your headboard is with a simple stencil pattern.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Drop cloth
• Sand paper (optional)
• Paint or stain (optional)
• Rags
• Ammonia
• Water
• Stencils
• Spray stencil adhesive
• Ruler
• Painter's tape
• Pie plate or disposable dish
• Acrylic paint
• Stencil brushes
• Paper towels
• Clear acrylic sealer

1. Remove the headboard from your bed. Place a drop cloth on a large surface, such as a table or the floor, and lay the headboard on top of it.

2. Consider the condition of the headboard. If it needs sanding, staining or a fresh coat of paint, do this before you begin stenciling. If not, wipe it clean with a rag dipped in a solution made of one part ammonia and two parts water.

3. Purchase a stencil with a design that you like. If the stencil has multiple overlays, follow the manufacturer's guidelines on the order of application.

4. Spray the back of the stencil with a stencil adhesive spray to prevent the colors from bleeding or dripping. Lay your stencil on top of your headboard. Use a ruler to ensure that it is straight and placed properly. Step back to look at it and make sure that you are happy with its placement.

5. Tape the stencil onto the headboard to prevent it from moving during application.

6. Pour some acrylic or latex paints onto a pie plate or disposable dish. Tap your stencil brush into the paint to load it.

7. Remove excess paint by tapping the stencil brush onto clean paper towels. You want most of the paint to come off so that the brush is practically dry. It is better to add a second light coat than it is to add too much paint in the first place.

8. Tap the flat side of the bristles firmly onto the stencil design. This technique is called stippling. Don't brush it as you normally would when painting, as this can cause drips or a bleeding of color beyond the stencil borders. Continue tapping the paint on until the entire design is complete.

9. Remove the stencil before the paint dries by carefully peeling it back. Allow the paint to dry for 24 hours.

10. Add a second stencil, if you purchased a design with multiple overlays. Spray it with stencil adhesive and position it over the first layer of paint to match up the design. Tape it down and apply paint in the same way you did the first layer. Any subsequent layers can be applied in the same way; just be sure to allow 24 hours for the paint to dry in between layers.

11. Spray the headboard with a clear acrylic sealer to help preserve your design. Re-attach your headboard to your bed, stand back and admire your design.

References

• Furniture Painting with Stencils
• Painted Headboard