How to Stencil
A complete guide to prepping, positioning, and painting your stencil for a clean, professional result — whether you're working on a wall, furniture, or fabric.
Prepare Your Surface
Make sure the surface is clean and free of flaking paint before you start. If you need a straight guide line, mark it with chalk, not pencil — pencil is very difficult to remove afterward without damaging the paint or the stencil.
Common heights to work from:
- Picture rail height: 2.2m (7ft 4in)
- Dado/chair rail height: 1.2m (4ft)
- Or directly above the skirting board, around windows and doors, or all over like wallpaper
Position the Stencil
Lightly spray the back of your stencil with repositionable spray adhesive and place it on your chalk line or registration mark. Repositionable glue lets you lift and reposition the stencil 6–7 times before it needs a fresh coat — no need to clean it in between.
If your stencil has registration marks (look for a ★ symbol): these appear on borders or larger stencils that had to be cut in sections due to the size limits of the laser cutter bed. Tape a small piece of masking tape under each star, paint the registration mark along with your design, then use those painted marks to line up the next section perfectly. Peel the tape off once you're done.
If your stencil has an overlap: fold it carefully into a circle to find the cutout sections that match at each end — that's where you'll align it to create a continuous, seamless border.
Paint It
- Dip your brush or sponge in paint, then wipe off most of it on kitchen paper — too much paint causes bleeding under the stencil and ragged edges.
- Apply with an up-and-down stippling motion, starting at the outer edge of each cutout and working inward.
- If using masking tape, press the stencil firmly against the surface so paint can't seep behind it.
- Using multiple colors? Apply the lightest first, and let each color dry fully before adding the next — always with a clean brush or sponge.
- Stencils often look best with color built up in thin layers rather than one heavy coat. If in doubt, use less paint — you can always add more.
Less is more! Build up thin layers of paint for the crispest, most professional-looking results.
Stenciling on Fabric
- Pre-wash your fabric first to remove sizing and softener — these coatings stop paint from bonding to the actual fibers.
- Tape the fabric flat to a table so it can't shift, then stencil as normal, adding extra masking tape around the stencil's edges for extra protection against bleed.
- Fabric paint works only on natural fibers, and the stencil must be cleaned front and back between uses.
- Dry-brush solid paint is the less messy option and works on almost any fabric — cotton, linen, silk, voile, and polyester included — without leaving it stiff.
Always pre-wash fabric to ensure the paint bonds properly to the fibers.
Finishing & Heat-Setting
Let your painted fabric dry for 3 full days before washing or dry cleaning. Then place absorbent paper over the design and press with a dry iron (no steam) on each side for about 10 seconds to heat-set the paint permanently.
Patience is key — allow the full 3 days drying time before heat-setting to ensure your design lasts through many washes.
Happy stenciling — be warned, it's addictive.