Our entrance porch has by no means been my favourite so I made a decision to spruce it up with some paint from Ace Hardware. My DIY Stenciled Porch Makeover was completely transformative and introduced this area to life!
This submit is sponsored by Ace {Hardware}. I acquired compensation and product, however all opinions and content material are my very own.
I admit, I’m not an enormous fan of stenciling – at the least not in our house. I believe it seems cool when different individuals do it however it simply by no means felt proper for my type. However I’m all about difficult myself and taking dangers!
So when Ace challenged me to a DIY paint undertaking utilizing the Clark+Kensington 2020 Colour Developments Palettes, I made a decision to go daring and stencil our entrance porch concrete ground.
One of many hardest issues about beginning a paint undertaking is deciding on the colour, proper? I do know I wrestle huge time with this and might spend hours observing paint samples within the retailer.
Fortunately, selecting from the Colour Developments Palettes made issues approach simpler – so many stunning, on development colours completely picked and curated simply ready so that you can choose up a paint brush and use them!
I made a decision on Black Chiffon and Bone White. Two beautiful contrasting colours that will actually make my stencil sample pop.
For those who’re nonetheless combating choosing the proper paint shade you possibly can take a look at The Paint Studio at Acehardware.com. Right here you possibly can add a photograph of your area and check out colours earlier than even heading into the shop. It’s going to additionally inform you every part you could get in your undertaking and provide suggestions and tutorials from execs.
I’ve by no means painted concrete earlier than and had so many questions. The employees at my native Ace Hardware had been wonderful and so useful in ensuring I had every part I wanted to get began.
They’ve over 5,000 shops and the vast majority of them are independently owned and operated by native entrepreneurs which I like. I’m all about supporting small companies.
To provide you an thought of the place we began – here’s a earlier than picture of our porch. Positively in want of some TLC. Proper earlier than I began this undertaking, we had our walkway redone which made an enormous distinction too!
We’re additionally in the midst of a landscaping undertaking so simply ignore the grime and rocks in entrance of our porch 😉
Okay, so as soon as I had all my paint and provides it was time to get began!
I’ll stroll you thru the entire course of step-by-step and present you ways straightforward it was to stencil our entrance porch!
HOW TO STENCIL CONCRETE
CLEAN YOUR SURFACE
You would possibly solely want to present it a superb sweep, however the easiest way to get all of the accrued grime and grime off is with a stress washer. It’s wonderful how properly these items work! I may use all of it day.
We did it at evening so it had loads of time to dry earlier than we began work on it the following day.
After! So satisfying isn’t it?!
PREPARE YOUR SURFACE
Within the morning, I gave it a fast sweep with the broom simply to get off any little leaves or grime that the wind had blown up.
Then I used some painters tape to tape across the edges.
PAINT YOUR BASE COAT
Some out of doors paints require a base coat earlier than you even apply your shade, however Ace’s Royal Porch + Floor Paint doesn’t which makes issues go lots faster!
Don’t overlook this step. It’s essential to consider carefully in regards to the form of your stencil and what shade you need to be extra outstanding. For those who observe me on instagram, you already know I needed to paint and repaint after which paint once more the bottom shade.
I had fairly the journey with this undertaking and even switched stencils at one level, however it was all value it ultimately.
My base shade is the Black Chiffon which I utilized utilizing a small 2″ angled brush across the edges after which a foam curler for the remaining. This went pretty rapidly and I solely did 1 thick coat.
The can says to let it dry for twenty-four hours earlier than recoating so I waited till the following day to do the stencil!
STENCIL!
Now’s the enjoyable half! Or perhaps not in case your a perfectionist 😉 Stenciling isn’t straightforward and I believe why I’ve all the time steered away from it indoors was as a result of I might need it to look PERFECT. Which is difficult.
Exterior, I really feel prefer it’s okay if it seems a bit extra worn particularly since the stencil I used to be utilizing mimics handmade concrete tiles which have lots of variation all through anyway.
First you’ll need to work out the place to start out your stencil. Take into consideration what part of the area shall be seen probably the most and make sure you begin with a full sample there. I began on the entrance of the porch close to the steps and labored my technique to the precise after which again.
Use some painters tape to carry your stencil in place. I used it solely on two sides and that appeared to be enough. My stencil wasn’t big although. If yours is larger you might want extra tape.
As soon as your stencil is in place – seize your brush! I used this massive wax brush.
Apply a SMALL quantity of paint to the tip of your brush after which dab the vast majority of it off onto a paper towel. This step is KEY. You don’t want extra paint in your brush – this causes bleeding and your stencil will look all blotchy. A bit of paint goes a great distance.
I used the colour Bone White.
When making use of your paint, simply dab it on shifting your brush up and down rapidly.
Peel off your tape and pull again your stencil!
The cool factor about this stencil, is that it has lower outs on 3 of the corners, so you possibly can line up your subsequent spot simply and you already know it’s sq..
And one more reason it’s useful to make use of a really gentle coat of paint is that it’ll dry quicker and mean you can lay down your subsequent stencil extra rapidly.
REPEAT till you’ve stenciled your complete space! I did as many full stencils as I may after which had to return and do some partial ones alongside the outer perimeter. If you could, you possibly can lower your stencil so it lays flat.
FINISH
Plenty of paints additionally require a high coat to seal your work, however the Royal Porch + Flooring Paint has polyurethane in it already and it meant to withstand chipping, stains and so forth. So when you’re achieved, you’re achieved! How wonderful is that?!
Now you possibly can sit again and admire your work and luxuriate in your newly stenciled area!
There are lots of modifications I’d wish to make to our exterior, however for now, this newly stenciled porch has made such a distinction! What do you consider my DIY Stenciled Porch Makeover? Have you ever stenciled something in your individual house?
My buddy Aniko stenciled her wall and it seems wonderful!
Thanks to Ace Hardware for equipping me with the right merchandise to deliver my imaginative and prescient to life!