How to Stencil with Allover Pattern Stencils
Posted July 26 2011Stenciling with allover patterns, such as damask stencil patterns, lattice-work and scrollwork are a great addition to any room. The repeated pattern will actually make a small room seem larger. Unlike wallpaper, stenciled allover patterns are inexpensive, can be done in custom colors and can also be done using techniques that yield a wonderful "painterly" effect.
Working with allover pattern stencils in a room
If you are wrapping the stencil design around a room, meaning that the pattern will be placed on all four walls, find the vertical center point of the most dominant wall and begin with the pattern centered on that, working out to and through each corner. Your pattern will then end equally at both dominant corners. Each pattern will work a little differently, but I prefer to begin the pattern at the top of the wall and let it end however it ends up at the bottom, since most of it will be covered by furniture.
If you are wrapping the design completely around the walls, how do you get it to end perfectly? You probably can't and will pull your hair out trying. It is an allover pattern just like wallpaper. There has to be a seam somewhere, so put it in the least obvious spot that has limited wall space. For most rooms, this is where you enter the room. Continue the design uninterrupted around the room, going both directions from the center starting point and wrapping each corner. When you end both directions at the least dominant corner, there will be a limited amount of wall space above the door so if the design doesn't match up in THAT corner (which is the least dominant corner of the room), it will be hardly noticeable. Each room will present a different scenario, so think about it and plan ahead before you start.
Keeping it straight and in place
You will want to work with a large, plastic bubble level and check the levelness of the pattern each time you move it (or every other one at least), by holding the level along one of the vertical or horizontal edges. Use a light misting of re-positionable stencil spray adhesive in addition to tape to keep the stencil flush with the wall and secure. Because these are bigger, weaker stencils (meaning that they have more areas cut from them and have many bridges and delicate bendable, edges), the spray adhesive is quite helpful.
Working through corners, ceiling, etc.
Re-positionable stencil spray adhesive really helps here, because it allows you to push the stencil into the corner or ceiling line and make it secure to the wall. For corners, remember that you can only do one wall surface at a time. As you come to the corner, push the stencil first on to the wall you are working on, into the corner, allowing it to hang free from the opposite wall. Complete your stenciling and wrap the stencil into the corner, pressing in to the other wall surface as you release the stencil from the wall you have just done. You canÃt have the stencil secured to both walls at the same time it just won't work! The same goes for ceiling and molding edges. The spray adhesive will hold the stencil securely to the wall surface, right into the corner edge.
Matching up repeats
Our allover pattern stencils have the repeat registration cut into the mylar. Various key elements of the design are cut through on the repeat so that you simply line them up over your previous stenciling, allowing for easy and perfect registration. Simply continue stenciling in the unpainted areas.
Comments
15 commentsMelanie Royals
May 27 2013 at 12:09PMWe created this particular stencil inspiration image in Photoshop, but you could easily color match the blue at the paint store!
Betsy Brown
May 25 2013 at 12:26PMHi…what are the colors that you used here for the corsini damask stencil….really like them…a great contrast for gold/black
Melanie Royals
May 14 2013 at 07:22PMYes! You can absolutely stencil with regular wall paint. We recommend getting paint sample pots from Home Depot in the Behr Ultra Premium paint line for best results. See this Stencil How-to http://www.royaldesignstudio.com/blogs/how-to-stencil/7178768-stencil-how-to-ombre-chevron-stripe-pattern
Betsy Brown
May 08 2013 at 05:04PMHi…can you use regular wall paint to stencil with?
Tricia
December 26 2012 at 09:04AMWhat about wrapping around corners? Tips for that?
kristin
September 05 2012 at 04:47PMLOVE … Corsini Damask Stencil!
Bazil Rivera
July 11 2012 at 07:41AMHello, would you mind telling me the colors you used on the picture for your Fortuny Stencil?
Melanie Royals
June 27 2012 at 04:44PMHi Lynda, Actually our Moorish Trellis stencil is one of our easiest patterns for allover wall stenciling. The open pattern areas are not large, so I recommend that you use either a 1" or 1.5" stencil brush and craft acrylic or latex paint in the color of your choice. I would begin with the pattern centered on the most dominant (feature) wall and stencil out either way from there. The stencil comes with additional instructions for laying out the pattern, etc. Thanks for you interest in our stencils!
Lynda
June 27 2012 at 01:35PMI am thinking about using your Marrakesh Large Moorish Pattern to stencil my dining room walls. My dining room has a sliding glass door to the patio, and 2 full walls (open floor plan in my house). I have never stenciled at all before. What do I need to do this (tools, paint recommended)? Is this too ambitious of a project to start out with?
Melanie Royals
June 25 2012 at 10:15AMHi Nicole! Yes, when stenciling an allover stencil pattern you have to just think of it repeating like wallpaper. You will just continue the stencil repeat around the window and push the stencil into the corner where the wall meets the window molding. It’s actually a bit easier than stenciling in corners, as you can get it tighter and closer into the corner easily. I recommend putting painter’s tape on your molding so you don’t get any of the stencil paint there. You can use a smaller length of tape and just move it around the molding as you stencil around the window. Hope that helps!
Nicole
June 21 2012 at 09:10AMThis is great. Any tips for carrying a pattern around a window? Would you just treat it like you would a corner?
Melanie Royals
June 04 2012 at 08:13AMHi Allison, Yes you are right. It generally DOES take two coats of white to cover over a dark color when stenciling. If you are using a dry brush or roller you should be able to apply both thin coats before moving the stencil as the paint will be dry almost on contact. Unfortunately, if you try to just to one heavy coat, it will probably NOT cover anyway and you will end up with paint seeping under your stencil. One thing you CAN do is to use Titanium White artist acrylic for your stenciling. This contains a lot of pigment and will cover much quicker than say craft or latex paint. Hope that helps!
Allison
June 01 2012 at 06:42PMIf you are stenciling white over a bold or dark color, do you need two coats? If so, there anything to do to avoid this?
Melanie Royals
May 21 2012 at 06:47AMHi Brett, you can use a foam roller or large stencil brush, both of which you can find in our Stencil Supplies area. The trick with either is to use it “dry”. This means that each time you load your tool with paint,you will remove the excess by rolling or swirling onto paper towels. Then, when you roll or swirl the paint through the stencil opening to transfer it, you won’t have excess paint seeping under your stencil and will get nice, crisp lines. Since the paint is being applied in a very thin layer, it should be dry enough to move right along. I prefer not to use spray adhesive, except at corners and ceiling line, and yes, you will want to clean your stencil periodically throughout your project.
Brett
May 16 2012 at 03:00PMWhen doing an allover pattern like this on a large wall, can a foam roller be used or do I still need to dab at each area with a foam sponge “brush”?
Also, when you repeat the pattern and line up over what you’ve just stenciled, do you need to wait for the already-stenciled area to dry first? If so, does it need to be completely dry or just not tacky? Will the reposition-able adhesive pull up any of the new paint? And do you need to clean the stencil throughout the process or every time you reposition so any paint doesn’t transfer where you don’t want it to?