We are thrilled to see yet another pretty porch get the attention it deserves! Country Sampler Farmhouse Style Magazine featured their very own Molly Beals trying her hand at stenciling and NAILING IT! Her concrete porch was painted, stenciled, and transformed into a work of art. Instead of the heavy work of laying brick, Molly decided the quicker, easier, and more affordable alternative would be to stencil a brick pattern onto the concrete with concrete paint and the Herringbone Brick Stencil from Royal Design Studio Stencils.
Country Sampler says, “If you have a plain concrete porch and are longing to give it a bit more style, try a stenciled brick effect, like Farmhouse Style Advertising Account Manager Molly Beals did at her home. In just a weekend, Molly gave her outdoor space a fresh new look. Here’s how she did it:
STEP 1: Clean your concrete surface and let it dry. Molly used her existing concrete color as her “grout.” The paint she applied did not require a separate primer, so she did not need to base coat her patio.
STEP 2: Use a herringbone brick stencil (Molly’s was from Royal Design Studio to create the brick pattern. Hold the stencil in place with painter’s tape while applying paint. As you work, make sure the stencil is consistently oriented in the same direction. Plan to vary the background color throughout your stencil for a more natural brick look. Molly used Dixie Belle Chalk Mineral Paint in Collard Greens, Coffee Bean, Gravel Road and Chocolate.
STEP 3: Put a bit of the paint on a sturdy disposable plate and spray water on the plate to thin the paint to a stain-like consistency. This makes for easier application and helps the paint go further. Apply the paint through the stencil using a 2" chip brush. Use a different brush for each background color.
STEP 4: Give the bricks more texture and variation by sponging on three different colors of paint. Molly used Muscadine Wine, Dried Sage and Chocolate, in that order. Cut a large natural faux-finishing sponge into three pieces and use them to apply the paint. Use small foam brushes as needed to blend the colors.
STEP 5: Clean up grout lines, if needed, with French Linen paint (or another color that matches your original concrete.)
STEP 6: Protect your painted surface with a durable weatherproof sealer.”
