An old piece of furniture can easily be given a modern look, and it also gives you the chance to bring your personal style to the objects in your space. With stencils of letters, numbers and shapes, you can “modernise” an old piece of furniture, and the possible combinations of colours and designs are endless. All you need to do is let your imagination run free!
In the example below, we give you instructions on how to use stencils to apply the word “EAT” to an old wooden kitchen table.
WHAT YOU WILL NEED:
an old wooden table or any other wooden object
sandpaper (in grits suited to the roughness of the surface)
stencils (available from a craft shop)
blue painter’s tape
acrylic paint (in the colour of your choice)
paintbrush
clear water-based varnish for wooden surfaces
roller
INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Prepare the wooden surface by sanding it until the wood is smooth. If you are working on an object that has already been painted, make sure the base coat is in good condition so that it can be painted over with the stencil. Once you have sanded the surfaces, wipe the furniture clean of dust.
2. Decide on the design of your composition and place the stencils on the surface, holding them in place with blue painter’s tape.
3. Using the paintbrush, paint over the stencils with the acrylic paint. Be careful to use only small amounts of paint at this stage, so that it does not seep under the stencil. Once you are sure you have covered the whole surface of the stencils well, lift them off by removing the tape and leave the paint to dry.
4. Using fine sandpaper, lightly sand the surface you have just painted to give it a smooth finish and help the paint sink well into the wood. Wipe the furniture clean of dust with a damp cloth.
5. Apply 2 to 3 coats of clear water-based varnish for wooden surfaces over the whole piece of furniture, using a small roller.
