I bought this table from IKEA last year but didn't buy the table cover to match, fast forward 12 months and its looking worst for wear. I could have just sanded and stained the wood, but you know us Dizzy Ducks are always looking for any excuse to stencil!
I waited for a hot sunny day to sand and probably annoyed my neighbours with the noise of the electric sander! Thankfully it didn't take too long to lift the old stain.
The last time I was in B&M I picked up this big tub of decking stain and brush set to paint my planters (you can see them in the background) but it's a huge job that I've been putting off for weeks! Both were relatively cheap.
I did 2 coats of decking stain, there are a few of areas that look a touch patchy, but I'm stenciling over the top so I'm not too concerned.
I decided to use our Slim Triangle Tile Stencil in the size 4 inch, I used a twin pack which costs £8 but if you're budgeting you can always buy one for £5. When I measured my table, the 4 inch design fits perfectly across two slats.
Marie let me borrow some of her left over masonry paint, I was literally scraping the bottom of the tin! Luckily you don't need a lot of paint to stencil. If I wasn't scrounging Marie's left overs I would have just bought a tester pot for this project.
I decided to start with the first triangle overlapping the edge of the table, to create a seamless design, if there was a gap around the edge of the table it would look "unfinished".
I alternated every row to avoid applying masking tape over touch dry paint. To achieve these super clean crisp lines, I used a dense foam roller and applied the paint in layers to build the colour density. Click here to see a video of my stenciling technique.
Try not to rush your stenciling, slow and steady will give you the best results.
I decided to mimic the design on my outdoor rug, so flipped the stencil upside down every other row.
The hardest part was this final row of triangle tips at the end of the table! But it was worth it. This is where my second stencil came in handy.
Can you see the paint build up on the tips of the triangles? This was stopping me from getting nice clean tips, so I got this clogged up stencil soaking in hot soapy water, and carried on with my second stencil.
I'm so pleased with how it turned out! Such a massive improvement. If you're nervous about tackling your first stencil project, a table top is a great place to start.
I got this whole project done comfortably over a weekend, and it was finished just in time to enjoy a chilled glass of rose watching the sun set.
