The Easiest Way To Stencil A Sign

Looking for the easiest way to stencil a wooden sign without bleeding paint? Check out my secret to crisp stenciled lines and beautiful results even if you're a beginner.


I love crafting during the holidays. There's something very comforting and festive about creating by the light of the tree.

Seasonal music playing in the background.

The fireplace crackling nearby.

Well, this season was no exception. That nostalgia bug is hard to fight.

While I may not have been able to go out shopping for supplies, like any good crafter, I had a huge stash of things I was able to transform in my craft closet. And I did.

However. I still had unfinished decorating business in the kitchen and it wasn't the Christmas kind.

I tried to push it off, but I'm not good at waiting, so in the middle of December, I did something quite unthinkable.

I stopped my normal holiday projects and dove into a year round DIY.

The new curtains I made in the fall, added a huge burst of color to the kitchen. And I mean huge.

They were the first full length panels I've ever had in that space and the first time I used fabric with so much bright color. And I absolutely adore every inch of it...but like I said, it's a lot.

Once I brought the trees and lights and Santas into the space, it became way too much. Something had to go.

Or at least be toned down.
The red rooster sign over the sink was the obvious choice. It looked great up there in summer and fall, but in the gray days of winter, it was just too bright.

I know that seems counterintuitive, that I should crave color now more than ever.

But I wanted something a little more muted...a little more rustic and a little different from the wallpaper roosters that had been living up there - in red and white - for decades.

Normally, I would grab a wall sticker to make a new sign, but since I had been relying on my trusty supplies, I decided to dig in to see if I had anything that would work.

And lo and behold I pulled out not one, but two stencils.

I had used this Cow Pig Chicken stencil before when I gave an old thrifted cutting board a makeover.

I'd received the Farm To Table stencil at the same time, but never had the right use for it. Until now.

The Easiest Way To Stencil A Sign

I used to stencil a lot. Back in the 90's, it was a decor staple. 

However, it was never a carefree craft, for me anyway, because I was always worried about frayed and fuzzy edges.

So when I found wall decals and gift bags that I could work with, I basically abandoned stencils.

And then I was sent a stenciled pillow kit that came with a roller and everything changed.

A roller??

Yup. It was genius.

I returned to stenciling and I've never looked back at foam brushes or pouncers.

I've stenciled everything from wooden signs and fabric to entire walls. And always with the same kind of roller.

I can have that rustic painted look I love and perfect results every single time.

SUPPLIES

This is the secret to my stenciling success:


It's a very tight, mini foam roller.

I always get the multipack so I can work with a few colors at one time without waiting for them to dry.

They hold the paint well and the rolling motion applies the paint evenly. Plus it's quick. It's a no brainer.

For this sign, I used the back of my red rooster board. Again.

It was the perfect size for the space and since I removed the rooster decals months ago and had given it a fresh coat of cream paint, the hardest part was mapping out where the letters were going to go.

I wanted everything centered top and bottom, left and right.


That took more than a little bit of measuring and math. Not my favorite. But I knew I'd be annoyed if the words were askew.

In addition to marking where I should stencil, I actually drew out a few letters on the wood to make sure it would all line up well.


Then I taped the stencil onto the board with my blue painter's tape and started rolling.

TABLE was first.

As I said, I was going for rustic, so I used a brown acrylic craft paint. Brown paint is awesome. If applied lightly, it mimics the look of stain without the hassle of using stain. 

It's soap and water washable, doesn't smell and is much more forgiving to work with.

After a few quick swipes with the roller and I was ready to repeat the process on the other end of the board with FARM. That went just as fast.

I was all set to tape down TO, when something stopped me and on a whim, I grabbed a little hen stencil and added it, instead. 

No, it isn't really a saying. I mean Farm To Table makes more sense than Farm Chicken Table, but I liked it better, so I kept it. 

I guess I missed my roosters. Understandable, considering we've be living together for almost 20 years.

When the brown paint was dry, I used an eraser to remove all the pencil marks that had been left behind.

And I hung that sign up.


It was just what I craved. So charming above the curtain-less window.

The word farm in such close proximity to the new checked curtains and sink skirt makes it all feel right.

Of course, it's comforting to know that my red roosters are safely tucked in for winter on the other side. And whenever the whim strikes me, they'll return to brighten my kitchen once again.

In the meantime, my Farm Chicken Table sign- reminiscent of my I Love Chickens Valentine Banner- has inspired a few other changes around here. Nothing drastic just some new accents to freshen things up.

After all, fresh was supposed to be my word of the year.

Hmmm...maybe it should've been farm.

Have you ever used a roller to stencil?