Stenciled Tiles
Supplies list:
Stencil (here)
Charcoal Chalk Paint (here)
White Chalk Paint (here)
Sealant (here)
3 Foam Rollers
Small Foam brushes
Small Paint brushes
Painters Tape
Pencil
If you've never stenciled, here is a detailed tutorial (here). This post is purely tips for stenciling on a floor specifically, and not meant to replace the basic instructions given in the tutorial provided by the stencil company.
1. To create the black and white tile look I was going for, I started with foam rolling 3 coats of white chalk paint directly onto the cleaned tile. I waited a couple hours between each coat to make sure it was dry.
2. I then used a new foam roller to stencil on the charcoal design. Make sure you don't have a lot of paint on the foam roller or it will seep underneath the stencil and ruin the clean lines. You only want to do the stencil in one coat, so do a thin layer, wait a minute, then go over it again so the design is fully pigmented.
3. Once all the solid tiles were finished, I trimmed the stencil to the next largest size, which were a handful of half-sized tiles. You don't need to trim the stencil or do this step, it was just easier for me because the tiles were under the vanity and I know I won't be using this pattern anywhere else in my house. Keep your stencil in tact if you plan to reuse it again elsewhere.
4. Once I got down to the obscurely shaped, and tiny areas, (around the toilet, etc), I used a pencil to trace the stencil then did those by hand. I used a small foam brush for outlines and small paintbrush to fill it in.
5. Since this is the floor, you want to REALLY make sure each layer is thin and dry each time you paint. Personally, I would wait 24-48 hours before sealing it just to be extra sure the paint underneath has completely hardened.
6. For sealant, my go-to is Polycrylic (see supplies list above). Make sure the floor has been swept and wiped thoroughly with a cloth to remove any dust and lint. Use a new foam roller to do very thin layers of the sealant. The key here is multiple thin layers, not one thick layer. I waited 2-4 hours between coats 1, 2, and 3. Then 24 hours later I did one last thin layer. (Again, that's why the layers need to be very thin). Being a bathroom, I wanted to make sure this floor will hold up against the splashing water and foot traffic, which is why I went overly cautious on the layer quantity.
7. Once it's sealed I would avoid walking on the floor for as long as you can. Preferably 48 hours. 24 is fine. But at least 24. This is painted tile, it needs all the help it can get to bond. So leaving it alone is the best TLC you can give it.
I'll keep updates on my Instagram for how it's holding up (here). So far we've done a handful of bath times & bedtime routines and it's holding up perfectly. :)
