How-To Guides & Advice

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Upcycle your furniture with a personal touch

Short on time? Add some interest to your room with British Paints stencils! Change up your bedside table or console unit with a stencilled design or go for a tonal play with complementary colours across your furniture!

Follow our easy steps to transform your furniture from drab to fab!

Step 1

Choose two colours, patterns and paint and pick up a FREE British Paints stencil in-store or download a printable pattern or two here.

TIP! Remember you can scan the QR code or visit our website to come back to this how-to page at any time during the process.

Tools you need

British Paints Furniture Paint in your two favourite colours
British Paints Furniture Clear to finish
Mini roller or brush
Masking tape
Sanding block
Drop sheet

Step 2

Follow our steps for the perfect prep for your item

Remove or cover any handles, bolts or other features that you don’t want to paint
Scrape off loose and flaking paint (if needed).
Sand the surface so the paint has something to stick to.
Ensure all surfaces are clean, dry and free from dust, oils and grease.
Fill nail holes, cracks, etc., with suitable filler then sand smooth patched areas and dust (if needed).
Prime your furniture with British Paints Prep4in1. Watch our helpful video!

Handy hint: Remove any masking tape immediately after painting to avoid peeling off any paint.

Step 3

Print and prep your stencils (we recommend printing on thick paper or card), then carefully cut out the desired shapes along the marked lines using a stanley knife or scissors. All set!

Step 4

Using a roller or brush paint a first coat of British Paints Furniture Paint in your main colour (this will be your base colour). Wait two hours before applying a second coat. Let the second coat dry for two hours. Follow directions on paint pack for more detail.

Handy hint: You can also cut out your stencils while you wait for the paint to dry to save time!

Step 5

Once base coat is dry and ready, decide where you'd like your stencil motif and use masking tape to apply to the surface, keeping the shape you want to paint open and clear of tape.

Step 6

Using a roller or brush paint a coat of your second colour. Wait two hours, then apply a second coat. Carefully remove the stencil once the second coat is touch-dry. You can use a small brush to touch up any edges, too!