This amazing do-it-yourself project was done by Susan Halzle Brough and she was so lovely to share her tutorial! This is a great idea to spruce up your patio on a budget!
The first step for this project was to remove all the old paint then prime and paint the porch. I used 2 coats of Sherwin Williams Porch and Floor Enamel in Peppercorn. I purchased a 12x12 stencil and a stencil level I purchased Cutting Edge Stencil. The stencil pattern is Lyndhurst Tile. This level is amazing. It clips to the top of the stencil and helps keep your design straight. The paint I used for the stenciling is from True Value called Painters Select for concrete. The color is Pebble.
I measured my porch and marked the middle in chalk keeping in mind that I need to allow 2 ½ inches for the border. My stencil is marked so I could line the middle of the stencil on the chalk line. After I attached the level I used blue tape on all four sides and the corners to hold the stencil in place. I poured my paint into a small painting tray and used a stencil brush to start applying the paint. I dipped my brush in the paint adding very little paint to the brush then I wiped it off on a paper towel until it was almost dry. Believe me there is more paint on the brush than you think. You don't want much paint on the brush or it will bleed under your stencil. I did try using a small foam roller at first and found you get a much sharper design with the stencil brush.
Once I completed the design I let it dry overnight then added the border. For the border I used the blue painters tape and taped off the inside edge of the design to cover the stenciling. I then measured 2 ½ inches out from the edge and taped off the area I wanted for my border. I used a small foam roller to paint between the taped areas. I let the paint dry to touch then removed the blue tape pulling it at a 45 degree angle away from the paint. I will be using a concrete sealer and applying 3-4 coats on the entire porch to protect my paint and design. This was a fun project. The hardest part was removing the old paint from the porch.The stenciling is not hard. It just takes a little patience and time. I love my new "rug". - Susan Halzle Brough