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Stencil an Inlaid Design

Kitty Bartholomew: You're Home : Episode KIT-512 -- More Projects »
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Stencils and gel stain create an Old World look of inlaid wood on this hardwood floor.
Along with being expensive, it's difficult to find craftspeople that can create genuine inlaid hardwood floors, says stencil designer Melanie Royals. Instead, she recommends using simple stencils and a couple of tones of wood stain to create a burnished, inlaid look, on old or new hardwood flooring. She says the same approach would work on prefinished cabinet doors. Here's how Royals proceeds:

Steps:

1. Choose a stencil with a couple of overlays but that is still simple and has a sectioned, geometric feel.

2. If there's already polyurethane on the floor, sand it a bit to give it "tooth" to absorb the stain--but don't sand down to the wood.

3. Procure a couple of colors of water-based gel stain. Royals used American Walnut and Ebony black. "Always use colors that are darker than the floor," she says.

4. Tape the first piece of the stencil pattern to the floor.

5. Load some of the American Walnut gel stain onto just the tip of a brush, and then dab most of the gel off onto a paper towel--so it won't seep under the edges of the overlay.

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Figure A
6. Using a daubing motion, stain the floor below the stencil (figure A). "Get the gel stain in the openings, covering them well, and then go back and brush the gel stain with the grain," says Royal. "If it needs to be darker, you can always do a second coat later, before you pull off the overlay."
7. Let the stain dry completely. "Water-based gel makes it dry more quickly," says Royals.

8. Remove the first piece of the stencil pattern, and place the second over the stained pattern, being careful to line up the registration marks.

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Figure B
9. Repeat step 6 and 7, this time using Ebony Black gel stain, and then remove the second overlay as shown (figure B).
Guests
Melanie Royals
Artist, Royal Design Studio
Toll-free: 800-747-9767
E-mail: sales@royaldesignstudio.com
Website: www.royaldesignstudio.com
Also in this Episode
Kitty Bartholomew: You're Home : Episode KIT-512
•From the Ground Up
•'60s Kitchen Remodel
•Stencil an Inlaid Design
•Falling Leaves
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