Good morning, everyone! Hope you are all having a great day.
Today’s project is this console table, the plan is to add a beautiful Vintage Floral Rice Decoupage paper which i bought from www.zazzle.com.
They have the most beautiful decoupage papers.
I mean how is it possible not to love decoupage?!
The beautiful patterns, the wow factor they create. It just screams luxury and beauty to me.
This is what we started with, the veneer was old and faded but wasnt peeling.
Which made sanding it easy enough.
Items used for this project-
- Cleaning medium – Something similar to TSP. Must cut through grime.
- 220- grit sandpaper
- Graphite Chalk Paint, Clear wax and Dark wax -Annie Sloan
- Paint brush
- Chosen Decoupage Paper
- Mod podge
There are so many options when it comes to decoupage paper, that it is easy to spend hours looking through them!
Imagining all the beautiful things you could be creating.
They can really enhance your project and give it an incredible effect.
I have however not used a lot of rice paper so here we go…. I had practiced a bit to get a feel for it and then went ahead with this project. I wanted to give an honest account of how it was to apply decoupage for a beginner.
I sometimes feel things sound so easy and I like to read about processes and techniques before I try them out to get a feel for what I am going to embark on.
Well firstly it seems super easy but there are some tips and tricks that can be good to follow to make the process go more smoothly.
- Instead of cutting the decoupage it can look more natural to tear the paper.
- Practice where you are going to stick the pieces by laying them out on the surface to see what looks best. Measure to accurately place the paper rather then just eye balling it. This will give a more professional look.
- I saw an amazing technique using an iron or steam iron to remove wrinkles from the paper. Check out this amazing video by Roycycled. She has such an amazing way of explaining how to do decoupage and other techniques. I love watching her videos.
- Watch videos, read tutorials and practice practice practice. Its the only way we really learn.
Step 1. Cleaning
For the first step I give the table a good clean. This is to remove any built-up dirt, grime and dust. Over the years this can build up and needs to be removed if the paint and decoupage is going to adhere to the surface.
Step 2. Sanding
After this I give the whole table a quick sand, I use a 220-grit sand paper. This evened out the surface and knocked down any raised areas and also created grooves for the paint to sink into which helps with adhesion. This also helps with the adhesion of the decoupage paper.
Step 3. Painting
I then used Annie Sloans Graphite to paint the body. I used a natural bristle brush and applied 2 coats. Whenever I use chalk paint, I always have my misting bottle nearby, if the paint tugs or feels or looks dry I give the surface a little spritz which helps the paint to spread across the surface easier.
It also helps to spritz your brush with water before dipping it in the paint. This helps with clean up and application of the chalk paint.
I wait for the first coat to dry and then I apply the second coat. I do not sand in-between these coats; I do not mind if there are brush marks or a little texture to this project.
Step 4. Distress
Once the paint is applied, I used a wet cloth to wipe away a little of the Graphite paint to lightly distress the console table. This is what is fantastic about chalk paint it is very easy to wipe back. I do this just after I have done the second coat so that it is easier to wipe away.
Step 5. Measuring decoupage
I then decided where I wanted to apply the decoupage rice paper and measured to check that it was placed in the centre. This is an important step as it will look unprofessional if placed wrong. I then used a pencil and drew some light markings to remember where it was being placed. I did not ripe the paper on this project. I decided against it but will do this in the future.
What do you think of decoupage? Have you tried it before? Any tips for us?
Step 6. Sticking the decoupage paper down
I then went ahead and took my mod podge and brushed it onto the area the decoupage rice paper will be. I did this a section at a time and then gently placed the paper down and then slowly rolled down a section at a time, brushing on more mod podge as I went being careful to be very gentle with the paper and smoothed out the decoupage paper as I went along. I did not use too much mod podge either but enough to hold the paper down.
The tricky part of this is not to tear the decoupage rice paper which is incredibly thin. You can however pick the paper up again if it has not gotten to wet/ saturated by the mod podge.
I also would suggest not going over it much with your brush as this can also tear the paper if you keep brushing it down.
It takes practice!
By the way check out this recipe for Mod Podge.
It is super easy to make, with ingredients you have in your house.
It is great to use on decoupage projects.
I love that you can make this stuff yourself. DIYing is costing me a fortune so being able to make this stuff is great!
As I did this, I used a brush with mod podge to brush across the section I had laid down.
So, it is worth being very gentle with the paper.
I then sanded along the line of the edge of the console table, this creates a very neat line at the edge of the decoupage. This is a much easier than trying to cut a neat accurate line. I would suggest using a 220 grit and brushing downwards in one direction.
Step 7. Adding more Mod podge
After this had dried, I added another layer of mod podge.
Once this had dried, I sanded and wiped it clean.
Step 8. Adding wax
I decided to finish off my project with clear and dark wax. I love the effect created with wax it is matt and I love this look. It gives this beautiful effect.
I felt it was ok to do this with this kind of furniture as it is not a high traffic item.
What I learnt from using decoupage paper.
- Practice a little first if you can. I like to do this at least before I go ahead with a big project. It is frustrating to make mistakes on something you care about.
- Rip the edges for a natural look.
- When applying rice decoupage paper to furniture it is worth being extra careful with the paper as it is delicate especially when it has mod podge or a topcoat applied.
- Take your time, you are able to lift the paper up to straighten out any bubbles or creases if they happen. That is why it is best to do a little at a time, so that it is easier to lift it up.
- I also felt applying the mod podge over the top with a brush helped flatten any unevenness out during the process.
- Cut and decide the size you want it before sticking it down.
- Be careful with the amount of medium you use. Not too much if the paper is very thin, you are able to add more later. This will help if you need to lift it up again to flatten out those pesky bubbles or creases.
- I also experienced a little rip which happened when I added too much of the mod podge to the rice paper. I believe I over saturated the paper, if you imagine tissue paper becoming wet and how it falls apart. So less is more but you also need it to adhere, this is why practicing is worth it.
- I also read somewhere about poking a hole in any stubborn bubbles which made a lot of sense. I have however not tried this and cannot remember when or who wrote this but wanted to add it anyway.
Good luck everyone. Trying new techniques is great fun. Sometimes things don’t go quite to plan but have fun and go for it anyway, this is how we learn and become better. Mistakes mean we have learnt something and life is all about learning!
Hope you all have a great day and subscribe to my email list if you wish to receive weekly inspirational makeover ideas.
Love Anna x
