Stenciling floors is a great way to decorate, adding charm and character to any room. Floor stenciling can be used in a variety of ways. Floors can be stenciled in just a small area, all the way around the perimeter of the room or as an all-over design imitating an area rug or a stone walkway.

Stenciling a floor is fairly easy. With no ladders to climb and no dripping paint, it is certainly easier than a wall-stenciling project.

The first step is floor preparation. To ensure that paint will adhere, floors need to be cleaned so that they are free of dirt, wax or grease. If your floor has been varnished, you may also need to sand lightly with 180-grit sandpaper.

Ready-made stencils are available in a wide variety of patterns at most craft shops. If you'd like to be even more creative, however, you can draw and cut your own stencils.

Traditional stenciling designs typically include leaves, flowers and berries. Don't feel limited by this; your plan can include any object, shape or geometric design.

Regardless of whether you are designing a stencil for a border or to imitate the look of an entire area rug, the process is similar. To begin, draw out the dimensions of your room using graph paper.

Decide how large you would like your stencil design to be and then create your pattern on the graph paper. Be sure to pay careful attention to the pattern in the corners, as some designs turn corners better than others. It is sometimes helpful to use colored pencils for a more accurate picture of the look of the finished stencil.

Once you are satisfied with your design, enlarge and transfer it to the plastic stenciling material. If you are using a single color, you will only need to cut one stencil, which can be used multiple times. If you are creating a multicolored design, you will need to cut a stencil for each color used.

To double-check that your stencil is the correct size, it's a good idea to photocopy the pattern. Then lay the copies around the room to check for size and correct placement.

There are several ways to paint the stencils. The fastest way to apply the paint is with a sponge or foam roller, although you may find that the paint tends to bleed under the stencil using these methods.

A more accurate way to apply the paint is with a stencil brush. Paint is less likely to bleed under the stencil because of the stiff bristles.

There are also several different mediums available for stenciling. Craft stores sell small bottles of paint especially made for stenciling, but any latex paint will work. Dry stenciling cr
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