DIY Stencilled Menu Board

DIY Stencilled Menu Board

What do you do when you spot a large plank cutting board on deep clearance at the store? You buy it of course! While I’m sure we all have enough cutting boards in daily use, I challenge you to use one to create a menu board (or even a recipe book holder). 

What's for dinner? Let everyone know with a stencilled menu board, made using Homestead House Milk Paint. Dinner ideas sold separately.

Having poked around the Muddaritaville website for stencils a short time before, the three “menu” stencils that they have came to mind. I was super into the bottom one, and decided to give it a try.

What's for dinner? Let everyone know with a stencilled menu board, made using Homestead House Milk Paint. Dinner ideas sold separately.

What you need for a stencilled menu board

For this project, you’ll need a cutting board, a clothespin, some paper, a Menu stencil, Homestead Hemp Oil, and Sturbridge White Homestead House Milk Paint.

What's for dinner? Let everyone know with a stencilled menu board, made using Homestead House Milk Paint. Dinner ideas sold separately.

How to use a stencil

Like with all stencils, follow the manufacturer’s instructions for best practices. Muddaritaville recommends using a stencil adhesive or tape to secure the stencil. I opted for painter’s tape (because I don’t have the adhesive) and secured the parts of the stencil that were lifting up a little. 

What's for dinner? Let everyone know with a stencilled menu board, made using Homestead House Milk Paint. Dinner ideas sold separately.

What's for dinner? Let everyone know with a stencilled menu board, made using Homestead House Milk Paint. Dinner ideas sold separately.

How to mix milk paint

I mixed 1 part Sturbridge White and one part water (about 1tbsp each) for this project and then used a bristle brush to dab the paint onto the stencil.

How to stencil a menu board

With a stencil like this, you want to have as little paint as possible on the brush, otherwise, you run the risk of having it bleed under the stencil. A little bit is always expected, but I try to limit how much.

What's for dinner? Let everyone know with a stencilled menu board, made using Homestead House Milk Paint. Dinner ideas sold separately.

Once I had two coats on the stencil, I removed it and used a wet Q-tip to clean-up the edges while the paint was still fresh.

What's for dinner? Let everyone know with a stencilled menu board, made using Homestead House Milk Paint. Dinner ideas sold separately.What's for dinner? Let everyone know with a stencilled menu board, made using Homestead House Milk Paint. Dinner ideas sold separately.

Next, I used a detailed sponge brush to fill-in the gaps on the stencil, where the painter’s tape had blocked it. 

What's for dinner? Let everyone know with a stencilled menu board, made using Homestead House Milk Paint. Dinner ideas sold separately.

What's for dinner? Let everyone know with a stencilled menu board, made using Homestead House Milk Paint. Dinner ideas sold separately.

After a few touch-up coats, the paint was complete! I let it dry before applying a thin coat of Hemp oil to protect the cutting board, and give it a richness of colour.

What's for dinner? Let everyone know with a stencilled menu board, made using Homestead House Milk Paint. Dinner ideas sold separately.

Finishing touches! I hot glued a clothespin to the board, and then added a few sheets of paper on which to write-out what’s on offer.

What's for dinner? Let everyone know with a stencilled menu board, made using Homestead House Milk Paint. Dinner ideas sold separately.

Hung in a kitchen, it looks pretty darn cute and very appropriate.

DIY Stencilled Menu Board

What kind of small projects have you been up to? Show us in the Paint It Beautiful facebook group.

What's for dinner? Let everyone know with a stencilled menu board, made using Homestead House Milk Paint. Dinner ideas sold separately.

What's for dinner? Let everyone know with a stencilled menu board, made using Homestead House Milk Paint. Dinner ideas sold separately.

What's for dinner? Let everyone know with a stencilled menu board, made using Homestead House Milk Paint. Dinner ideas sold separately.

What's for dinner? Let everyone know with a stencilled menu board, made using Homestead House Milk Paint. Dinner ideas sold separately.

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