Checks and Stripes Painting Technique

Checks and stripes add a whimsical touch to this inexpensive wooden birdhouse, perfect for any garden room.  Learn how to do it with this tutorial from Krylon.

Materials:

• Krylon Indoor/Outdoor Paint - Mountain View (#53548)
• Krylon Indoor/Outdoor Paint - Gum Drop (#51513)
• Wooden Birdhouse or Project of your choice
• Low tack masking tape
• Ruler
• Pen
• Scissors
• Craft knife
• Newspaper
• Disposable rubber gloves (optional)

Surface Preparation:

• When working with unfinished wood, prepare your surface by sanding smooth and wiping clean with a tack cloth. Apply a primer to seal the surface.
• When working with bare metal, be sure surface is free of rust and oil. Apply a primer to seal the surface.
• When working with plastic, glass or ceramic, lightly sand surface with fine grain sandpaper and wipe clean with a tack cloth. This will help the paint to adhere better to these smooth surfaces. Apply a primer to further improve adhesion.

Steps:

1. Place project on newspaper to protect work area.
    
2. Spray two coats of Mountain View on all sides of project. Let dry overnight. This will allow you to use masking tape without pulling up the paint.
    
3. Cover roof and sides of birdhouse entirely with masking tape, trimming the edges with scissors.
    
4. Draw checkered grid and stripes on masking tape using ruler to measure. Carefully cut through masking tape along all the drawn lines with sharp craft knife. Pull off every other stripe, and square to create painting surface.
    
5. Spray two coats of Gumdrop on all exposed stripes and squares. Let dry completely.
    
6. Carefully peel off all masking tape to reveal stripes and checks on your finished project.
    
7. For added protection of your finished project, spray several light coats of Krylon® Crystal Clear as a final step. For projects that will be used outdoors or near a window, use Krylon® UV-Resistant Clear.

For more project ideas, please visit www.krylon.com/projects.