Stenciled Barn Floor DIY

Totally Change the Look of a Large Space Using Only Paint!

How to Stencil a Plywood Floor

When we bought our house three years ago, the detached barn was an added bonus. For a while we just used it for storage, but last year I decided it was time to clear it out and put it to better use. I'd always thought about opening my own yoga studio, but the timing was never right, and I worried about overhead costs. I figured that if I could convert the barn to a large studio-like space, I could at least give "studio ownership" a shot!

This technique would work on any kind of plywood or concrete flooring - a great way to jazz up a garage or workshop space! My floor happened to be plywood (I know I looks like concrete in the first picture, we were fooled at first, too!).

Barn Floor Before the Makeover

STEP 1: Paint the Floor a Base Color

You need to be sure you have the right kind of paint to stand up to a lot of wear and tear. I used Porch and Patio Floor Paint like this one, and the color I used was "Chocolate Swirl" -- I'm very happy with how it's held up! The tricky thing about it, though, is that you HAVE GOT to wear a legit face mask because of the fumes (I used one like this - please be sure you follow the directions on the paint to be sure you've got the correct safety equipment). While it STINKS, it dries pretty darn fast, so that's a positive! I purchased two gallons for about 1000 sq feet, but I only ended up using one of them. I used a 5' extension rod for the paint roller, and while I didn't want to spend the extra money on it at the time, I ended up being really glad I did, because it made the process go a lot faster, and it was much easier on my back.

STEP 2: Stencil Away!

I knew I needed a big stencil because the floor is HUGE. I ended up finding one I loved by Stencilslab: the Athena - Modern Tile design. I got the largest size they make, and it was just under $40, but it was so worth the cost. Be prepared for the long haul here. It's going to take some time. I worked over the course of a couple weeks, trying to devote a few 3-ish hour chunks on the nights I was free. You can tell that my work is far from perfect, but I was okay with that. I wanted a little rusticity to the look.

STEP 3: Protective Coat

I'm including this step even though I didn't actually do it myself. I had planned to, and even bought the materials, but I actually ended up needing to use the space for some kids workshops very soon after I painted, and I didn't want to put additional chemicals on the floor and expose the kids to the fumes, so I just left it as it was, and I've been perfectly happy with it that way.

I love how it turned out, and it's easy to keep clean, too. About once a week, I give it a once-over with my big broom-mop (not the official name, but that's what I call it!). You can also see on the picture below that I was able to update the door with an awesome Craigslist score (visit my Craigslist Buying Post for tips if you're new to Craigslist) -- I love how much more natural light I get in there now, too!

Feel free to reach out if you have any questions!