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You are here: Home / Cricut Crafts / DIY Reusable Stencil With Cricut Explore

June 12, 2018 by Chris Butler

DIY Reusable Stencil With Cricut Explore

This post may contain affiliate links for your convenience. If you make a purchase through one of my links I will earn a small commission at no additional cost to you.

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Today I’m going to show you how to make DIY reusable stencils with your Cricut cutting machine.  If you want to know how to make vinyl stencils with your Cricut be sure to see my post here. 

 

Reusable stencils are great for stenciling furniture, floors, walls, and anywhere you want to paint the same design multiple times.

 

But instead of being limited to stencils that are available for sale, you can make your very own.  Which means the possibilities are endless!

 

Plus I have four designs you’re more than welcome to use.   See the bottom of this post for all the details on swiping them.

 

Let’s get to it.

DON’T FORGET TO PIN IT

diy reusable stencil on Cricut explore

 

Quick Links to Information in This Post

  • Supplies Needed To Make Reusable Stencils
  •  
  • Best Material For Reusable Stencils
    • Using Laminate Sheets
    • Using Mylar Stencil Sheets
  • How to Make a Reusable Stencil Video
  •  
  • Using Your DIY Reusable Stencils
  •  
  •  Painting Reusable Stencils
  •  
  • Finding an Image to Make a Stencil
  •  
  • Swipe My Reusable Stencil Designs SVG File

Supplies Needed To Make Reusable Stencils

  • Stencil Sheets OR
  • Laminator and Laminating Sheets
  • A way to cut your stencils (I Use a Cricut Explore)
  • Elmers Adhesive Spray
  • Sponge for Painting (I Love These) 
  • A design to stencil.  I have four you can use available in my Resource Library -details are at the bottom of this post

 

Best Material For Reusable Stencils

 

So you can buy handy dandy reusable stencil sheets made out of mylar.  They come in 6 mil thickness and worked very well with the Cricut and with painting.

 

 

Or you can try laminate sheets.  I was on Pinterest one day and saw a Silhouette blogger made stencils with laminate sheets.  I thought this was genius so I dug out my laminator and gave it a try for myself.

 

After I figured out the correct settings for Cricut it worked like a charm.

 

cutting a reusable stencil on a Cricut cutting machine

 

Using Laminate Sheets

 

If you have a laminator just load an empty laminate pocket into your machine and let it do its thing.  I started with the 3 mil laminating sheets, they also come in 5 mil.

 

For the 3 mil size set your Cricut to cut cardstock.  For the 5 mil you’ll want to set the dial to custom and choose posterboard from the menu.

 

Use the strong grip mat to cut the stencil.

 

Need help with Design Space and using your Cricut?  If you’re feeling overwhelmed with it all check out Conquer your Cricut -The Ultimate Guide to using your Cricut Cutting Machine here.  You’ll find step by step tutorials for both PC and iPhone/iPad including troubleshooting tips.

 

Using Mylar Stencil Sheets

 

If you don’t have a laminator no worries, you can order the blank stencil sheets on Amazon.   They are 6 mil sheets so they will be more durable than laminating sheets anyway.

 

Set your Cricut cut dial to custom and choose poster board from the custom menu.  Be sure to use the strong grip cutting map or a standard grip that is still really sticky.

 

How to Make a Reusable Stencil Video

 

 

 

Click here to subscribe to my youtube channel

 

Using Your DIY Reusable Stencils

 

So after the stencils are cut, be sure to pull the mat off of the stencil so it doesn’t curl up.  And now we’re ready to paint!

 
FUN FACT: The Chinese were the first to invent stencils around 100-200 AD.  They were made of paper.

 

I used Elmers spray adhesive with my stencil.  This really helps keep the stencil in place while you’re painting.  And you can easily remove it when you are done.  Plus you can reposition it to the next spot and stick it down again a few times before it needs re-sprayed.

spraying a reusable stencil

 

So this is my mess up picture.  I don’t recommend spraying with one hand while trying to take a picture with the other hand lol.  I sprayed waaay too much adhesive here.  The result was the adhesive glue stuck to my project and I had to scrape it off.

 

It all worked out, but I don’t want you to do that.  It really does just take a very thin coat of the spray adhesive and it will stay put.

 

Use spray adhesive to stick your reusable stencil to your projects

 

After the adhesive dries (it only takes a minute) position your stencil on your project and smooth it down.  You want to make sure there aren’t any areas popped up where you are going to paint.  I just went over once or twice with my hand and it was good to go.

 

 Painting Reusable Stencils

 

So now we’re ready to paint!  Painting is my favorite =)

 

The best way to paint with reusable stencils is to use a sponge.  You don’t want a lot of paint on it either, so it’s probably going to take two coats.

 

Even though we have an adhesive on the back, reusable stencils will bleed easier than vinyl stencils.  My favorite way to do this is with a makeup sponge.  They don’t absorb too much paint and they are super easy to use.  Just dab in the paint and dab onto your stencil.

 

Use a makeup sponge to paint with reusable stencils

 

After you paint the entire stencil, where you started should be dry so you can do the second coat right away.  When you’re happy with the paint coverage simply pull the stencil up and place it in the next position.

 

You should be able to reposition about 5 times before needing to respray the back.

 

The project I am working on is a small table top.  Here it is after I finished stenciling it.

 

Table top stenciled with a DIY reusable stencil

Chippy painted table top with a stencil. How to chippy paint without sanding

 

Finding an Image to Make a Stencil

 

You can turn any SVG file into a stencil.  Keep in mind when cutting a reusable stencil, the design is going to cut like it would on paper.  And that’s a bit different than using vinyl.

 

That means centers of letters, windows, or anything that’s inside something else will not be there after its cut.  That’s just something to think about when you are picking your design.

 

The easiest fastest way to make a reusable stencil with words is to use a font that’s made for it….. like this one. 

 

If you are not sure how to change an image into a stencil in design space see my post here.  All you really need to do is add the box around your image.  I list all of the steps in that post if you need help with it.

 

Conquer your Cricut The Ultimate Guide to Using your Cricut Cutting Machine

 

And I have four designs you can totally use for your stencils!  I used the yellow one for my table top.

 
Related: Check out this post if you want to learn how to make SVG files yourself!

 

I did not include the box around the images in these designs in case someone wants to use them for other purposes besides stenciling.  But you can easily add it in your design software, see the post I linked above for instructions.

 

Four free SVG desings to use to make reusable stencils

 

Swipe My Reusable Stencil Designs SVG File

 

I keep all of my SVG designs plus printables and plans in a resource library that I created exclusively for subscribers to my weekly newsletter.   When you sign up for the newsletter you will be given the password and the link, plus it will be immediately emailed to you.

 

To join the tribe and grab your stencil designs plus all my other files simply fill out the form below.

 

Cutting a reusable stencil with you r Cricut cutting machine pin

Chris Butler

Chris Butler has helped thousands of crafters learn how to use their Cricut machine without feeling overwhelmed.  She is a best selling author and an up and coming designer.    For fun Chris enjoys designing SVG Files, hanging out with her family (preferably at the lake), traveling,  and volunteering at her church.  She is a wife and mom of two crazy fun kids.

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Comments

  1. Debby says

    June 18, 2018 at 12:07 pm

    Very easy to follow directions/tips and great SVG files to use. So glad I happened on the this site!

    Reply
    • Chris says

      June 20, 2018 at 1:32 pm

      Thanks Debby!

      Reply
  2. Danna says

    June 21, 2018 at 9:31 pm

    Glad I found this because I waste so much of the cricut vinyl stencil. I love your directions. They are very easy to understand. Thank you.

    Reply
    • Chris says

      June 21, 2018 at 9:48 pm

      Awe Thanks Dana!

      Reply
  3. Lenore says

    July 9, 2018 at 8:33 pm

    Thanks, that was super informative. I appreciate the tute.

    Reply
  4. Rossi says

    September 11, 2018 at 11:05 pm

    Thanks so much for all the info, I’m waiting on my stencil sheets!

    Reply
  5. Linda says

    September 22, 2018 at 12:37 am

    Do you need a special blade to cut the stencils? or will the one that comes with the machine work?

    Reply
    • Chris says

      September 22, 2018 at 8:49 am

      No special blade, the one that comes with the machine will cut it.

      Reply
    • Jackie says

      December 16, 2018 at 5:21 pm

      It depends on the thickness. I bought the only blanks I could find at Michael’s and needed the deep cut blade and housing on magnetic sheet 0.6mm setting to cut through nicely. Once I did that, my stencils turned out great!

      Reply
  6. gigles says

    October 5, 2018 at 11:51 am

    Did you use the knife blade for this or just the regular blades that come with the matching?

    Reply
    • Chris says

      October 5, 2018 at 2:50 pm

      Just the regular blade that came with the machine.

      Reply
  7. Nanalene says

    November 5, 2018 at 7:01 am

    What setting should I use for the cut? Can you share the customized setting, if it’s needed?

    Reply
    • Chris says

      November 5, 2018 at 12:15 pm

      Yep it’s listed. The thicker ones, around 6 mil use the custom setting and select posterboard. And on the thinner sheets like 3 mil the cardstck setting worked fine.

      Reply
  8. Angela Arndt says

    December 3, 2018 at 1:56 pm

    Can you use 10 mil mylar with the cricut maker

    Reply
    • Dinah Sutton says

      June 24, 2019 at 11:06 pm

      I was just wondering about this as well…does anyone know what setting you would use for the 10 mil

      Reply
  9. Kat says

    January 9, 2019 at 8:42 am

    This is helpful thank you – excited to try. Can you get larger stencil sheets – or is this the only size?

    Reply
    • Chris says

      January 9, 2019 at 11:17 am

      Yes, you can even buy it in rolls. here are some of the options https://amzn.to/2RDzUWn

      Reply
  10. Barbara Dameron says

    January 28, 2019 at 2:31 pm

    Do you clean them and how to keep reusing them?

    Reply
    • Chris says

      January 28, 2019 at 3:39 pm

      Yes. You can clean them with warm water and soap and save them until you need to use them again.

      Reply
  11. Debbie says

    February 15, 2019 at 2:24 pm

    If I make a stencil with words, how do I keep the insides of some of the letters, so that they look correct?

    Reply
    • Chris says

      February 15, 2019 at 7:12 pm

      Hi Debbie! The easiest way is to use a stencil font like I mentioned in the post.

      Reply
  12. Kristi says

    March 1, 2019 at 11:47 am

    Hey there. Do you laminate the sheets first?

    Reply
    • Chris says

      March 1, 2019 at 12:01 pm

      If you are buying the mylar stencil sheets, you don’t need to laminate them.

      Reply
  13. Jenny says

    March 17, 2019 at 3:52 pm

    Do you laminate your sheet before or after cutting?

    Reply
    • Chris says

      March 20, 2019 at 12:01 pm

      Hi Jenny! I don’t actually laminate the stencil sheet. But you can use laminate sheets in place of stencil sheets. In that case you would run plain laminate sheets through your laminator and then cut them.

      Reply
  14. Maria says

    March 20, 2019 at 10:08 am

    Thank you for the information. I have a question that is somewhat related. I purchased a stencil that I used for my kitchen backslash. I have to go around several different corners and don’t want to cut the stencil since the areas are all different. Is there a way to duplicate this stencil using a cricuit and then print it on something that is thinner like mylar so that it is easier to bend and I can also cut without destroying the original.

    Reply
    • Chris says

      March 20, 2019 at 11:50 am

      You would have to have a way to get the design of your stencil into design space. You can try taking a picture with a plain high contrasting background and see if it’s workable with design space when you upload it. You could also try converting the photograph to an SVG

      Reply
  15. Stephanie Huber says

    April 9, 2019 at 8:53 pm

    i would love the free files. thank you!

    Reply
  16. Sarah says

    May 22, 2019 at 1:05 pm

    Can you use these stencils and the adhesive spray to paint on fabric? Would it work just as well?

    Reply
    • Chris says

      May 24, 2019 at 11:13 am

      Yes they will work on fabric. I don’t think I would use the adhesive spray, it could leave a residue on fabric, Painters tape around the edges should hold it in place or you can try a freezer paper stencil which also works really well for fabric. https://dailydoseofdiy.com/freezer-paper-stencils-diy/

      Reply
  17. Patty says

    June 9, 2019 at 9:43 am

    I want to try using a reusable template on a coir doormat, could I use spray paint.? It very time consuming and difficult to cover the mat using a sponge / brush.

    Reply
    • Chris says

      June 12, 2019 at 1:39 pm

      I would think spray paint would work. Light strokes, probably at least 2-3 layers. If you get a lot of paint on it, that’s when it will bleed.

      Reply
  18. Robyn says

    June 28, 2019 at 4:59 pm

    Great tutorial! Thank you! I am still a Cricut newbie and have a basic question. I bought a variety pack of specialty vinyl by Cricut. It includes a stencil sheet. Is it reusable?

    Reply
  19. Tracy says

    October 15, 2019 at 8:13 pm

    Hi. I love all ur blog/posts about the cricut tips. Im looking to buy one, havent yet so alot of what im reading is foreign to me at this point. I do have a question i hope u can help me with. Im looking to print regular stencil words for making signs. Sure i want to explore more for that price of a machine i want to use all its capabilities but my main goal is the word stencils. So would u suggust i get the explorer air by itself or with a beginners bundle? I just dont wanna spend the xtra for stuff i may not use or do u suggest for the extra price its worth it to get all that stuff with it? Also would u say the explorer air is the machine i should buy for what i want to do vs the maker? I would really appreciate ur unput. I dont know who else to ask and i dont want to just trust a clerk in a store. For the price of this machine.
    Thanks.. Tracy

    Reply
    • Chris Butler says

      October 16, 2019 at 9:48 am

      Hi Tracy! So going by the bundles on Amazon I would say it’s not worth it for what you want. To get started you need the machine a weeding kit, stencil vinyl and transfer tape. Or just mylar if you are doing reusable stencils. You can get that cheaper than the bundle and have exactly what you need. And the same if you start doing vinyl or paper crafts, you can probably find what you need on sale cheaper.

      The explore will do everything you need it to do. That said once people get used to using a Cricut and start making more and more things they usually want to get the Cricut Maker because it can cut more materials and do more things.

      Are you in a rush? If you can wait until black friday we usually see some awesome sales and maybe the Maker will drop enough or at least you’ll save some extra cash on the explore.

      Also you can download Design Space now and start playing around so the tutorials make more sense to you.

      Good luck and if you have any more questions don’t hesitate to ask!

      Reply
  20. Gill Murley says

    February 6, 2020 at 1:47 pm

    Instructions look clear and easy to follow

    Reply
  21. Gabriella Moreno says

    February 12, 2020 at 10:41 am

    Hello, thank you, this is great information. I have a question tho, after you cut the laminating sheet, you pass it through the laminator?
    Thank you!

    Reply
    • Chris Butler says

      February 20, 2020 at 10:21 am

      Yes, If you are using a laminating sheet you’ll put it through the laminator by itself

      Reply
  22. John Pepworth says

    February 23, 2020 at 8:06 am

    Good Afternoon
    Can you tell me if the Cricut Explore Air 2 can cut through 190 micron mylar sheet.
    Kind Regards
    John

    Reply
  23. Diana says

    May 11, 2020 at 10:28 am

    How do you cut such a thick material? My maker says it doesn’t cut material thicker than 2.4mm, I’m not sure if that’s the same as mil which I associate as milliliter, so I’m a little confused.
    I stopped cutting chipboard bc it cut through 2 of my mats.
    Thank you in advance for clarification.

    Reply
    • Chris Butler says

      May 25, 2020 at 10:33 am

      It’s thinner than 2.4 mm. I believe mil refers to weight?, it’s not any thicker than posterboard.

      Reply
  24. Donna says

    December 15, 2020 at 3:26 pm

    Thank you for all the help you give newbies! Especially me!

    Reply

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