DIY Wood Projects with the PVPP Method
Earlier this week I posted about all of the Christmas projects I did this year. Lots of my crafty friends visited that post so I thought I’d share one of my favorite crafting skills, the PVPP method {shoutout to my Cameo fb group ladies!}.
The PVPP method is my preferred craft with the Silhouette Cameo. Applying vinyl is great and all…. I don’t have a heat press so I don’t do HTV… but PVPP? Bring it on! If you’re new to the Cameo world, this may all sound like a foreign language to you… we’ve all been there! I’ll try to explain everything simply, but please comment if you need help with anything!
The PVPP method {paint-vinyl-paint-paint} can be used for all kinds of projects {signs, blocks, decor, you name it}. I’m going to use my nativity blocks as an example here, though. You may have to tweak this slightly for different materials.
Prep your materials
Sand the wood well on all sides. You want it to be completely smooth. When I did the nativity blocks, I borrowed my dad’s belt sander and clamped it on a work table upside down. My sweet hubby bought be a table sander for Christmas so I can sand like a pro now! I do go through sanding belts fairly quickly, though. I did three nativity sets {about 60 wood blocks} and used two sanding belts {I should’ve changed it again and used three belts total}.
Paint base layer
If you’re working with wood, paint the entire thing your base color. I usually paint two coats of base layer, but it just depends how the coverage looks. If I can still see the wood tones, I’ll add another coat. This step will take a while because you’ll paint a coat then wait a few hours for it to dry before flipping and painting again. After the final base layer, I wait overnight to stick on the stencil. Speak of the stencil, it’s time to cut it!
Cut stencil
If you’re using a Cameo or similar machine, cut your design. I use Oracal 631 vinyl as a stencil. There are people that use contact paper because it’s cheap… but you get what you pay for. Contact paper is a pain in the tookus… not worth the small savings to me. Once the design is cut, use your tools to weed {weeding is when you use a pointy tool to remove the part of the design you don’t want}. Since you’re using the vinyl as a stencil, you want to pull out the actual design. For instance, with the nativity set I would remove the actual person and leave their outline. If you don’t want to invest in a machine, you can also buy already cut stencils. Feel free to contact me if you’d like to buy a design. I’d love to work with you!
Place stencil on block
Transfer paper is clear paper that is used to transfer the design onto your project. You can also live on the wild side and just peel the stencil by hand. Apply it to your block… try to center it. This may take some trial and error. Try not to move it around much… the more you move it, the less sticky it gets. After the stencil {Oracal 631} is in the right place, smooth it around, especially at the edges. I use my thumb or fingers for this, then place the backing paper over the whole design and rub around. You don’t want paint to seep under the edge and ruin your crisp design!
Paint over the stencil with the base color
If you painted your block blue, paint over the stencil with the same blue. This coat will seal the edges of the stencil and help those crisp lines. Rather than dragging the paintbrush like you would on a wall, I use it more like a sponge and dab, dab, dab. This is to make sure the design stays stuck. Let this coat dry, then it’s time for your design color!
Paint over the stencil with the design color
It’s finally time for your design color! Paint over the stencil with your design color. It may take more than one coat to get good, even coverage. I’ve noticed that the metallic paints take more coats to get a solid finish. Once you have good coverage, you can peel off the vinyl stencil. I like to peel it off as soon as I’m done painting… mostly because I’m impatient? But also, the vinyl adheres to the wood more strongly the longer you leave it on {the same is true for fabric}. Be very careful removing a sheet of vinyl that’s covered in wet paint! The smaller pieces of vinyl I let dry, then use my weeding tools to remove. I usually let all the paint dry overnight before sealing.
Seal coat
You can use a variety of items as a finishing coat. I like the sealant from the spray paint section. It comes in glossy or matte finish and is sprayed on lightly. I usually apply one coat of sealant on each side of the item. The sealant dries super quickly. Some people seal with mod podge, but the spray sealer is fast and easy to use. If you use the spray sealant like I did, you want to make sure the area is well ventilated! Outdoors would be best or a garage with doors open. This stuff SMELLS!
Ta da! Your item is finished!
Here’s a look at my finished nativity blocks. I did several other Christmas projects this year too!
What have you created with the PVPP method? Please use the buttons below to share this post or follow Borrowed Blessings at the top of the page.
love the tutorial. it makes sense now! I have a question though. If you wanted to leave the wood unpainted, do you poly the wood first? Thanks!
Hi Denise! Thank you! If you wanted to leave the wood unpainted you could poly or leave it unfinished, depending on the look you’re going for. In place of the first coat of paint with the stencil, you can use Mod Podge to seal the edges of the design {that way the paint doesn’t bleed/seep under the edge}.