What Do I Paint A Barn Quilt On

Barn quilts are a well-loved tradition in rural areas and have gained more than popularity in the by couple of decades.

Whoever came upwards with the idea to utilise quilt patterns for befouled fine art was a genius.

Though the origin of the outset barn quilt is unknown, what is certain is that barn quilts exude a warm, cozy, homey feel to everyone (fifty-fifty those who may not quilt or alive on a farm).

In this post, I will evidence y'all the steps to making a barn quilt and answer some questions you may accept about how to make befouled quilts.

What Kind of Wood Do You Apply to Make a Befouled Quilt?

The reply to this question is a personal preference. If you adopt to use solid wood, you can purchase planks to build your own board.

Even amend, if you can get your hands on reclaimed befouled forest, how absurd would it be to make a befouled quilt from that?

The well-nigh popular wood to employ is likely treated plywood for barn quilt painting. Information technology is relatively inexpensive and tin withstand the elements if you display it outdoors.

Another choice is MDF (medium-density fibreboard), which I will be using for my example today. MDF is extremely smooth, and then that should make the painting process much smoother.

If you prefer to see the woods grain, I would not recommend using MDF since it isn't a solid piece of forest and won't have wood grain.

How Big Should a Barn Quilt Be?

The size depends on where yous plan to display your barn quilt. If you choose a barn to display it like a traditional slice, you'll want a large piece, probably at least a three' foursquare.

The size is totally up to you lot, so if you lot just want a small slice to hang in your home, you lot could exercise a 12" foursquare, for case.

What Exercise Y'all Employ to Seal a Barn Quilt?

The sealer depends on the blazon of paint yous utilize. For case, I use "weatherproof" acrylic paint. Now it may say "weatherproof," but I too recommend using polyacrylic or water-based polyurethane just to be safe.

Make sure that you use a water-based solution, not solvent-based if you are using acrylic pigment. The solvent-based type can mess with the acrylic paint.

If y'all use regular exterior paint from a home comeback store, you can use a sealer or solvent polyurethane.

Materials and Supplies Needed

Quilt block pattern of choice. Hither is the block I designed for this project.

Quilt block pattern how to make a barn quilt

Wood of pick: I employ MDF
Pigment: I use acrylic paint
Pencil: For marking the outline of the blocks
Ruler or tape measure and directly edge
Paintbrushes
Painter'due south tape

How to Make A Befouled Quilt: An Easy Tutorial

I'm certain yous're thinking by now, "Okay, Miriam, plenty with talking about it. How do you make a barn quilt for beginners?" I'm excited to show you the step-by-step process of how I made my beautiful barn quilt so let's swoop into it, shall we?

Step ane: Prep your wood.

If you are using hardwood or plywood, y'all will desire to sand it and brand certain it is smooth and won't requite yous any splinters. In this pace, you will too need to cut your wood to size.

If you don't have a saw or someone who tin help you, another great pick is to purchase the wood at a home improvement store. A worker there will cut it to size for you. Just make sure you know the right size when y'all get to buy information technology.

For my example, I am working with a 32 ½" foursquare. All I needed to do to prep was cut it to size and sand the edges, so they weren't sharp.

Pace 2: Prime your wood. (optional)

You don't HAVE to do this pace, but I chose to exercise it considering this MDF is pretty night, and I'one thousand using quite a chip of white and a pale blue. I don't desire to have to do half-dozen coats of pigment for each color.

I only primed the centerpiece of my barn quilt since my edge will be a dark blue.

Since I primed my piece, I but needed to practise 2 coats of each colour.

Step 3: Draw your quilt block outline.

Using a pencil or pen, depict on your quilt block outline. Take your fourth dimension and make certain you are drawing perfectly straight lines. I similar to employ my cutting ruler for this every bit a directly edge. You can use a tape mensurate and anything with a straight edge if you don't have a ruler similar this.

Pace 4: Tape off your kickoff blocks and pigment.

The order in which you lot paint is upwardly to you, but I suggest painting all the pieces of one specific color at one fourth dimension. And so yous don't have to wash your brushes equally often. I started with the stake bluish blocks.

Tip: Don't forget to put your brushes in a cup of water or launder them off between coats so the paint doesn't get all gummed up on the castor heads. That tin can exist a nuisance to try to clean up later.

Step 5: Continue taping off your different colors and painting.

For the all-time, sharp results on your paint edges, pull the tape off while your last coat is nevertheless wet. Pull the tape away from the paint slowly, but remember, you can always touch on up the paint after with a small detail castor.

Also, await for the paint to dry completely before you lay tape over it. If y'all don't, the paint volition bleed betwixt the two colors under the record, and yous will have more to impact upward later.

Footstep 6: Affect upward any imperfections. (optional)

You lot may not take any imperfections to prepare, but if y'all do, at present is the time to touch them upward.

Hither is a section I needed to touch up.

Before

Subsequently

Footstep 7: Add together your hanging apparatus.

In that location are several different ways y'all can hang a barn quilt. Depending on how big and heavy your barn quilt is, you may exist able to employ simple motion-picture show frame hanging prongs from your local craft store.

Since my befouled quilt is so big but not super heavy since I used MDF, I used a couple of screws with metal wire to hang information technology.

Here is my concluding projection hanging on my beautiful grayness befouled.

Free Printable Barn Quilt Designs and Coloring Pages

Set to endeavour your mitt at making a befouled quilt? Catch our free design ideas with coloring pages to create a unique and beautiful handmade barn quilt.

Click for Complimentary Barn Quilt Pattern Ideas (PDF)

This barn quilt was such a fun project to piece of work on, and I promise yous enjoyed following along with me. Befouled quilts can come in all shapes and sizes and make a big difference in your home decor, whether inside or outside.

Add a few small pieces to your living room decor.

Dress up the outside of your house with a big befouled quilt leaning against your front end porch, or hang information technology above your garage door. The possibilities are endless and exciting for the befouled quilt, and I hope this has inspired you to become make your own.

Happy Painting!