Cheap & Easy Way to Make Stencil Sponges (Stipplers)

Here's a quick way to make stencil sponges, or as they are sometimes called stipplers. All you need is a dowel, glue, scissors and a foam sponge!

I don’t stencil a lot but on occasion I do so and of course I always try to find the cheapest way to do things. So I looked for a cheap and easy way to make stencil sponges. Which, it ends up is definitely cheap and easy. So follow the simple directions and you make all sizes for mere pennies. And if you like stenciling in general you must check out How to Stencil and Paint Carpet. I also do some glass etching so you also might be interested in How to Etch Glass in 5 Minutes.

Stencil Sponges Supplies

  • Foam Sponge (Magic Erasers are perfect!) at least 1″ thick (I suggest checking the Dollar Store or Walmart)
  • Dowel aprox 3/8″ diameter cut into 3″ sections
  • Glue Gun
  • Scissors
  • Small hand saw to cut dowel with (I LOVE this saw and keep it in my craft room for cutting small wood items.)

Instructions

Make sure to get a FOAM sponge and not the kind shown on the right. Here's a quick way to make stencil sponges, or as they are sometimes called stipplers. All you need is a dowel, glue, scissors and a foam sponge!

Gather the rest of your tools.Here's a quick way to make stencil sponges, or as they are sometimes called stipplers. All you need is a dowel, glue, scissors and a foam sponge!

Cut the shapes you want your stencil sponge to be. I suggest not making them more than 1 1/2″ as you cannot get good pressure on anything larger than that. Here's a quick way to make stencil sponges, or as they are sometimes called stipplers. All you need is a dowel, glue, scissors and a foam sponge!

Feel free to cut them in a circle but I saw no reason to do so, so I cut mine in squares. Here's a quick way to make stencil sponges, or as they are sometimes called stipplers. All you need is a dowel, glue, scissors and a foam sponge!

Once you have your sponge, take your scissors and snip down a little less than half way. Snip one way then the other. DO NOT snip too far or the dowel will press through.Here's a quick way to make stencil sponges, or as they are sometimes called stipplers. All you need is a dowel, glue, scissors and a foam sponge! Cut your dowel approximately 3″.Here's a quick way to make stencil sponges, or as they are sometimes called stipplers. All you need is a dowel, glue, scissors and a foam sponge!

I love this small IRWIN saw. It’s great for crafts and cutting small things. Makes a nice smooth cut. Here's a quick way to make stencil sponges, or as they are sometimes called stipplers. All you need is a dowel, glue, scissors and a foam sponge!

Add a nice dob of glue in the center of where you cut for your dowel to be placed.Here's a quick way to make stencil sponges, or as they are sometimes called stipplers. All you need is a dowel, glue, scissors and a foam sponge!

Quickly push the dowel down into the hole, twisting it if needed. Here's a quick way to make stencil sponges, or as they are sometimes called stipplers. All you need is a dowel, glue, scissors and a foam sponge!

You now have your paint sponge or stipple. I tested mine on a stencil I had.Here's a quick way to make stencil sponges, or as they are sometimes called stipplers. All you need is a dowel, glue, scissors and a foam sponge!

Dab it on the paint covering the bottom. Here's a quick way to make stencil sponges, or as they are sometimes called stipplers. All you need is a dowel, glue, scissors and a foam sponge!

Don’t get too much paint or it will seep under the stencil. Here's a quick way to make stencil sponges, or as they are sometimes called stipplers. All you need is a dowel, glue, scissors and a foam sponge!

Press it down on your stencil over and over. Re-dip in paint if needed.Here's a quick way to make stencil sponges, or as they are sometimes called stipplers. All you need is a dowel, glue, scissors and a foam sponge!

All done!Here's a quick way to make stencil sponges, or as they are sometimes called stipplers. All you need is a dowel, glue, scissors and a foam sponge!

Here's a quick way to make stencil sponges, or as they are sometimes called stipplers. All you need is a dowel, glue, scissors and a foam sponge!

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