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How to découpage for beginners

How do you découpage? Read our definitive guide for beginners: what you need to get started, helpful advice and full step-by-step tutorials.

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Holly Spanner

Published: May 6, 2021 at 5:16 am

The art of découpage is an easy technique that crafters of all abilities can enjoy to create unique pieces of art, where no two will ever be the same. So what is découpage? Découpage is a method used to cover objects with paper, before being sealed with a layer of varnish (or similar). Paper is ripped or cut into small pieces, then methodically layered onto an object - adhered into place using PVA or découpage glue. In this article, we take you through the basics of découpage, what items you need to get started, step-by-step tutorials and all the best products to buy for découpage.

Check out our upcycling projects and papercraft projects for more creative projects. We love this easy DIY découpage tray by Suzonne Stirling! We love seeing what you make, so don’t forget to share your craft projects with us on Facebook and Twitter, too!

What items can you découpage?

You can découpage almost anything! Places like Hobbycraft and Amazon make it easy to find inspiration, and you can buy pre-made paper mache items relatively inexpensively (for a pound or two) which are great for quick makes or to practise your skills before moving onto home decor pieces like tables (scroll down for our tutorial on how to découpage a table).

Buy now: £1.20 (Amazon)

What do you need to découpage an item?

You don't need any special tools to get started learning how to découpage, just some paper, PVA glue and something you want to découpage!

Paper

Thin paper is ideal, but you can use almost any type of paper depending on your project. You can use pictures from magazines, newspapers, wrapping paper, tissue paper or even your own photos. Personally - I love using old maps or old prints.

Here's a top tip: to stabilise the colours and stop the background from turning yellow, spray your papers with a spray fixative first!

If you prefer, there is a special découpage paper that you can buy, similar to tissue paper but sporting all kinds of lovely designs and patterns. You can buy découpage paper for any occasion and there is a huge range available. Scroll to the bottom of the article to see some of my favourite découpage papers!

Buy now: £5 (Amazon)

Glue

PVA glue is a great option for how to découpage. It's fairly inexpensive and dries hard and clear, so it also provides a good degree of protection to your finished piece. Wallpaper paste is also a very popular option as it makes the papers nice and pliable, so you can découpage around awkward shapes. If you want to take things up a notch, there are special découpage glues that you can buy, including sparkle glues, coloured glues, glues with a matte finish, glues with a satin finish and even glues for an outdoor finish. Most découpage glue has a milky, opaque look when wet - this ensures you'll get an even coverage and not miss any spots.

Buy now: £8.99 (Amazon)

Brush

To apply découpage paper, you'll need a slightly different type of brush. You can use ordinary paintbrushes, of course, however, you will find it easier if you opt for a brush that has stiff, quite short bristles. By using a dedicated découpage brush, you'll find it easier to work the paper into all the nooks and crannies, as well as into corners and around edges.

Buy now: £5.50 (Amazon)

Varnish

To protect your work and seal the surface of the paper, many crafters choose to varnish their items. Using a water-based varnish is ideal as it is solvent-free, and using a water-based varnish means you won't destroy any of your brushes, and you can clean your brushes with water.

Buy now: £9.54 (Amazon)

What is découpage glue?

So what is découpage glue? Do you need a special type of glue to be able to do découpage? The good news - not at all! You can use good old PVA glue, wallpaper adhesive or specially made découpage glue. It's down to personal choice. Personally, I like the range of découpage glue available from Décopatch, as they have lots of different finishes available, depending on what look you want to go for in your project. If you're planning on washing your découpaged item, it's a good idea to look for some dishwasher safe découpage glue. However - you must wait until the glue has cured before putting it in the dishwasher, and always place it on the top rack. Scroll down for the best découpage glue!

How to make découpage glue

Make your own homemade découpage glue in just three easy steps! You'll need some PVA glue, water, a bowl to mix in, and something to mix with.

Step 1

To make your DIY découpage glue, first pour some PVA glue into a bowl.

Step 2

Add some water to the bowl to dilute the PVA glue.

Step 3

Mix the PVA glue and water together so that it develops a creamy consistency. And that's it! You've made your own homemade découpage glue.

Where to buy découpage glue

Where to buy découpage glue? If you're making your own DIY découpage glue from PVA glue, then head on over to any craft store, stationery shop or art shop - they will have PVA glue. Alternatively - browse the arts and crafts aisle in your local supermarket next time you do your weekly shop, and you can often pick up big bottles of PVA glue from places like Walmart, Tesco and Sainsburys for a few quid. Alternatively, places like Amazon have a huge range of découpage glue, as well as PVA glue if you're making your own DIY découpage glue. Here are some of the best découpage glue you can buy:

Dishwasher safe découpage glue

Buy now: £12.99, Amazon

If you're découpaging crockery that you might want to wash - this is the découpage glue for you. Remember to put your items on the top shelf in the dishwasher, and wait until the glue has fully dried before washing it.

Décopatch glue - standard

Buy now: £8.99, Amazon

This découpage glue is the go-to for many crafters. It's reliable and does the job well.

Glossy Décopatch glue

Buy now: £5.99, Amazon

If you want a glossy finish to your découpage projects, this découpage glue from Decopatch is great.

Décopatch glue with glitter

Buy now: £3.90, Amazon

What more can we say? This découpage glue is essentially glitter glue, but for découpage projects. Just make sure you keep the lid on tight after it's opened - or you'll end up with a gloopy mess around the top (speaking from experience!).

How to découpage for beginners: the basics

Depending on the item, it may be necessary to prepare the surface first.

Removing old paint

If there is old, flaking paint on the item you want to découpage, try to remove as much of this as possible before you start. Scrape off the paint with a paint scraper, or if there is a lot of stubborn paint that needs removing, use a paint stripper in a well-ventilated area.

Buy now: £6.97 (Amazon)

Preventing woodworm

If you are upcycling an old piece of furniture or any wooden object then there is a possibility that it might have woodworm. So look so tiny holes - this is a good indication that there has been woodworm in the past. Even if the woodworm are not active, it's a good idea to treat wooden surfaces with a woodworm killer before you start. You can tell if woodworm are active, by the presence of something called frass. Frass is a fine, powdery dust that surrounds the holes, and is created by the boring action of the larvae as they burrow into the wood (woodworm are the wood-eating larvae of many beetle species).

Buy now: £8.15 (Amazon)

Dealing with rust

If you are adding découpage papers to metal, it's a good idea to treat the metal surface for rust before you start. If there is visible rust, grab a stiff wire brush and scrub across the surface to remove what you can. Coat the item with some rust remover and allow it to dry fully before wiping down with white spirit. Remember to ventilate your workspace, or work outside when you do this! Repeat this process until all the rust is gone. If any holes appear (don't worry!), simply add a spot of car repair filler to fill the holes (you'll be covering them up anyway) and rub down. Instructions vary per manufacturer, so check the instructions on the product.

Buy now: £12.89 (Amazon)

Sanding down a surface

If you're upcycling an old piece of furniture, give it a good wash to clean away any grub that has accumulated over the years. If it's made of wood, you'll want to sand down a surface using progressively finer-grained sandpaper for a smooth finish. Get rid of snags, splinters and general uneven-ness using coarse or medium grain sandpaper, then work down to fine-grained sandpaper to create a smooth surface that you can apply your undercoat, and découpage paper onto.

Buy now: £4.31 (Amazon)

Adding an undercoat

In order to show the colours of the papers to their best advantage, it's a good idea to paint the surface before adding the découpage papers. You can do this with basic white acrylic paint, or if you're working on pitted wooden surfaces, applying a layer of gesso will help to smooth down the surface and make it easier to work on.

Buy now: £4.67 (Amazon)

Try this easy découpage project

In this tutorial, you'll learn the basic process of how to découpage, and as an added bonus, in this découpage tutorial for beginners, we also show you how to create a crackled effect using a two-step method. You’ll end up with a beautiful decoration you’ll be proud to display in your home!

Here's a top tip: painting or blending distress ink over your finished item when it’s completely dry will enhance the vintage look.

You Will Need

  • Paper mache item (to découpage)
  • Découpage papers
  • White acrylic paint
  • Brush (stiff with short bristles)
  • Glue (pva or similar)
  • First Edition Deco Maché Antique Crackle Base Coat & Top Coat

Step 1

Make sure your work area is clean and dust-free and begin by priming your papier-mâché shape with white acrylic paint – we’ve gone for a star! Leave to dry completely.

How to découpage

Step 2

While the base coat is drying, gather all the materials – découpage paper, glue and brushes. Tear the papers into strips, then into small pieces approximately 2.5cm square.

How to découpage

Step 3

Apply a thin layer of PVA glue (or Decopatch glue) over the star, then add pieces of paper with the brush one at a time, brushing with glue as you go. Repeat until covered, slightly overlapping the papers. This is the basic technique in how to découpage! You can stop here if you like, and leave to dry – or read on for how to create a crackle effect!

How to découpage

Step 4

When completely dry, apply two layers of Crackle Base Coat. Brush each coat in alternate directions and allow to dry thoroughly before applying the next coat.

How to découpage – step 4

Step 5

When the base coat is completely dry, apply a generous layer of Crackle Top Coat – the thicker the layer, the bigger the cracks on the surface will appear when dry.

How to découpage – step 5

Step 6

Now that your project is dry, make a hole in the top and thread twine through for hanging. Decorate with glitter, gems, ribbon and bells. Hang the finished star up in your home or give it to a loved one!

How to découpage

Watch our video tutorial!

How to découpage a table

One of the most popular home decor pieces is how to découpage a table. They look great in the home and make a great talking piece – you’ll have enormous satisfaction saying, “I made that!" You can pick up old tables for next to nothing on places like Freecycle or Facebook Marketplace, or perhaps you already have one around the house that is in need of a refresh. Let’s get started – tutorial number two is how to decoupage a table!

Remember, prep and precision are key when it comes to upcycling furniture and découpage.

How to découpage a table – upcycling old furniture

You Will Need

  • Table
  • Découpage paper
  • Scissors
  • PVA glue
  • Paint
  • Paintbrush (x 3: one for the paint, a stiff one for the découpage paper and one for the varnish)
  • Sandpaper (medium and fine)
  • Clear varnish

Step 1

If there are any areas of your table that you want to protect, cover them up using masking tape – here, we’re protecting the glass top of the table.

Step 2

Next, sand all wooden areas of the table using medium-grade sandpaper, followed by fine grade sandpaper to give a smoother finish.

Step 3

Think about what you want your finished piece to look like. We wanted to make a feature of the tabletop, so we painted the rim around the glass top and underneath the tabletop, just to differentiate it from the découpage areas and create the gorgeous country chic look. You may need to give the table two or three coats. Remember to sand between each one for a smooth finish.

Step 4

Cut your découpage paper into smaller pieces about 6cm (21⁄2in) wide. Starting at the top of the pedestal, cover a small section in PVA and smooth on the découpage paper. Work the paper into all the grooves using a stiff paintbrush and a “stippling" motion, then move onto the legs. Don’t worry – the paper is quite malleable and if it does tear, you can cover any small gaps with smaller pieces of paper later. Keep working down the pedestal leg finishing small sections at a time.

Step 5

When you reach the three legs at the bottom, use a whole sheet to cover the side of one leg. Snip into any curves and push the paper over the face of the leg. Continue this method on the other side of the leg. Again you may have some gaps but these can be filled with smaller cut pieces.

Step 6

Once all three legs are completed and any gaps covered give the whole découpaged pedestal area another coat of PVA glue. This will help bond the paper to the wood but also give it a protective coat before adding the varnish.

Step 7

Give the whole table a coat of varnish. Leave to dry thoroughly, then remove the masking tape around any protected areas. Now find somewhere to display your stunning upcycled table!

How to découpage a table – detail

How to découpage shoes

If you’re wanting to découpage shoes, then you might want to consider using fabric Mod Podge instead of PVA glue, or the standard découpage glue detailed above. Fabric Mod Podge is water-resistant and specially designed for bonding fabric to fabric. As shoes are likely to experience more wear and tear than for example, a table, it’s a good idea to seal your project with a clear acrylic sealer like Minwax Polycrylic. If you are anticipating your shoes will get a lot of wear, then for maximum protection applying a layer of clear engine enamel will make then completely waterproof.

Decoupage shoes

Gabriela Szulman Art have created this fantastic tutorial on how to découpage shoes, including tips, tricks and expert advice.

Fabric Modge Podge – Amazon

Buy now: £12.40 (Amazon)

How to découpage a bottle

Upcycling wine bottles are a great way to create unique, table centrepieces or vases from something that would otherwise be thrown into the recycling bin.

Decoupage bottles – The Boondocks Blog

Step 1

Soak your bottle in hot, soapy water to remove the old label and gently scrub off any remaining paper using a sponge.

Step 2

If you are using regular paint (ie not glass paint), prime your bottle by applying some primer and leave to dry.

Step 3

Paint your bottle. If you go for a light colour like white, this will bring out the colours of your découpage papers. Alternatively – skip steps 2 and 3 to achieve a more translucent look to your project!

Step 4

Apply découpage papers as before, layering up the design by glueing small pieces of paper on top of each other.

Step 5

Apply a layer of varnish to seal the découpage papers in place, then leave to dry.

The Boondocks Blog has created this fantastic tutorial on how to découpage napkins onto plastic bottles, the key being to paint your bottles first! It’s a very thorough tutorial with plenty of ups and downs – but you can learn from the crafty mishaps so you need not make the same mistakes. Certainly worth a read!

Surface primer – Amazon

Buy now: £8.50 (Amazon)

Best découpage papers & kits to get started

1. Bright & beautiful Décopatch paper pack

Orange Decopatch paper – Amazon

Buy now: £3.90 (Amazon)

2. Peacock Décopatch paper pack

Peacock decopatch paper – Amazon

Buy now: £3.99 (Amazon)

3. Rose découpage paper for furniture

CrafTreat Decoupage paper – Amazon

Buy now: £9.45 (Amazon)

4. Unicorn kit

Unicorn kit – Amazon

Buy now: £9.78 (Amazon)

5. Atlas Décopatch paper pack

Atlas effect decopatch paper – Amazon

Buy now: £4.50 (Amazon)

6. Deco Maché: Modern florals

First Edition modern florals decoupage paper – The Range

Buy now: £2.50 (The Range)

7. Deco Maché: Traditional florals

Deco Maché traditional flowers decoupage paper – The Range

Buy now: £2.50 (The Range)

8. Marble brights Décopatch paper pack

Decopatch marble brights decoupage paper – Hobbycraft

Buy now: £4 (Hobbycraft)

9. Wood crait découpage paper

Wood crait decoupage paper – Zazzle

Buy now: £3.75 (Zazzle)

10. Stone effect A3 découpage paper

Stone effect decoupage paper – Etsy

Buy now: £7.95 (Etsy)

11. Effects A3 découpage paper

Effects decoupage paper – Etsy

Buy now: £6.95 (Etsy)

12. Piggy Bank kit

Decoupage pig – Fred Aldous

Buy now: £13.22 (Fred Aldous)

13. Mini dinosaur Décopatch kit

Dinosaur decoupage kit – Cowling and Wilcox

Buy now: £7.99 £5.99 (Cowling and Wilcox)

Holly Spanner

Staff Writer, BBC Science Focus

Holly is the Staff Writer for BBC Science Focus and looks after the popular Q&A section. She holds an MSc (distinction) in Geoscience (Space and Climate Physics) from UCL, and specialises in astronomy and earth sciences. Before joining Our Media, she worked as a geoenvironmental consultant and engineer, informing on ground risk and remediation in the north of England, while hunting for exoplanets in her spare time. Alongside this, she was regional editor of a popular theatre website for nine years, and has a solid background in curating and developing content for the digital space. Holly is also an artist and illustrator, and regular contributor to the craft website, Gathered. She has previously worked with the RSPB, English Heritage, Disney, Pilot and Brother, as well as on BBC Good Food magazine, Home Style magazine, and Papercraft inspirations magazine. She enjoys photography and has a sustained interest in antiques.
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