How to Paint a Deck Mandala Tattoo | Pretty Handy Girl

How to Paint a Deck Mandala Tattoo | Pretty Handy Girl

As promised, I’m back today to show you how to paint a giant mandala tattoo on your deck. Painting a design on your deck can turn an ordinary deck into a beautiful retreat. Add a few colorful accessories and you’ll have a backyard Bali getaway! Creating the mandala is a lot easier than it looks. Ready to get started?

Materials:

Instructions:

Pre-stained your deck with one coat of Thompson’s Waterseal Semi-transparent stain. (I used Acorn Brown.) Allow the stain to dry.

How to Paint a Deck Mandala Tattoo | Pretty Handy Girl

Choose the location for the center of your design. Trace around a small circular object or use the tack and string to trace a small circle.

How to Paint a Deck Mandala Tattoo | Pretty Handy Girl

Place the thumbtack in the center of the small circle and draw circles radiating out from the center. Try to add more distance from the previous circle as you go outward. (i.e. 3″ from the center, 6″ from the inner circle, 10″ from the 2nd circle.)

How to Paint a Deck Mandala Tattoo | Pretty Handy Girl

Divide your inner circle into eight sections and make a chalk tick marks.

How to Paint a Deck Mandala Tattoo | Pretty Handy Girl

Align the tape measure with two opposing tick marks on the inner circle. Extend the tape out to the outer most ring. Make tick marks on each of the outer circles where the tape measure intersects with the circles.

How to Paint a Deck Mandala Tattoo | Pretty Handy Girl

Time to start doodling! Fill in each section with doodles. Petals, humps, curlicues and circles are all you need to draw.

How to Paint a Deck Mandala Tattoo | Pretty Handy Girl

On the wider sections, think about drawing zigzags, humps,  “v”s, or bracket “{  }” shapes. Easy!

How to Paint a Deck Mandala Tattoo | Pretty Handy Girl

Remember, it doesn’t have to be perfect. In fact, the imperfections make it look hand drawn and therefore more beautiful in my opinion.

How to Paint a Deck Mandala Tattoo | Pretty Handy Girl
photo courtesy of Jeff Wilson

Continue drawing around the circle sections until you have outlined most of your mandala shape. Use a damp rag to erase some of the circle outlines that you don’t want in your design.

How to Paint a Deck Mandala Tattoo | Pretty Handy Girl

Stand back and assess your design. Add anything else you want now.

How to Paint a Deck Mandala Tattoo | Pretty Handy Girl

Open up the white paint and begin painting on top of your chalk design.

How to Paint a Deck Mandala Tattoo | Pretty Handy Girl

Continue painting, and painting, and painting. It helps to have a friend (or sister) to help you work from the inside out.

How to Paint a Deck Mandala Tattoo | Pretty Handy Girl
photo courtesy of Jeff Wilson

The painting process took us one to two hours. Honestly, it was meditative and I lost track of time.

How to Paint a Deck Mandala Tattoo | Pretty Handy Girl

When the paint has dried, erase any chalk lines with the damp rag.

How to Paint a Deck Mandala Tattoo | Pretty Handy Girl

To create a more rustic look, sand your design, leaving some wood showing through the paint.

How to Paint a Deck Mandala Tattoo | Pretty Handy Girl
photo courtesy of Jeff Wilson

Clean off all sanding debris from the deck. Pour the Thompson’s WaterSeal semi-transparent stain into a paint tray. Apply to the deck using the stain applicator. Apply with smooth strokes along the length of the deck boards (with the grain) and keep working into a wet edge.

How to Paint a Deck Mandala Tattoo | Pretty Handy Girl
photo courtesy of Jeff Wilson

Continue applying stain until the deck is completely coated.

How to Paint a Deck Mandala Tattoo | Pretty Handy Girl

The semi-transparent stain tones down the white paint and leaves a beautiful rustic tattoo effect.

Bali Dream Deck for Thompsons Water Seal | Pretty Handy Girl

Be sure to allow your deck to completely dry (and cure) for at least 24 hours before putting furniture on the deck.

Bali Dream Deck for Thompsons Water Seal | Pretty Handy Girl

Enjoy your newly decorated deck!

PHGFancySign

 

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How to paint a giant mandala tattoo on your deck and turn an ordinary deck into a beautiful retreat! | DIY deck paint | Pretty Handy Girl #DIY #decking #deckpaint

18 replies
  1. Pam Browning
    Pam Browning says:

    we just drained our deck with Cabot gold. I think it may be too thick to apply over the design to seal it. Should I just use a clear and thinner sealer

    Reply
  2. Wendy
    Wendy says:

    Great job girls! I’ve been taking Zentangle classes and this would be a great way to showcase my favorite patterns! Thanks for being so thorough with your steps. As always, love your projects!

    Reply
  3. Terri Betz
    Terri Betz says:

    Inspiring! I think this is just magical! Thanks for showing us how to do it! I’m definitely going to follow your instructions and have one in our yard! Thanks so much! Excellent job!

    Reply
  4. Jola
    Jola says:

    Beautiful floor. You are a very talented person. Your sister too.
    In Poland, there is a small village – Zalipie, where houses are painted by women each year. You can see my pictures from there.
    Greetings from Poland.

    Reply
  5. Jordan
    Jordan says:

    This is an absolutely GORGEOUS diy! I love mandala and often use henna for temporary tattoos and as hair dye, so it would be awesome for my porch to reflect that part of my life. Thanks so much for sharing!

    Reply

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