CHALK PAINT FOR BEGINNERS
Chalk Paint is a great no-prep paint for furniture and DIY projects.
What Is Chalk Paint?
Although Chalk Paint is made now by numerous companies, the original was created by Annie Sloan. Annie developed a formula that allowed for quick application and finish as well as no sanding, priming or prepping required. Chalk Paint is latex based which allows you to clean your brushes and tools quickly and easily with water. And it is made to allow for distressing which creates an aged look on furniture. It is also called Chalky Paint or Chalked Paint.
One of the things I love about this paint is that it is self-leveling meaning that brush strokes are minimal after drying. A little sanding takes away any excess ones you can see. Chalk Paint creates a matte finish which also adds to the distressed look so popular these days in DIY circles.
Please note that Chalk Paint is different than chalkboard paint which allows you to write on it with chalk and erase.
What Is Chalk Paint Used For?
Chalk Paint is used for furniture as well as other wood and metal pieces. It can also be used on laminate pieces, but because of the shiny surface, a bit of sanding and priming is recommended.
Old furniture no longer needs to be tossed out since Chalk Paint adheres well on smooth surfaces as well as on ornate surfaces. It allows for furniture transformations that are beautiful as well as useful, and with the array of colors available, personalizing your home decor is possible.
Chalk Paint can also be used on brick, glass and high-quality plastic pieces.
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Which Chalk Paint Brands Do I Like Best?
Rustoleum Chalk Paint is my favorite for the basic colors. This is my go-to brand for the basics such as Linen White and Charcoal Grey. Both are beautiful colors and I love that the grey mimics the color of a chalkboard. I use it often for the farmhouse style wood signs that I make and sell.
When it comes to colors I am all about Dixie Belle Chalk Paint. Their paint is smooth and I am in love with their color variety. Whenever I feel a bit brave and I go out on a limb to try something new with color, I am always pleasantly surprised with my finished product. A few of my favorite colors are Mermaid Tale, Evergreen and Stormy Seas. Dixie Belle paints go on quick and easy and once distressed display a depth that I just love.
Other brands such as Amy Howard, Magnolia Home, General Finishes, Country Chic, and Valspar are all well-known and have good reputations, although I have not used them.
Where To Buy Chalk Paint
I buy my Rustoleum Chalk Paint at Home Depot, but you can also by it on Amazon. Please note that more colors are available on Amazon than are available at my local HD.
Dixie Belle’s website is a great source for paint as well as Amazon. You can also check your local home supply or decor stores for availability.
Check Amazon, Lowes or Ace for other brands as well.
Do You Need To Sand Before You Use Chalk Paint?
Chalk Paint is known as a no-prep paint and that is usually the case. Normally I just clean up a furniture piece and paint it. When you are working with a piece of furniture that is gouged or has a lot of scratches you will want to sand and/or add wood filler to create a smooth surface for your paint.
Laminate furniture needs a bit of extra prep in the form of sanding and primer. The extra smooth, shiny surface will lead to peeling paint if those first steps are not taken.
How To Use Chalk Paint
Chalk Paint can be applied with either a high-quality paint brush (I like using an angled 2″ brush), a foam brush or a sprayer. Most of the time I use a foam brush simply because I like the feel of it and it leaves a very smooth finish once dry. If you choose to spray your paint you can add a bit of water if it is too thick (chalk paint tends to be a bit thicker than other paints). Whether you brush or spray on be sure to avoid making your coats too thick as this leads to drips.
Two to three coats are ideal when using Chalk Paint. Again, make sure you are not heavy-handed with the paint. Leave time for drying between coats. Since Chalk Paint dries quickly this is not a problem.
Before doing any distressing I like to give my paint 24 hours to dry thoroughly. This gives me an opportunity to make sure that I like the completed finish before I start doing anything to it. It also avoids any clumping up of paint during sanding.
Layering paint colors is an option and is generally done with a dry brush technique. This technique creates a tremendous depth of color and can be quite beautiful. I suggest that you experiment on smaller pieces when you do this as I have also seen layered colors look terrible. My best advice is to ask someone with experience doing this to help you pick out colors for your first time.
There are a number of ways to distress chalk painted pieces including a sanding sponge, a wet cloth or steel wool. Keep in mind that it is best to distress a little bit at a time. Once you have gone too far there is no going back without adding more paint.
Stencils can also be easily applied after the paint is completely dry with a dry brush technique.
Finishing a chalk painted piece is done with either a clear coat or a wax. Clear coat is best used on a piece that will be heavily used, like a dining room table. For a more decorate piece wax is ideal as it creates added depth to the color and texture of the piece. Wax does need to be reapplied every year.
Homemade Chalk Paint Recipe
I have only made homemade chalk paint one time and I was pretty pleased with the result. I painted a bright pink chalkboard wall in my daughter’s playhouse and she got tons of use out of it. Take note that if you make it yourself your finish may not be as smooth as with a purchased paint, but it does seem to work the same.
This is the chalk paint recipe I used: 3 parts Latex Paint, 1 part Plaster Of Paris, and water as needed for desired consistency.
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Chalk Paint is a great no-prep paint for furniture and DIY projects.
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