Chalk Painting Furniture
I absolutely love bringing an old piece of dated furniture back to life. Today I’m going to walk you through the process with a piece that I am currently chalk painting.
This is the piece
And this is the After:
I used Americana Decor in Yesteryear and then finished with their Creme Wax in Clear.
This product is very good – it goes on well and dries to a beautiful finish in a very short time. It is quite economical at $19.00 per jar at Walmart here, in Canada.
You can also make your own chalk paint. I like to do this as the colour choices are then endless!
My favourite recipe is the Plaster of Paris one:
Here is what you will need:
1/3 cup of plaster of Paris
1/3 cup of cool water stir until completely smooth
1 cup of latex paint.
Mix plaster of paris with water until completely smooth, then simply add to the latex paint and blend throughly.
This will make enough chalk paint to finish one coat on a six-drawer dresser.
I made a smooth paste with the plaster of paris and water before mixing it into the paint. When mixed well, it was silky smooth and applied just as nicely as brand name chalk paint.
On day two, your leftover chalk paint will have thickened a little and appear a little grainy, but after a thorough mixing, it will be fine.
The left over paint can be stored in a glass canning jar and can be used up to 30 days after mixing.
Creating Plaster of Paris Chalk Paint is inexpensive and will run you about $6.00 for a large box of the Plaster of Paris, which will last for a very long time, plus the cost of latex paint – but I usually use what I have left over from a job or painting a space. You can also purchase a smaller sample container of latex paint to cut down on cost.
To finish this piece, I first cleaned the table really well. I wanted a rustic look, so I also sanded the sides to have the raw wood show through. I decided to go with a natural wood top, so I also sanded it down to the natural finish.
The first coat of chalk paint is applied very lightly. Although the paint does self level, you want to keep it light. This coat will take about 15 minutes to dry and then you can apply the second coat.
Depending on the finish you are looking for, you can apply the second coat lightly or a little thicker than the first. Since I wanted rustic, I kept the second coat light, as well.
After the second coat was applied, I waited about 5 minutes before I used the 180 grit fine sand paper to distress the table the way I wanted it.
The final step is the wax. I like a very rustic looking finish so I sanded quite a bit. I like to use Annie Sloan’s brush for the wax.
Remember – a little goes a long way! If waxing while the piece is still slightly wet, be aware that if you wax too aggressively, more paint will come off.
My final step was to wax the top of the table. Here is how it came out:
If you have any questions about the process, I’d be happy to help!
xxox
Karan
So lovely, I adore your home. 🙂
Thank you so much Rachel.❤
What type of sander did you use or did you sand by hand?What grit did you use ?I’m new at painting furnisher Thanks
Hi Debbie,
I used a skil hand sander ( I love it) with 180 grit sand paper. Once you start you’ll be addicted!
Thanks for stopping by.
Xxox
Karan
What a transformation, Karan! Absolutely love it!! Thanks for breaking it down for us. I have a couple pieces I’d like to try. Wish me luck. Better yet, come help me 🙂
xoxo
Loi
Tone on Tone
I’d love nothing more than to work on a project together! I can’t wait to see your pieces!❤
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Not really. This is a fairly new blog. Thanks for stopping by.
Lovely finish, thanks for explaining your process. I’m wondering about using chalk paint on veneered sideboard, any thoughts? Also a veneered chest that is somewhat chipped on top..
Thanks in advance,
Alix
Hi Alix,
I’ve used it on veneered surfaces and chippy surfaces. It works wonderful on veneered surfaces for chippy, it will not patch the marks but it will cover and adhere to the surface.
Good luck with your pieces!
karan
Very creative
Thank you!
Hi Karan,
I found this paint recipe to be very watery. Is it supposed to be? 1/3 cup of water added to 1 cup of paint seems a lot. Please advise. Thank you and I love your style !
Hi Judy,
It goes on fairly thin and will need two coats. The thiness helps with the self leveling. If you find it to thin to work with you can add a little more plaster of paris.
Karan
I read your post on chalk paint
I’d like to start by painting an oak vanity I have in powder room
I’m not sure chalk paint is the best as moisture and water in here
Would I use a latex paint?
Have you done a vanity?
Thanks
Hi Kris,
I just painted my bathroom vanity with this recipe, you can see pictures on my Instagram page. It is an amazing chalk paint and I have noncowrns about my vanity.
Karan
I have been wanting to take on a project with a walnut desk with drawers, similar to the bureau you feature with the garland on your IG account. ILOVE the dark gray color of that piece. By any chance do you have the name of the paint used. Also, love the stenciled border of detail.
I do, it is Americana chalk paint in relic, dark finish. White finish is cloud white by Benjamin Moore and I made my home made chalk paint for it.
Karan
What actually is Chalk paint? What makes it different from regular paint.? Thanks ( ps. Love following you, and I love your style )
Chalk paint is an ultra-matte finish paint. This is not chalkboard paint but has a chalky like finish. Chalk paint gives furniture or decorative pieces a high-end, professional finish that is really durable.
I appreciate you follow along!!
Thank you
Karan
I have a bed that is old my late daddy gave me (sleigh) I can’t part with and it has a lot of shellac on it – will your paint work with no sanding??
Hi Jackie,
You can clean the surface and do a very light sanding but I usually don’t sand before I chalk paint. Try it in a small space first let it cure overnight and see how it adheres to your surface.
Karan