Homemade Chalk Paint
It's been three years now that I entered the "world of chalk paint" and I have finished quite a few pieces since then. What I like most about chalk paint is of course that you do not have to do much prep work (no sanding required!!). Annie Sloan Chalk Paint is the most popular brand on the market and it's a great product, but unfortunately a little bit on the pricey side. I am using the same recipe for HOMEMADE Chalk Paint for the last 3 years and had pretty good results with it. This is my most recent piece I finished 2 days ago:
I bought this sad looking side table at a thrift store for $10 - two coats of chalk paint later (and some Howard Feed'n Wax for protection) and the table looks stylish and almost brand new again. Here is the Chalk Paint Recipe:
This recipe is good for one 8 oz sample of paint, enough to paint six drawers on a dresser
Mix 2 1/2 tbsp of Plaster of Paris with 1 tbsp of water until you get a nice smooth consistency with no lumps
Next pour your Plaster of Paris/water mixture into the paint sample and stir. Make sure paint is smooth as before
My most favorite paint is BEHR Premium Plus - Paint & Primer in one (FLAT) - I like it that they sell the 8 oz sample of paint (great for smaller projects). Most of the furniture I have refinished over the last three years is painted in BEHR'S CRACKED PEPPER - a very nice and deep charcoal gray or in BEHR'S PARK AVENUE - a light grey with a beige undertone (= Greige)...both colors look warm and classy.
How to paint with Chalk Paint...
I do a little bit of prep work (not much) before I start painting: make sure the piece is nice and clean (TSP Heavy Duty Cleaner works very well) and for very glossy pieces I use a LIQUID SANDER to remove the sheen (this is an optional step, but I think it might save a coat of paint in some cases)
After you are done with your prep work, you can start painting (yeah!!!). I like using DENSE Foam Brushes (I am not a fan of Dollar Store foam brushes by the way...). The paint is very forgiving and some kind of self-leveling. Don't be discouraged after the first coat - the second coat is usually the one with the WOW-Effect :-) I usually do not need more than two coats (especially not if I used the liquid sander before I started painting).
Next step: you need to protect and seal your little gem. There are different ways to do this, I usually use three different products:
1. WAX
Annie Sloan's Soft Wax is very easy to work with, but if you are on a budget MINWAX Paste Finishing Wax is a good alternative.
I did not like Minwax Paste at the beginning to be honest and was quite challenged with it. However this changed after finding out that adding a little bit of Mineral Spirits makes the wax buttery soft and easy to apply (thanks SALVAGED INSPIRATIONS !!!!).
You can either use a special round waxing brush (more on a pricey side, worth it if you do a lot of painting/waxing), disposable chip brush (in this case I recommend to trim down the bristles by about 1 inch to create a firmer bristle) or a lint free cloth/old T-Shirt.
Work in small sections and (carefully) remove any excess wax (little bits and pieces as you can see on the photo above) quickly after its applied with a clean rag. I usually let the wax sit for 15-30 minutes and then use SUPER FINE STEEL WOOL to lightly buff it. This little trick actually was a huge game changer for me. I used to only buff within 10 minutes with a lint free cloth (according to the directions on the can) and the result were "okay"...The steel wool instead gives you a super smooth finish and evens out any imperfections. The soft sheen you obtain is close to perfection :-) After I am done with the steel wool treatment I polish with a microfiber polishing cloth (the one you use to polish glass etc.).
I usually let it cure for a bit (1- 2 days). If you topcoat with wax you have to be a little bit careful if you clean the waxed surface (no harsh cleaners) and it is recommended that you re-wax in a few years (based on the usage). Most of the pieces I have painted and waxed three years ago are still in very good shape and there is no need to re-wax yet. I usually clean all my chalk painted furniture with either my homemade dusting spray or Murphy oil soap.
2. Wipe on Poly
Easy to apply (just use a lint free rag and wipe it from side to side to cover the surface in a thin coat) very durable and easy to clean. I only use Wipe on Poly on all my cracked pepper painted, dark pieces though. Wipe on poly will yellow light colored surfaces after a while!
3. Howard Feed'n Wax
I really like this product - It is much easier to apply than regular wax, it smells wonderful and I was very satisfied with the result. You simply apply it with a lint free soft cloth, lightly rub in circular motion and allow the wax for min. 20 minutes to soak in before you buff lightly with a clean cloth.
Not sure at this point how long the protection will last (I only used it on two pieces so far) - time will show....I keep you guys posted!
I have added some more examples of chalk painted furniture in the gallery below. I have even painted lamp shades, picture frames, picture ledges, mason jars, jewelry boxes, baskets etc. with chalk paint - actually everything in the house that was in a need of a makeover :-)
