The Magic of Chalk Paint

Furniture pieces painted with chalk paint are all the rage right now! I know you’ve seen them on Pinterest and your favorite decorating blogs. I’ve been really wanting to try chalk paint, as the colors I’ve seen in Annie Sloan chalk paint are simply gorgeous. When I came across some cans of ASCP at a sale for $5 per can (and $5 cans of wax to boot!) I knew my time had come. I snatched up three colors of paint and three cans of wax and decided to figure it out.

The beauty of chalk paint, or so I’d read, is that there is no need to sand or prime. Plus, you get a nice flat chalky finish on your piece that is really pretty. After using chalk paint on a few pieces, I’m happy to report that it really is all that it’s cracked up to be. I’m a big fan. Here are a few transformations I’ve been working on:

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Now, chalk paint can be very expensive if purchased pre-made. However, I quickly learned how to make my own to save a bundle. You’ll need:

Whatever color of latex paint you want
A carton of plaster of paris (dry mix that comes in a carton. Available at Home Depot or Lowe’s.)
Water
A stirring spoon or old whisk you don’t mind getting paint on

I mixed about four parts paint with one part plaster of paris and thinned a little with the water. I used a plastic bowl to mix in, as there isn’t room to stir if your paint can is full and you add the plaster mix directly to it. Sometimes I needed the water, sometimes I didn’t. The paint will be a little thicker, which I liked for better coverage, but you can thin as much as you like. One word of caution, I think I used a little too much plaster in one can of paint because when I opened it this morning, it had set up right in the paint can. I was still able to mix water into it and get it back to a paint consistency, but it was a bit lumpy.

I painted two coats of chalk paint on each of the above items and then finished with a top coat of either wax or glaze. The green chairs and the duck egg blue table had clear wax applied to them. The turquoise coffee table was distressed with sanding paper and had a brown glaze applied. The three-drawer chest was ivory to begin with, then I painted with charcoal chalk paint, distressed with sandpaper, and applied a coat of clear wax.

There are so many ways you can use chalk paint that it really is its own art form. you can use more than one color, apply various top coats, and distress or not. The choices are all up to you!

Comments

  1. Sheila Moore says

    WOW did you get the deal of the century! I would love to find a sale like that. I made my own chalk paint with non-sanded grout and it came out perfect too. A couple tablespoons to a paint sample from Lowe’s and a little water. I love the fact you can use any color you want when you make it yourself.

  2. I would love to know a couple of things: What kind of wax did you use and can I buy that at Home Depot or Lowes? Also, what kind of brushes, or rollers did you use? What worked best, brush or roller?

  3. Love this. I wish I could pay you to come to my house & show me how!

  4. Thanks so much. I also need to know what type of wax to buy. Can you recommend something?

  5. jerry schubert says

    Thank god for people such as yourself willing to share these ideas. I am also curious as to which clear wax you use, as in my antique world we use polyurethane , and lacquer . thanks

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