You want to wait until it’s completely dry then sand it. Remove any excess wax using a lint-free cloth. September 30, 2014 at 1:03 pm. How well will chalk paint hold up on furniture frequently used by kids under 10 yo? Next, use a clean cloth to apply the wax over a portion of your chalk painted furniture. If you’re a sloppy painter, you might place a drop cloth or old sheet below your item. Behold your chalk paint! For more decorating tips, including how to patch test your chalk paint, read on! Let it dry under the sun to be extensively used; the time to set the wax is 1-2 weeks. If there are any spots you don’t want painted, cover them with masking tape or painter’s tape. The rougher the sandpaper, the deeper the grooves created in the furniture. If you choose to use dark wax, note that you will need a separate brush; after you use a brush with the dark wax, you cannot reuse the brush with the regular wax or with any paint. If you aren’t going to distress the piece or let it show its age by having some of the old colors show through, you will want to give the piece at least two complete coats with lots of drying time in between. To wrap up the year my furniture fixer upper friends and I decided to put together some of our favorite painted furniture makeovers.We use a variety of brands of furniture paint as well as different furniture painting techniques. I would recommend using TSP on all the chalk paint projects you do, from furniture to home decor. Can a picture frame be done in chalk paint? Note that for outdoor pieces, you do not apply wax; the piece will age and fade more rapidly, but the wax will not set outdoors. This step by step tutorial will show you how to prepare, paint, distress, wax and seal furniture with black chalk paint. If you really can’t stand to see another ad again, then please consider supporting our work with a contribution to wikiHow. Can I use chalk paint to paint vinyl wrap kitchen cupboards? You are aiming to cover every bit of paint. Shake the paint really well to mix the paint and open up the can. This article has been viewed 43,692 times. On this piece, no sanding is done in the center of the top, where the existing finish was already missing. These brushes are somewhat expensive, but the good news is that you can use the same brush multiple times to apply wax; however, once you’ve used a brush for wax, you cannot use it for painting. After you’ve achieved the color you want, apply a couple of coats of finishing wax to seal the paint, waiting 15 minutes between coats. The clear helps to get the dark wax moving! Follow the instructions below to make your own chalk paint: Mix the Plaster of Paris, baking soda, or unsanded grout and water together enough to remove all the lumps. The unfinished wood will take more paint to cover. If you get overeager, though, and you find a water ring on your chalk-painted item, you can clean it with soapy water and easily repaint or buff it out with some more wax. Once the wax is dry to touch, but hasn’t hardened, you can start sanding. Woods like cherry and mahogany are prone to bleeding through paint and may need to be coated in shellac first. I believe you're asking about the "Distressed Look' when Antiquing furniture. Yes, as long as it's good, smooth plywood. There’s no need for stripping or priming, you can simply paint over whatever is there when you begin! If the piece of furniture you plan to paint has a smooth laminate surface, you might need sand it to allow the chalk paint to adhere better. Wait for a couple of minutes until the wax melts off a bit. Allow the paint to dry. I’ve been painting and refinishing furniture (and just stuff) for so many years, I can not even count. Once you remove any handles, it’s smart to tape the areas you don’t want to paint. Read about how to paint furniture with black chalk paint. Note there’s also a can of wax and a wax brush (for use in a later step), some sandpaper (for use in a later step), a simple chip brush (no fancy brushes needed for the paint), some shop towels (any lint-free cloth or towel works), and a piece of aluminum foil for wrapping your wet paint brush (if you need to take a break and don’t want your brush to dry out). Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 43,692 times. You can also "dry brush" the top layer, using just a tiny bit of paint for a slightly different effect. Because the natural wood that’s left has a lovely reddish color, the paint color chosen is a darker blue (when distressed later, the red will come through in places, making a nice contrast). It takes wax 21 days to cure completely, so be careful with your furniture until then. Often, a soft wax finish is used to seal the paint. The most popular chalk paint comes from Annie Sloan, but you can also make your own with just latex paint, water, and baking powder. Add a distressed finish and even new hardware to create a one-of-a-kind piece of chalk paint furniture that is sure to look great in any space. By using our site, you agree to our. For this piece, for example, wax one of the outer legs and wipe off the excess wax, wax the other outer leg and wipe off the excess wax, wax the inner legs one at a time and wipe off the excess, and so on. You must seal furniture painted with chalk paint with wax. % of people told us that this article helped them. Start with 2 tablespoons of water and mix it into the calcium carbonate until completely dissolved. Apply gently moving your brush from right to left until your desired look is formed. You are trying to pick up any dust that you generated with the sandpaper. It was painted with Annie Sloan Florence and Provence, given two coats of the darker Florence, given one coat of the lighter Provence, sanded, and waxed. If you do get chalk paint on the carpet or floor, you can remove it easily with dish soap or laundry detergent, water, and a little elbow grease. This is a more modern look for painted furniture. (however according to Annie Sloan, you can write on it with chalk) – and chalkboard paint is used for creating writable surfaces but not meant for painting entire pieces of furniture. Begin brushing on a light coat of chalk paint. If it's too thick, add another tablespoon of water (you're going for the consistency of ranch dressing), and then stir the mixture into the latex paint. Annie Sloan also produces the waxes and lacquers for sealing their products. If you can see a shine or gloss on your piece, it will be helpful to give it a quick scuff with a mid-grit sandpaper (180-ish grit) to open up the pores of the finish. Work in large areas, sweeping the wax over the paint. For furniture that will be heavily used (such as coffee tables), the setting time for the wax is 2–3 weeks. Even though wax is the recommended topcoat for chalk paint, sometimes painter use polyurethane products or other glossy topcoats instead. Need some new home decor and furniture ideas you can make yourself? This series is a two part series on how to paint furniture with black chalk paint. Don’t use furniture wax to clean it! Since the top will get the most attention, you’ll want that to look perfect, so leave that for last. Though I had conquered my first Chalk Paint® project, there remained a mountain on the horizon I had yet to summit. To prepare your furniture, first remove any handles and other hardware, and wipe the surface with a damp cloth. Especially on antique furniture details that you do not want to scratch. Apply the wax generously in small sections at a time. Dampen one of the shop towels and run the damp towel all over the furniture. It typically leaves a soft, matte sheen and comes in a variety of colors to customize your end result. I am assuming well cured wax will provide a protective layer. If you’re painting a dresser or table, start at the bottom. The dark wax, as you probably have figured out, darkens the color and really does make a piece seem more aged. Reply. Repeat coats until you have your desired coverage. If you’re new to chalk paint, the following overview will give you the basics on how to chalk paint furniture. Once it was wiped down we looked for any flaws on the piece, this one had drill holes. Follow the directions of your chalk paint as to how long it will take to dry. Apply one coat covering thoroughly using a short cut brush. Stir and shake the can of chalk paint really well especially from the bottom of the can. Note that you have a choice between regular wax and dark wax. Chalk paint is one of my absolute products to use for furniture makeovers, as it is so forgiving and covers just about any type of surface. Last Updated: June 8, 2020 Annie Sloan chalk paint is sold in pints and quarts and is the original and still most popular chalk paint on the market. Where and how much paint you sand off is strictly a personal preference. Once you've prepared your furniture, apply 2 or 3 coats of your chalk paint with a brush, waiting 30 minutes for each coat to dry. Otherwise the dark wax will end up staining the chalk paint. Paint in long sweeping strokes, going with the grain. We’ll show you how to use chalk paint to create a beautiful new look or bring an old piece of furniture back to life. You can purchase chalk paint at some craft and hobby stores, online, or at your local vintage/antique/repurpose shop. We use cookies to make wikiHow great. wikiHow is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together. wikiHow's. 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