Everywhere I look people are talking and chatting about redoing furniture using chalk paint. Chalk paints are all over Pinterest and every DIY blogger is showcasing their latest chalk paint transformation… except ME.

I guess I am little late to join the growing crowd of lovers of chalk paint. But as they say better late than never…

…because now I am totally digging chalk paint for refurbishing old wood furniture.

A Dresser Makeover by one of my favorite DIY Bloggers, Nancy at Artsy Chicks Rule

Why was I Late to The Party?

Because it is always better to be fashionable late right? No, that is not my reason, the main reason is I did not understand the benefits of chalk paint.

I love refinishing furniture, but like a lot people I hate the prep work that you need to do before you start painting. Who wants or has the time to have to sand an old stereo cabinet before painting it a beautiful new color to become your new shabby chic tv stand…NOT ME.

I have half a dozen pieces of curbside rescued furniture awaiting me to give them rebirth. However, I never get started because I hate to sand furniture. It is no fun, it’s messy, and too loud for me to do early in the morning. I usually get up at 4:00 AM to work on decorating projects, while my wife and daughters are still sleeping.

This is some of furniture I have in my basement that I plan on refinishing…I know I am bordering on hoarder status.

When I finally learned that one of the benefits of chalk paint was that you don’t have to sand, I was like sign me up…I can finally work on some furniture projects.

Benefits of Chalk Paint I Didn’t Know

  • Low, Low, VOC's - Chalk Paint has virtually no smell or VOC's which means it is healthier to use in your home.
  • No Need To Sand - As I said, no need to sand to remove existing finishes, it can even go over a wax finish previously applied.
  • No Priming - You can skip the priming step, which is time consuming and adds more costs to your DIY project.
  • No Need to Seal with Polyurethane - After you apply 1 to 2 coats of chalk paint, unlike with latex paint, you don't need to deal with a protective polyurethane coat. It is recommended to apply a coat of finishing wax, which is a lot easier to apply than polyurethane.
  • Dries Fast - Coats of chalk paint dry fast. You can save time between coats, which usually it is best to do 2 coats.
  • Paint Over Almost Anything - You can use chalk paint on almost any surface; wood, laminate, metals, plastic, glass, AND even fabric.

What do you think of these benefits?

I hope you are as excited as I was to try my hand with chalk paint. I believe chalk paints make painting furniture much easier.

Disadvantage of Chalk Paint

As with anything there can be disadvantages…however there are limited disadvantages with chalk paint. The main disadvantage I see is the cost.

The most popular brand, Annie Sloan, costs on average $36 for a quart. This is about double the cost of a quart of standard latex paint…ouch!

However, when you factor in the saving money and time by not having to sand, prime or seal; the cost is more reasonable. Also there are other chalk paint brands that are very good too that cost less.

Two other brands to try are: Deco Art Americana Decor and Amy Howard at Home.

Another thing that helps with the cost is a quart goes a long way. Depending on the piece of furniture you are painting, it is likely you may have some leftover to use on something else.

So don’t let the cost keep you from trying out chalk paint. There are also some DIY recipes for making your own chalk paint from latex you can try. You can search on Pinterest for one to try or next in my next post I will share one I tried.

Waxing Sounds Difficult

The second disadvantage I have heard is the waxing. People can get intimidated by the waxing step. Waxing is the final step and you should not be intimidated by it.

The waxing step is important because chalk paint is porous when dry. Left unprotected overtime stains and oil from our fingers will discolor the finish.

Think of applying wax as applying sunscreen. Like how sunscreen protects our skin from the harmful UV rays of the sun, applying a wax adds a protective layer to the surface to prevent damage to your furniture.

What Wax to Use?

If you use Annie Sloan Chalk Paint, you can select one of her complement waxes. Other brands also have matching waxes, however a popular less expensive option I have seen people us is Minwax Paste Finishing Wax. With whatever wax you choose, be sure to follow the instruction on the back.

Are You Going to Join The Party?

So are you going to join the chalk paint party with me? I hope so!

I would recommend before jumping into a big project with chalk paint, start with something small. This way you have get your feet wet before tackling a larger project.

This is exactly what I am doing. I am testing out my skills with chalk paint on a small pedestal side table I saved from a dumpster a few doors down the street. I can’t wait to show you how it turns out.

Here is a sneak peek.

Be sure to check out next week’s post for the final reveal.