Good Day!
Hands down the most frequent design questions that I receive are whether or not it is possible to refurbish or redesign a vintage piece
without sanding and all of the hard work that it entails; and if so, how?
And my answer is...
And my answer is...
YES! It is possible! The answer- chalk paint.
I have noticed that everyone and their mom are redoing
pieces now, and the secret is simply chalk paint. Sanding and
thorough refinishing and refurbishing is not easy and not for the faint at
heart. I specialize in the hard stuff and that’s what my clients pay for, but not all projects require all of that blood, sweat, and tears, nor could some of
the pieces even withstand it. But, if you have pieces that you just love, and want to
give them a face lift without the sweat, chalk paint is the answer.
And its easy peasy! This is why everyone is doing it. And you can too! I refuse to keep quiet when it comes to teaching my friends and
followers how to find their inner artist and redo pieces of their own. I have composed my top 5 most helpful tips and how tos when it comes to chalk paint! Here we go!
1.) You can redo ANY piece with chalk paint- wood or laminate.
Yes, this is true. The great thing about chalk paint is that you can use it on just about anything. I have seen things from candlesticks, to iron works, to of course furniture redone with chalk paint. I am not a laminate fan in general, but if you happen to find a legit piece with some laminate, no worries- chalk paint will lay on that too.
Check your local thrift or resale shops, Goodwill stores, estate sales, or online garage sales such as Facebook to get great pieces to redo for a little of nothing. I get pieces from Facebook garage sale often that are solid wood and in good enough shape to refurbish and redesign. Look for pieces that are unique, those with amazing original hardware, and those with simply ornate details. The more of a beauty and rarity it is before it is redesigned, the more beautiful it will be jazzed up!
Check out the before and after of this little lovely I did within 48 hours!
BEFORE
1.) You can redo ANY piece with chalk paint- wood or laminate.
Yes, this is true. The great thing about chalk paint is that you can use it on just about anything. I have seen things from candlesticks, to iron works, to of course furniture redone with chalk paint. I am not a laminate fan in general, but if you happen to find a legit piece with some laminate, no worries- chalk paint will lay on that too.
Check your local thrift or resale shops, Goodwill stores, estate sales, or online garage sales such as Facebook to get great pieces to redo for a little of nothing. I get pieces from Facebook garage sale often that are solid wood and in good enough shape to refurbish and redesign. Look for pieces that are unique, those with amazing original hardware, and those with simply ornate details. The more of a beauty and rarity it is before it is redesigned, the more beautiful it will be jazzed up!
Check out the before and after of this little lovely I did within 48 hours!
BEFORE
AFTER
No sanding involved, just chalk painted, waxed, and buffed!
No sanding involved, just chalk painted, waxed, and buffed!
2.) Make your own chalk paint.
Manufacturers and designers such as the great Annie Sloan sell absolutely fantastic chalk paint and chalk paint products. But, those products can be quite pricey if you only plan to use the paint just for something small, or if you plan to frequent your refurbishing projects.
So, I am going to share my personal chalk paint recipe that you can create yourself with latex paint, old school Plaster of Paris, a few sprinkles of calcium carbonate (if you are using a paint rig or gun), and a few tablespoons of hot water.
Manufacturers and designers such as the great Annie Sloan sell absolutely fantastic chalk paint and chalk paint products. But, those products can be quite pricey if you only plan to use the paint just for something small, or if you plan to frequent your refurbishing projects.
So, I am going to share my personal chalk paint recipe that you can create yourself with latex paint, old school Plaster of Paris, a few sprinkles of calcium carbonate (if you are using a paint rig or gun), and a few tablespoons of hot water.
Ahava Designs TX Chalk Paint Recipe
2 cups of latex paint
5 tablespoons of Plaster of Paris
1/4 cup of warm water
(I use Sherwin Williams paints because of the quality and vast color variation.)
I live by my recipe and guarantee that the quality and consistency is just like that of these $29+ 8 oz cans and it works! I recommend whisking it very well when mixing to sift out any clumps of the Plaster of Paris. Warning! If you are new to using chalk paint, it dries super fast! This is good for the completion of projects in a timely matter, but it thickens up after about an hour or so and becomes harder and near impossible to paint with.
Also, Lowes now offers a really cool chalk paint option. Valspar has the chalk paint mix and you can select a color and have it infused in the can. But, it doesn't come cheap- The quart size can starts at $29.99. Also, the Americana Decor line at Home Depot is pretty good too! A small jar is about $10.
3.) Finishing Wax or Polyurethane?
If I just chalk paint something, I use the finishing wax to seal the deal. It works so well on the paint and the light colored wax and dark colored wax options without sanding and stain, allow for the creation of the antique or vintage look. Here is another tip when it comes to waxing and finishing- Never EVER use brushes. I apply any finish, whether wax or poly, with lint free cloth or old cotton t-shirts. I cut the old t-shirts into 5X7 squares and keep them handy for my projects. I find that the t-shirts eliminate ugly stroke marks and eliminate the battle of painting in the wrong direction or inconsistently.
Two great and affordable wax finishes that I recommend are:
Miniwax's version of finishing wax- it is fantastic! You can find it at your local Home Depot or Lowes.
Valspar's chalk paint finishing wax - it comes in light and dark, just like Annie Sloan. And it works great! You can buy this at Lowe's only.
Americana Decor Creme Wax
It is fabulous! And a little goes a long way indeed. Just wax and buff to your desired shine!
Annie Sloan
And the creme de la creme of finishing wax is no other than, Annie Sloan.
I use my orbital sander when I use chalk paint every now and then with a 220 grit sand paper to just smooth out the tops of tables, dressers, etc. I have a detail sander that is one of the best purchases I have ever made (see the picture below). This little lovely allows me to get in the cracks and crevices of a piece to refine those small flaws and also to allow me the ability to antique or distress specific areas. I purchased mine 3-4 years ago from Home Depot and it's still going strong. After you have painted your piece and BEFORE you wax or finish it with a sealant, you can use the detail sander to create those EXTRA distressed areas. Once you have used the sander and used tack cloths to wipe it down to capture any sand crumbs or residue, then use your t-shirts and apply your finishing wax.
(This is the Ryobi Detail Sander- Retail Price $30 - Home Depot)
(These are the sanding pads- buy them in 220 grit for minor distressing.)
5.) Waxing and Buffing: How do I do this?
After your paint is good and dry, you are ready to wax. The finishing wax has a colored tint to it, hence the reason they sell it in light and dark, so it really shows up beautifully and can add that naturally antiqued looked to your pieces.
Application:
As cheesy as it may sound, think of Mr.Miagi from Karate Kid saying, "Wax on, wax off." Because this my friends is really how to apply it. Always ALWAYS wax on a clear wax first. Use your lint free cotton or old t-shirts to do this.
For the more antiqued look, this is where dark wax comes in. Wax on the dark wax using a wax brush (I am a stickler for controlling the darker wax more because it can ruin a piece if applied excessively or incorrectly).
Once I have added the dark, I take clear wax on a t-shirt and WAX OFF the dark wax. The only thing that removes the dark wax is the clear wax. So, again, wherever you applied the dark wax, wax off until your desire of antiquing has been reached. When you are all done waxing, let your wax sit before you buff for 18-24 hours.This gives the wax a great amount of time to "set in" without drying completely. And what I have found is that in waiting 18-24 hours until buffing, I get the most beautiful clear, satin finish.
You can find buffing brushes at any hardware store just about, or invest in what we call a buffing drill. Remember, a little wax goes a long way. And also to simply, WAX ON, WAX OFF.
(I am doing an ENTIRE post on how to wax and buff so stay tuned!! )
So, don't stress about messing up- it's really impossible with chalk paint. Sanding and extensive refurbishing can annihilate delicate furnishings if done incorrectly. But, chalk paint, nah! Even when painting the piece, the consistency and appearance of the paint is chalky in a sense and covers well. So, what might normally appear as a painting flaw with standard paint cannot be seen with chalk paint. And if you can wax on and wax off, too, you are good to go! Tackle your inner designer and give it a shot! You can do it!
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Until Next Time,
XO
