I don't know who to properly credit for the original DIY version of chalk paint. But I know that after reading all these variations, I decided to go with the one that Yetunde of AfroMartha used. Why? Because I knew I was working with a very imperfect furniture piece and most of the DIY chalk paint tutorials I read used less additive, which I believe produces a smoother finish. I didn't want smooth. I wanted a please-hide-my-flaws finish.
With that being said, let's get on with the "recipe."
{DIY Chalk Paint}
Using a 2:1 ratio
Ingredients:
2 c latex paint of your choice (the finish doesn't matter; I used leftover trim paint so it was a semi-gloss finish)
1 c additive of your choice (I chose to use white unsanded grout)
measuring cup
bucket to mix
paint stirrer
Directions:
Measure out 2 cups of paint into a container. Stir in 1 cup of unsanded grout. Be sure to mix, mix, mix well. Pour into a paint tray. That is all.
Tips:
- Mix one batch at a time. This paint dries super fast, so imagine how quickly it dries in a paint tray.
- Use a paint brush to paint into grooves, but use a foam roller to provide as "even of a coverage" as you can over the entire piece.
- Plan to finish this chalk painting process in one day so that you don't waste materials. Your foam roller will be as hard as a rock before you know it if you leave it for another day.
- If you don't want as grainy of a finish, then add 1/2 cup of hot water to the grout, mix well, then add the paint. (As I stated, I wanted grainy and I didn't mind bits of grout dispersed on my furniture. Adds character.)
If you follow this tutorial, this is what you should see:
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| I darkened the edges of this photo to help you see the mixture a bit better. |
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| See? It's very textured. |
And again, the entire finished piece:
I hope this helped! I can see more chalk paint pieces in my future. Can you?
To view the tutorials on how this piece was refinished click here and here.
{Click here to see where I link up.}
Happy Crafting,
I may be linked up to the following parties:
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I can see the texture now. Looks like it might be a challenge to work with such thick paint. Especially since you were doing it in hot weather; that would speed the drying time considerably. I haven't seen a chalk paint finish in real life that I know of. You have made me quite curious!
ReplyDeleteI've never seen the Annie Sloan chalk paints in person, but check out this link: http://www.anniesloan.com/acatalog/United_Kingdom.html. Her paints don't look textured but have that chalky appearance. Maybe someone in your area sells them and you can check it out. :-)
DeleteIt reminds me of my own-made paints back in University. I had to do all kind of hideous mixtures as part of my homework, just imagine how awful did the kitchen smell --I had to cook some of them...
ReplyDeleteCooking paints? I can't even imagine. lol
Deletei like that look---very helpful :)
ReplyDeleteSo glad it helped. :-)
DeleteThanks for the recipe! Your dresser looks fantastic!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much!
DeleteOooooh, girl. Do you know that I had no idea why people used chalk paint... instead of chalkBOARD paint. I did not understand at all... until I read this post!! LOL. So, it is to hide the imperfections, right? Anyway, I can't remember if I told you, but I LOVE how the dresser ended up! It is so sleek.
ReplyDeleteI think some people may use it for hiding imperfections. Probably that's why no sanding is required. But I think it's also to give it that historic old-world charm. If you look at some of the original chalk paint colors from Annie Sloan, they all are from a muted palette. The look you see in these historic homes. I don't care so much about that, but hiding flaws in a sophisticated way. I think now that people have the recipe, they can create the chalk paint in any color of their choice, instead of being limited. And yes, it's different from chalkboard paint. :-)
DeleteVery nice... I really like the silver hardware.
ReplyDeletepaint is always an easy fix that produces great results
ReplyDeleteAwesome, LOVE IT! Using chalk paint is still on my list! :) I'm thinking this Fall I'm going to play with it constantly! I'm so ready to be finished with the triple digits here!!! Thanks for sharing at my party!
ReplyDeleteXO, Aimee