If you, amidst your leather chairs, bear rugs and smoking tables, need a little bit of rustic, a little bit of farmhouse flair, or a little bit of distressed but can stand the test of time in your furniture project, then look no further than the quality Rustoleum Chalk Paint choices in your Wilco Farm Store.
Chalk paints are ideal for you if you want to add some vintage character and charm to your home. Chalk paint doesn’t need special applicators, mixing or long drying times. It isn’t hard on the olfactories when wet, and stands up well to being used. And they are great for those that love a simple DIY project. In the example project in this blog, the paint used was Rustoleum Linen Chalk Paint.
What is it?
Chalk paint a water-based paint and is not to be confused with “chalkboard” paint that can be written on with chalk. Chalk paint is a matte coating paint that leaves a chalky appearance and feel. Chalk paint was originally created by paint brand Annie Sloan. But there are plenty of copy-cats and great choices out there for you to use that are tried and true.
How to apply it?
One of the benefits of chalk paint is that there isn’t much prep work. The surface you are painting needs to be clean and dry. But that’s about it. You don’t need to remove the previous finish, or do any sanding. It will cover any type of surface. The chalk paint will apply smoothly over layers of paint, bare metal, bare woods, and more. It’s also less likely to drip because of its thicker consistency.
Finishing
Many times, once chalk paint is dry, DIY’ers apply waxes or sealers to the finish to create a patina and give the piece a vintage appeal.
Chalk paint has the ability to turn anything from a corner vintage chair to a vanity or even an entire wall into a show-stopper. Because of its unique texture, furniture with chalk paint can be set next to a semi-gloss wall of the same basic color and still stand out because of the texture difference.
Most of the time a single coat of chalk paint is perfect. But you can be the judge and apply a second coat if there are any colors or textures you want further coverage on.
In the example project included here, the chalk paint was applied with both a brush (top and back) and with a rag (front) so that some of the rustic looking pallet wood grain could show through a tiny bit.
Clean-up
Because chalk paint is water-based. Cleanup can be done with simple warm water and soap rather than having to use mineral spirits.
