Chalk paint is a type of paint that will help us to make furniture look or finish as if it were powdered. In this way, thanks to this type of natural paint without acrylics that comes from chalk, we can paint and decorate the furniture for a result that also sets trends. We explain below, how to paint old furniture with chalk paint.
Old furniture can have a renewed appearance, although with a certain “vintage” air thanks to chalk paint, which as we say is now in fashion, although it is not a painting that is growing in creation at all. In fact, chalk paint (or at least a similar version) was already used in his day by Michelangelo for his great works of the 16th century, so we are going to use it to be able to paint old furniture with the steps that we now indicate. .
In principle, chalk paint or Chalk Paint does not require sanding or adhesion primer due to its excellent adhesion. However, if what we are going to paint is a piece of furniture that is already old or one that is already painted with a paint or color that is too striking or bright, it may be good to carry out a small preparation of the furniture that consists of the following:
If the furniture has imperfections, it will be necessary to use a medium-grit sandpaper to smooth the surface before painting.
When there are multiple layers of paint, it is best to pickle or sand first. Chalk paint is thick enough and will thicken the material even more.
It is advisable to apply an adhesive primer on antique furniture treated with aggressive paints to avoid the pink effect. Since chalk paint is a porous paint, pink stains occur when the furniture comes in contact with the chalk paint. The only way to avoid these stains is to apply a primer that insulates the paint.
It is also recommended to apply a primer on woods rich in tannins such as pine, mahogany or tropical woods. This prevents sweat from the wood from getting into the paint.
The following tips will help you give your furniture a professional finish once you start painting the furniture with chalk paint.
We have commented at the beginning of our article that chalk paint always manages to create a dusty effect on furniture, but if you want to add a more aged look than it is, you can get it using sandpaper. The key to making it look natural is not to use equal parts sanding.
Imagine what an antique piece of furniture looks like. Usually, it will only be used in certain areas where it has been tampered with the most.
The top surface, as well as the handles and edges, will look more worn. So, you can lightly sand these areas. The dressers and tables are elements that look great with this look. So, take a sandpaper that is fine grain and sand those areas that we have indicated.
Do you want to add some depth to your old furniture? Use a two-color mixing technique to create dimension. This approach will give your old, chalk paint furniture a distinctly attractive look. It is something as simple as placing two different colors, or that they are of different intensity.
To do this, you have to lightly sand the top. Doing so will reveal the first layer of color underneath. You will obtain the maximum depth using a darker color as a base and a lighter color as a top layer (remember that previously we said that it is necessary to apply two layers of chalk paint so take advantage of that to apply those two tones of which you We speak).
As already mentioned, the paint shawl is a porous type of paint and requires a finish to protect it from stains, splashes and weather conditions. This particularity allows a multitude of possible effects and finishes to our painted furniture. Among the most used we have:
Wax: Recommended for furniture and interior design. Brightens chalk paint. In addition, colorless and mixed waxes can be combined to create different effects and patinas.
Paint: Recommended for furniture and outdoor objects or humid places. By using a non-gloss paint, we will keep the super matte look of the chalk paint.
Crackle: The “cracked” effect with layers of different colors is very decorative.
Pickling Without a doubt one of the most demanded finishes. There are different stripping techniques to give a vintage or shabby chic look to our furniture and objects.