Chalk paint

by Marlene

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What is the benefit or reason to chalk paint?
Thanks for input

2 answers

Shari on May 04, 2014
Probably the biggest drawing card for chalk paint is the ability to skip the sanding and priming, which is normally advised for traditional paint like latex. And, even with no up front preparation, chalk paint is suppose to stick to anything. But... even though you are saving time at the beginning of the project by not having to do any prep work, there is a step at the end of using chalk paint that, to me, is almost worse than sanding and priming. WAXING. The chalk paint dries with a very flat, matte finish and it needs to be sealed to protect it, as well as give some luster and depth to the matte finish. Waxing is what the chalk paint companies recommend. I don't like the waxing part and depending on what color you are waxing over, I've read where some people have had considerable difficulty buffing the wax out to get a nice, uniform streak-free finish, particularly over dark colors like black. A top coat like poly can be used instead but I don't like using poly-like products either because I have found that even some of the "non-yellowing" protective finishes can change the color of the paint, especially white. One other little problem nobody mentions much when they talk about chalk paint is "bleed through." If you don't prime first and just jump in painting with the chalk paint, some old furniture finishes "bleed" a reddish color through the paint. (I just had this happen to me so I know about it first hand.) If that happens, the way to stop the bleed through is by putting on a coat of varnish or stain blocking primer and then proceeding with the chalk paint. In that scenario, you haven't saved any time or money at all by using chalk paint.

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Shari on May 04, 2014
I want to elaborate that tonight I noticed the stain blocking primer has not completely stopped the bleed through. Even though the desk is done, I noticed evidence of a reddish ring starting to show in one area of the desk top. I think my only option now is to sand that area down to bare wood, prime again and repaint, which doesn't make me particularly happy. I've painted a lot of furniture in the past with latex paint and have never had this problem before. Frankly, I am just not 100% sold on chalk paint.

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- Patti Nicholas on May 06, 2014
  @Shari excellent response for Marlene, but just a thought on your red bleed-through. Depending on the original finish, you may need to use an oil base primer/stain killer. They smell a LOT more, but you wouldn't need to sand to bare wood. I learned this from a mistake I made a few years ago with wallpaper, even though I removed all the paper and washed the walls and primed with a latex stain killer there was still some bleed through from the type glue used 30+ years ago. I recoated with oil base as per the paint store's recommendation and problem was solved. I agree the waxing is tedious, but I do love the depth of color you just can't get any other way.
  
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- Shari on May 06, 2014
  @Patti Nicholas Thanks, Patti. After I typed that, I thought about it more and decided it might be worthwhile to just try varnishing the bleed through area and repainting it before I go to all the trouble to strip it down. I hate working with oil based products because cleanup is such a pain but I know there is a varnish in an aerosol can which probably wouldn't be bad to work with (and no cleanup would be required). I know I'm ready to be done with this desk though. I've been working on it for a couple weeks now and if I had just taken it outside and given it a couple light coats of primer and a couple light coats of latex paint with my airless sprayer like I usually do when I paint furniture, I probably would have been done with it days and days ago.
  
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- DIY Fun Ideas on May 07, 2014
  @Shari @Patti Nicholas @Marlene Hi Shari, Patti & Marlene. Yes, Shari, good explanation, but technically you don't have to wax. While that's what is traditionally done, you can still choose to use a polycrylic to seal the paint instead of using wax. What I did when I refinished this formica laminate cabinet: http://diyfunideas.com/how-to-refinish-formica-cabinets-unique-chalk-board-paint-recipe/ is I mixed up my own chalk paint recipe, but then decided I didn't want a flat finish, so I did a quick coat of semi gloss latex. I was planning on sealing it with a wipe on polycrylic, but since the cabinet is hardly ever used, I decided to simply leave it alone after that. But if you are going for an antique/distressed look, then yes, the dark wax will do the trick. Although, you can also use wood stain by wiping it on and then quickly wiping off. I've also heard of using espresso to age the finish.
  
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- Shari on May 07, 2014
  @DIY Fun Ideas I did mention in my first comment that waxing was what the chalk paint companies typically recommend but an alternative to wax is using a poly-like product. I also said I don't particularly like working with poly products either and, in my experience, even the non-yellowing products can give white paint a yellowish cast. Chalk paint (and milk paint) seem to be best utilized when one is trying to create the more aged, used and abused look on furniture and although I can appreciate pieces done like that, I don't want the furniture in my home to look like that. I don't expect my painted furniture to look like it came out of a high end furniture store but I don't want it to look like the paint was slopped on by a kindergartener and then pushed off the back of a fast moving truck either. Somewhere in between is where I'm comfortable so I don't distress my pieces and I don't like "antiquing" with dark wax, glazes or stain because it just looks dirty to me. I've come to realize the chalk paint is great for achieving the finishes that look old and less than perfect but for someone like me who prefers a little finer finish, using chalk paint to create that finer finsh takes a lot of extra time and work (not to mention the extra expense of the pricey chalk paint products) .... certainly more than painting with traditional latex paint. With latex paint, my steps involve wiping down the piece with liquid sandpaper/deglosser. Applying several light coats of primer and several light coats of satin or semi-gloss paint with an airless spray gun. Done. No sanding required with the liquid sandpaper/deglosser product. Unlike chalk paint, no waxing or top coat required.
  
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- DIY Fun Ideas on May 07, 2014
  @Shari Wow, I've never tried liquid sandpaper. Brilliant! I love that idea cause I hate sanding! :-)
  
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- Shari on May 13, 2014
  @DIY Fun Ideas I'm sure you will love liquid sandpaper! As long as the furniture's finish is in good shape (no orange peel finish, chipped paint that needs to be feathered out etc.,) you can skip the pre-prep sanding completely. Such a time-saver!
  
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