Bedroom Table- do I need to wax over chalk paint?

Yes...lots of stores carry products

You can either wax or varnish it, but you must do one or the other as the chalk paint on its own won't hold up, it will flake off and also stain and mark very easily.

Yes, always seal chalk or milk paint!

Actually what I did was buy some clear ultra matte varnish and used a sponge to wipe it on. Dries fast and it just looks like the rest of the table. No sheen, no gloss, just pure protection.

i find the wax finishes the project and protects your paint!

You can spray clear lacquer or polycrylic. I prefer butcher’s wax as it feels so smooth and gives a nice shine. If you don’t put something on the chalk paint, it will rub off.

I used wax on one chalk paint project and didn't like it at all. I use General Finishes High Performance top coat now and love it! It comes in flat, satin and gloss.

Yes, super easy to do. I just put one coat of wax and then buffed it.

I would say “yes” because it will protect the chalk paint but also feel nicer/smoother to the touch. Chalk paint feels ... well, “chalky” and a THIN coat of wax gives a nice smooth feel. Be sure to apply the wax (I bought liquid wax at Michael’s) in a thin coat. I applied it too thick on my first project and it was too “tacky”.

I say yes, it it super easy. Do not think of waxing your car, it is nothing like it lol. You apply a thin coat (I paint mine on). Let it dry, then I wipe down with a t-shirt. Super easy and not painful.

I revise my answer, If it is a show piece getting little use then yes. If it is a piece that is going to get a lot of use then you may want to polyuerathane (sp) or polyacrylic instead. There are a lot of articles on this. Ran into this same dilemma today with shelves that I am doing and am opting to polyacrylic them so they dont scratch from high use. You may want to do the same to avoid glass stains etc if your table will be used for glasses etc.. I did did a search on "can I polyacrylic over chalk paint" and found some great articles.

I use wax or water-based poly, do not use regular varnish or poly as it will yellow the color.

Here are some ideas that might help https://chascrazycreations.com/diys/re-purpose-up-cycle/furniture/