Asked on Dec 10, 2014

How does chalk paint hold up?

Jeanette S
by Jeanette S
There has been an explosion of chalk painting on HT. I want someone to replay as to how it holds up. I am not interested in Grandmother's table in the dining room that is used twice a year. What about kitchen cabinets in a family of 6-8 people where dinner is cooked every night and the kids knock around in there? I have furniture that is rarely touched and it always looks great...the den, not so good! I was just wondering before I do or don't decide to try it!
  19 answers
  • Chalk paint is very durable..it will require a topcoat though. Pieces that I've painted years ago, look just as good today. Good luck!
    • Jeanette S Jeanette S on Dec 10, 2014
      @Cynthia - Clockworkinteriors Are they in high traffic areas? Kitchen cabinets? Do you use put on the wax for accent and then the topcoat? Is the topcoat varnish or is the was sufficient?
  • Jeannie Andrews Jeannie Andrews on Dec 10, 2014
    I was also wondering about cabinets. I have one I want to put in my kitchen and it is fresh from the building supply. Where do I start. What supplies do I need. which blog should I turn to?
  • I have two coffee tables, which get very high traffic--no problem--they both just have wax topcoats..there are many different brands out there, and I would top with whatever that manufacturer recommends...Annie Sloan, Maison Blanche, General Finishes, are just a few..General Finishes is my new favorite :D....and they all have websites.
    • Jeanette S Jeanette S on Dec 11, 2014
      @Cynthia - Clockworkinteriors I have to laugh...I think I have the same setup as you have and I too want to paint it. I have thought about flat black spray paint. I don't want to get rid of the pieces. A real estate lady told me it had to go if I wanted to sell my house...but you know what...house is not for sale so I will keep it. I don't think people can live like their house is always on the market. Now I think I want it red!
  • Sherrie Sherrie on Dec 10, 2014
    Preparation, and sealers would be important if your painting cabinets. I have seen some beautiful cabinets that make you swoon and then cabinet nightmares, I wouldn't use a wax as a sealer probably a water base polyurethane. I don't use waxes to seal my furniture I always use a water base poly on the too's of them. Wax can take 30 to 90 days to cure depending in the kind you use and it needs to be reapplied. You can only clean it with a little bit of water. I would want durable if it's in a high traffic area.
  • Lance Price Lance Price on Dec 10, 2014
    Can't seal it if you're actually going to use it as a chalkboard. I painted a square directly on the wall next to the fridge and attached a frame to the wall around it. I finished it off by using a white paint pen to write "Needful Things" across the top. Use a softer chalk and it will last decades, mine has!
    • Sherrie Sherrie on Dec 11, 2014
      Chalk paint isn't the same as your speaking of it is a limestone paint you can paint furniture with if that makes sense.
  • Pam Pam on Dec 11, 2014
    I have an entertainment center with two side hutches in my living room that I am thinking of painting but am afraid to pick a color. How do you start?
  • Fran H Fran H on Dec 11, 2014
    I used DIY chalk paint to do my kitchen island last year. Black latex with plaster of paris. I sealed with two coats of polyacrylic sanding between coats. They are holding up beautifully. Granted there are no little ones in our home but we are pretty rough on things.
  • Melanie Hinman Melanie Hinman on Dec 11, 2014
    "Needful Things" - I like that! I painted a cast iron bistro set (white) that sits on my covered porch - not full out in the elements. I topped it with two coats of poly. Loved the result, but after a year and a half, orange-y rust is coming through...wish I would've just sprayed Rustoleum. :( Still a fan of chalk paint - just a bad choice there...
    • Melanie Hinman Melanie Hinman on Dec 11, 2014
      @Melanie Hinman Otherwise it is holding up well to lots of use - not chipping or wearing....
  • Bridget Kik Bridget Kik on Dec 11, 2014
    I painted my stairs with it....lasted about 2 months and looked like hell...even through the wax. Definatley needs something more.
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    • Gail Pucciarelli Gail Pucciarelli on Mar 09, 2015
      @Jeanette S Well stairs take a beating and I would have definitely used a good floor poly for them not wax. A bookcase wouldnt be getting such as much abuse. You could give the bookcase a few coats of a low gloss water base poly. I do decorative painting and painted furniture and unless someone wants an aged antique look I use poly over whatever I do ...it definately makes whatever it is more durable. You could also just use a good satin paint alone. It seems to me that the chalk paint is used more for things that have that aged, distressed look.
  • Sherry Sherry on Dec 11, 2014
    Hi @Jeanette S , I'm currently using chalk paint on several projects and I love it. When I decided I wanted to give that type of paint a try, I went online and found a blog: http://inmyownstyle.com/diy-chalk-paint-recipes written by Diane. She has 2 different recipes and explains the difference between them and how they should be used. It's a great blog article and very helpful! Read the comments if you can because the comments have lots of helpful info too. Since your wanting to paint a dinning room table I suggest you try her recipe that uses a mix Calcium Carbonate Powder with Plaster of Paris. Hope that helps and good luck! :)
    • Jeanette S Jeanette S on Dec 11, 2014
      @Sherry I have done some checking on line about this, but I am glad to be hearing from some folks that have used it for some time. Thanks for your help.
  • Yvonne Sanders Yvonne Sanders on Dec 11, 2014
    I have been using chalk paint for a little while now, and does need a top coat of wax. I like to use ASCP light wad then a little dark wax. It holds up very well, the wax will harden in a few days. If doing cabinets or dining room tables or something that gets a lot of wear, I always use poly acrylic for a top coat. Usually about 3 light coats.
  • Debbie Debbie on Dec 11, 2014
    I painted my maple cabinets with Annie Sloan's Chalk Paint and I love it! Its is very important to use the wax and let it cure. My cabinets look great and they are so easy to wipe off!! IT WAS A LOT OF WORK!!! but so worth it and it saved me a lot of money in the end.
  • Providence Hill Providence Hill on Dec 12, 2014
    I painted our couch and it is holding up very well. Little rear-ends go up and down on it about 50 times every day- this isn't including the grimy hands either!
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    • Providence Hill Providence Hill on Dec 13, 2014
      I used watered down chalk paint (3 parts paint and 1 part water) then I sealed it with soft wax. The chalk paint penetrates the fibers so it doesn't crack. The soft wax seals the paint and takes away any rough feeling.
  • GR GR on Dec 13, 2014
    I've been painting/refinishing furniture and doing commissions for people (including kitchens) for nearly 20 years now. Obviously when I started no one used chalk paint, it was all latex or eggshell and usually you sanded and primed before applying. When I first heard about Annie Sloan chalk paint I was intrigued, especially by the no sanding or priming necessary part! While I'm maybe not as enthusiastic as some of the people posting here I think it definitely has it's advantages for certain projects and I've been quite successful at making my own using calcium carbonate (literally chalk powder) added to latex. It is great for the rustic and distressed look and is quick to work with but I still find other paints work better for a flat finish. I've used Annie Sloan on kitchen cabinets (sealing them with several coats of varnish) at the request of clients and they have held up well but I used primer and eggshell paint on my own kitchen cabinets and I think that tells you all you need to know about which I think is most durable!
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    • Annie Doherty Annie Doherty on Jun 13, 2016
      Hi Marguerite I have made Chalk paint many times mixing latex paint, water and Plaster of Paris and it is very effective, much more cost effective than the leading brands. However I didn't have a recipe I just made this by adding plaster of paris, water and mixing well and it's worked every time Personally I always use Eggshell paint on metal as I found it was much more durable and lasted for much longer, particularly if the piece gets a lot of handling. Good luck.
  • Annie Doherty Annie Doherty on Jun 12, 2016
    I like the look of chalk paints but prefer to use eggshell as personally I find that the finish is much more durablem always looks great and can any marks can be washed easily. I use this for all my projects particularly as now I can buy water based eggshell which is even easier to clean brushes, tools etc.
  • Jeanette S Jeanette S on Jun 12, 2016
    I don't paint furniture...to old to bother, but just wondered about this paint because I see so many using it!
  • Dianne Shelton Dianne Shelton on Oct 31, 2016
    Chalk paint holds up well. I have done several pieces and I am getting ready to do my kitchen Cabinet doors. The beauty of it is that it covers so well. and covers just about anything. Dianne B Dallas, Texas
  • Lisa Lisa on Nov 02, 2016
    Hello... if you go on Pinterest and search for chalk painted kitchen cabinets… There's loads of information… Also you can Google kitchen cabinet makeover and lots of Pinterest bloggers will come up ... I hope this helps ladies 😀
  • Betty Betty on Dec 09, 2019

    can you use on cooking pans ?