I would like to refinish my dining room chairs.

Jacqueline Gowe
by Jacqueline Gowe

I would like to achieve a crackly affect. The chairs are now painted torquoise. I would like a more toned down antiqued look.

  4 answers
  • Em Em on Sep 21, 2018

    Crackle paint. Paint first coat with chalk paint. Paint crackle medium, purchased the same place as chalk paint is sold. Paint second color on top. The top coat will shrink and let tiny cracks of the base coat color show thru. I did a plant stand in turquoise base coat with cream color on top. Practice on a piece of scrap wood.

    • See 1 previous
    • Em Em on Sep 21, 2018

      The crackle glaze shrinks the top coat and lets the undercoat show through like it is 100 years old. I love the look, maybe a different shade of lighter turquoise on top. The chalk paint in most stores like Michaels, JoAnn Fabric etc, is limited in color range. You can mix two colors to make your own or go online to find a multitude of color. Try short small strokes and go indifferent directions, then try the same thing with more or less strokes for the top coat. Your technique determines the amount and size of the crackling effect.

  • Karen Merritt3 Karen Merritt3 on Sep 22, 2018

    You can buy crackle medium and wax at a craft store or order off Amazon. I've used black wax to give my projects an antique look.

  • Sally Alter Sally Alter on Sep 22, 2018

    Try Annie Sloan Chalk Paint which is very versatile and is made for this very job. It is easy to distress or crackle furniture and looks just great. Also Valspar chalk paint has a crackle paint but I don't know anybody who has tried it yet.

  • 4637385 4637385 on Oct 09, 2018

    hometalk has lots of dining chair makeover tutorials here:


    https://www.hometalk.com/search/posts?filter=dining%20chair%20makeover