Mission Beautify IVY - Saltwash

3 Materials
$20
2 Hours
Easy
"Ivy" was sitting in an abandoned house amidst piles of trash.
We almost missed her while walking through. She had been used as a printer table.

Ivy turned out to be a beauty with just a bit of effort, using Saltwash and Pure and Original Classico Paint.
Check out the before:


We brought her home, cleaned her up, sanded and got her ready to try out a new look. She had great bones.
STEP 1 Prep – same as always. Clean and sand to get it ready for the salt washed paint.
 
STEP 2 Mix Saltwash with your first color. Basically you just mix it to the consistency of cake batter. We used Pure and Original Classico paint in Steel Blue for the Saltwash layer.


STEP 3 Dab it all on, creating peaks and valleys. Be generous and really glob it on! After it begins to dry just enough to be thick and close to tacky, knock down the peaks with a dry brush. 
STEP 4 After it completely dries, paint on your second color. We used the P& O Poetic Blue over top the base coat of Saltwashed Steel Blue.
STEP 5 Let your second color dry and take a sander to it. I used high grit sanding sponge and Jillian used my Rigid hand sander to heavily distress, sanding enough to bring out the Steel Blue, giving a weathered look. Sand as little or as much as you like, revealing the layer below for a two-toned look OR, distress even more and bring out a little of the original wood surface. 
STEP 6 Top coat – you don't necessarily need to add a topcoat, but I planned to bill this as a plant table. It's always a good idea to take extra precautions when a piece may be near water. So, we used Modern Masters dead Flat Varnish to protect it, two coats on the body, 5 on the top.


It's important to use good products when you redesign or refinish a piece of furniture. Use the best you can afford and don't be afraid to try out new products. Prep well so your surface receives your paint well and will stay stuck for a lifetime. 
Each of these products were supplied by top quality companies – they are generous and very easy to work with. It's one thing to have a great product, but if you can back it up with great support and customer service, you have companies with which you can align yourself.
For more photos and details, visit Love My DIY Home at the link below. Join our community by subscribing to LMDH, and receive updates, project info, free stuff and tons of tutorials. Join our Facebook Community, Furniture Flipping Forum to compare notes with other furniture flippers.
Suggested materials:
  • Saltwash   (ilovesaltwash.com)
  • Classico Paint   (http://www.pureoriginalusa.com/)
  • Modern Masters Poly   (Amazon)
Val Frania {Love My DIY Home}
Want more details about this and other DIY projects? Check out my blog post!
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Frequently asked questions
Have a question about this project?
3 of 6 questions
  • Carsok Carsok on Apr 14, 2022

    Never heard of saltwash before. Is it similar to using paint with baking soda mixed in? Might try it on something.

  • Sheila Sheila on Apr 14, 2022

    I am new to the game here...what is salt wash?

  • Jennifer Jennifer on Apr 15, 2022

    I love the end product and it is clearly done very well- kudos. I am a little confused thou and hoping you can untangle me. Is the paint the same color in pic #1 and pic #2, just wet vs. dry? It is a vast difference between the two, which is why I ask. Secondly, assuming pic #2 is the first color, fully dried, what was the point of this step? Just to serve as a vehicle for the texturizing? To create a primer layer? I know you indicated that when sanding, this layer shows, but if it is the light mushroom color in pic#2, I’m having a hard time seeing it. I see flecks of a deeper marine blue after sanding. Obviously colors vary from screen to screen, but this deeper blue doesn’t look like it came from the first step. Please help. What am I missing?!

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