Vintage Chair Chalk Painted With Hand Painted Dandelions Video
I love chalk painting old chairs! It's way more fun than reupholstering in my book!
I'll show you how to paint a fabric chair so it still feels soft. Also including a how to video on painting dandelions. These are super easy and can be painted on just about anything!
First thing you should always do is PREP! This step is very important. This ensures proper adhesion. Clean well with a degreaser, wipe with a damp (water) cloth, then scuff sand any wood. Wipe again.
Gather your supplies. Spray bottle full of water, large paint brush (I prefer the large round cling on), a small detail brush for edges, a mixing cup, and 220 grit sandpaper.
One thing to remember when chalk painting fabric is you want to stain the fabric, not lay paint on it.
Water down your paint using a 50/50 ratio. Working in small sections, spray the fabric with your spray bottle. You want the fabric to be wet, not just damp. Then paint those wet sections with your watered down paint. Really work the paint into the fabric. Be sure to get into all the creases and use a smaller brush for the trim areas, avoid getting a lot of paint on the frame. Repeat this sequence until the entire chair has the first coat
The first couple of coats will look terrible, but don't panic, it will look amazing once finished!
It will take 3-6 hours for the paint to dry completely. To speed up the process, have a fan blowing on the chair. Once dry, sand the paint with 220 grit sandpaper. This will soften the paint.
It will take 4-6 coats for full coverage. So continue spraying with water, painting, and then sanding after each coat until you achieve the desired look.
Now that you have a freshly painted and sanded down chair, let's work on the dandelions. For this design, use non watered down chalk paint and do not spray the fabric. This ensures the design won't run. I did a 2 part video to show you just how to get these beautiful dandelions and the floating seeds
After your design has dried, we can now seal the fabric! I prefer behr clear wax for this project. It's a nice smooth wax that goes on easily and buffs to a nice shine.
Add a bit to a foam applicator, or applicator of your choice, and work the wax into the paint in a circular motion. Be sure not to get any on the frame! That will inhibit paint adhesion. Give the wax 10-15 minutes to dry, and using an old cotton tshirt, buff the wax in a circular motion.
Now you can paint the frame. Some people prefer painting the frame first, I prefer to do it last. It's all personal preference.
Be sure the frame is clean and free of wax or dust. Tape off the fabric where it meets the frame to ensure no paint transfers to tour freshly painted and waxed fabric. Now, paint away!
I chose to paint the frame in the same off white color as the dandelions. Its a homemade chalk paint using calcium carbonate and behr off white color paint. It took 3 coats total and I sanded using 220 grit sandpaper in between coats to smooth out any brush marks.
After your final coat has dried and it's been sanded, seal it with the behr clear wax.
I then went over the frame with black wax to enhance the details, wiping off any excess
And that's it! That's how I got this beautifully chalk painted dandelion chair!
Let me know if you paint these dandelions as well! They are my fav and I'd love to see your projects!
Follow me on Facebook and Instagram at Deer Run Revamps to see more unique pieces!
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Jennifer on Aug 16, 2023
If you want to avoid having to sand the paint, use fabric medium instead of water to dilute your paint! It turns any paint into a soft, flexible-finish fabric paint. I have picked up some at Michaels and on Amazon, but I am sure you can get it just about anywhere. I believe the one I have is by Plaid (the makers of Modge Podge).
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Frequently asked questions
Have a question about this project?
Can the chair be used as normal once painted, or is it just for show. I kind of want to try this, but can't see putting all that work into something that can't be used. I guess I'm just wondering if the paint leaves it stiff, so if it got sat on and used would it mess it up? It is beautiful though!
Does puppy still get to sit on the chair?
My old chair does not have any wood but some of the material is ripped. What do I do and can I still do this?