I’ve Seen the Light, or Getting the Hang of Annie Sloan Chalk Paint February 19, 2012
I have finally painted enough pieces of furniture, to see what works and what doesn’t. If you’re thinking about making your first ASCP purchase, here are a few rules to live by:
1. Relax. You can have just about all the do-overs you need with this product, as long as you do a light sanding in between coats. Besides, it’s not supposed to look perfect, so go with your guy instincts.
This little table has made great progress since this shot. Yet, we found some wood filler was too high, so the top got some more sanding and it’s back to the paint. I also painted Paris Grey in some of the detailing, which looks cool. We’ll see what the finished table looks like. In the background, you’ll see a round pedestal table I’m doing in Graphite. I’ve added trim in the pedestal, in Paris Grey, and it’s looking fun too.
2. I’ve found that two coats are needed on most if not all projects. Use a mini roller if you can, when you have lots of flat surfaces to do. It will save lots of time. If you want to run with the big boys , use a sprayer. Just clean the sprayer promptly, because the paint dries quickly. At least that’s what I hear. I haven’t graduated to this league yet. One day!
3. Invest in Annie’s waxing brushes. They’re not cheap but the quality’s good and it really helps the waxing process. I got one for clear and one for dark wax, although I still haven’t used the dark wax. In the beginning, I was being way too frugal with the wax. Then, I heard someone else say to use plenty of wax and voila!, the finish polishes up much nicer. Wipe off the excess, as you apply the wax and wait about an hour before you try to buff.
I distress before I wax although distressing isn’t a requirement.
Here’s a close-up of the detailing. Remember how I said it doesn’t have to be perfect? Good thing! Hopefully folks will keep at least 6 feet away. Just kidding. I hope!
Well, I hope that I’m one step closer to trying new techniques…maybe some fancy glaze or layering paint colors. You’ll be the first to know! 🙂
Happiest of Monday’s! You’ve made my day, just by being here. Truly!
I see you are keeping busy! Hope things are moving at Veranda. Interested in your take on the Chalk Paint…
Barbara, I think we are almost in the same place on ASCP experience. I do upholstered furniture refurbishing and am starting my 8th and 9th chair. I have not tried to roll the paint – chairs do not have that kind of large surface to worry about. I have waited at least 24 hours to buff wax – surprised to see you have been able to do so much quicker (i thought it could not be tacky AT ALL). I have used the dark wax over clear – loved the results although did end up using a lot of the clear to “clean” the excess off. Those are my big lessons learned – I am particularly doing dark over old white and leaving some undercoat exposed particularly in carved areas and have tried graphite and duck egg blue over old white with great results. Love your blog!
I haven’t tried the duck egg blue yet. It sounds beautiful, especially over the white. Love the graphite and need to try the layering next! Thanks for visiting! I need all the help I can get!
I have done many paint projects over the years….including my kitchen cabinets which I transformed from a horrible builders stain in a very orange oak to a distressed/rubbed black finish. The key was mineral spirits added to the paint. It gives a natural finish. Just apply with a brush & then use a cotton cloth to rub away. Very forgiving especially for a novice! I’ve since added fireplace mantels, bathroom & laundry room cabinets & stair banisters! Have fun!
Thanks Lisa! I’d love to see pictures of your kitchen cabinets…now that’s a job!!
Barbara,
I’m about to embark on my first Annie Sloan Chalk paint project later today! Thanks for sharing your experience, I just hope my armoire turns out well with Duck Egg Blue 🙂