Have you wanted to know how to paint with chalk paint? I found a magazine rack at a thrift store and I’m sharing how I painted it with some bonuses too!
Materials needed
- Folk Art Home Decor Chalk Paint
- Chip Brush
- Sanding Block
- Krud Kutter
- Folk Art Home Decor Wood Tint, optional
- Stencil, optional
- Stencil Brush, optional
- Decal Sticker, optional
How To Paint with Chalk Paint Video
Here are the instructions
I started by lightly sanding the piece with a sanding block. This will get it ready for painting so that the paint adheres nicely. You don’t have to sand very much.
I sprayed Krud Kutter on the piece, and then wiped the entire piece of furniture. This will help remove any dirt, sticky residue, and things you might not be able to see on the piece that might need to be cleaned off.
I like to use a damp chip brush when painting with chalk paint. You do this by getting the paintbrush wet, then drying it off as much as possible. I started painting and I used Folk Art Home Decor Chalk Paint in the color Castle.
I painted the entire furniture piece with paint. I let that dry and then looked at it to decide if it needed a second coat of paint, which it did.
After painting the piece with the second coat of paint, I let that dry completely. Chalk paint goes on easy, self levels, and has nice coverage. I could have stopped here but I decided I wanted to give this piece a little depth and dimension.
I wanted to create a weathered or reclaimed wood look. I started by lightly dipping my brush in Folk Art Home Decor Wood Tint in the color gray. I dabbed the paintbrush on a paper plate so that I wouldn’t have too much paint on my brush. I lightly brushed over the Castle paint and created light white streaks all over the piece.
I let that dry, then I repeated the same process with Folk Art Home Decor Wood Tint in White, and next Walnut.
I let the entire piece dry. I could have stopped here, and I wanted to give the ends a little accent.
I’ll show you two options which are the easy and the slightly harder version. This first version is to use a decal that I found at Dollar Tree.
These can be used on almost everything and they can also be removed easily. This makes it a temporary solution.
The other option is to stencil the ends. I did this by placing my Folk Art Stencil on the end. I used stencil tape to hold the stencil into place.
I dipped my Plaid Stencil Brush in Folk Art Home Decor Chalk Paint in the color white. I used a paper plate to offload as much paint as possible then tapped my stencil brush onto the magazine rack and stencil. I kept going until the entire stencil was painted.
You can see more about stenciling in this post, How To Stencil On Wood
Once I was done stencil painting, I carefully removed the stencil from the wood.
I let the stencil dry completely and my magazine rack was updated and ready for use. The great thing about chalk paint is you don’t have to seal it if you don’t want to. If it will be a heavily used piece then you can opt for a varnish or wax finish to protect it further.
It’s a good idea to lightly stand a piece before painting it. You don’t have to, but it does help the paint adhere a little better as well as free the piece from any residue you might not be seeing.
1-2 coats. Paint the piece and evaluate if it needs the second coat.
Yes, chalk paint is super easy to work with.
Chalk paint is self leveling so you don’t have to worry about brush strokes as much. Using a good quality brush with thin bristles helps to eliminate any brush strokes as well.
You don’t have to use a top coat when using chalk paint. If it’s a piece that will be used heavily like a table top you can add some extra protection with a top coat. I like Folk Art Home Decor Varnish for a nice solid finish. You can use wax, but wax needs to be reapplied every 6 months to a year.
Find out “What Exactly Does It Mean To Repurpose Or Upcycle“, save money, and create the most amazing things.
How To Paint with Chalk Paint Video
Shop any of these stores and I receive a small commission at no cost to you.
Check out these other amazing thrift store upcycles from my friends!
Candlesticks to Lamps, Life at Bella Terra
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Find out “What Exactly Does It Mean To Repurpose Or Upcycle“, save money, and create the most amazing things.
This turned out great! You have such a good eye for how to make the most ordinary things into something new. Thanks for hosting today.
Thanks Andrea, and thanks for joining our hop. Always love seeing everyone’s take on our themes.
Chas, you are such a good teacher. Great tutorial and Iike the questions answered at the end. Your magazine holder is beautiful. Thanks for all the great tips! Happy hopping with you!
Thank you so much Mary, and I love seeing what everyone does in our hop. Thanks for joining 🙂
Awesome makeover Chas! I love seeing your posts every month its great hopping with you!
Thank you so much Tarah! So wonderful teaming up 🙂
Super cute, Chas! Your version is a big upgrade from how you found it!
Niky @ The House on Silverado
Thank you so much Niky, it’s amazing what paint can do. Thanks for a great hop
I love how it turned out Chas. I am always blown away by how creative you are when it comes to turning an ordinary piece into something amazing!
Thank you Kim for your sweet words. Wonderful hopping with you!
Looks great, Chas! I’ve never tried using a damp brush when I chalk paint. I’ll have to try that next time. I love the way you created a weathered look with the paint. It’s just perfect! Thanks so much for a great hop!
What a difference, this turned out so cute. And what a great use for a dollar store decal if you don’t feel like stenciling. Such a treat getting to know you and hop with you, thanks for hosting!
Thank you so much Allison!