We tested what the famous Chalk Paint can do

Table of contents:

We tested what the famous Chalk Paint can do
We tested what the famous Chalk Paint can do
Anonim

Some are because they are bored with the vacuum cleaners, some are out of savings, some are doing it as a hobby, but lately more and more people are redecorating their apartments/furniture with their own hands - and the distributors are also adapting to this with the various accessories. One of the big hits of recent years is the paint that used to spread through guerilla marketing on furniture painting sites, Annie Sloan's Chalk Paint, which, contrary to its name, is not blackboard paint, just the same matte.

Creative people really like paint, which you need to know is that it can be painted on anything, really anything, it doesn't require a primer, you can mix the individual colors well, it can be diluted with water, it has no smell and the surface can be made exciting with furniture wax. We went to the mini-course organized by Magnóliák Műhelye to find out why a part of Hungary is crazy about Annie Sloan's name, and what this paint can do that no other can.

The course was held in the basement of a Budapest café, Balambér, where we waited at a long table to learn the ins and outs of painting. The training was held by Enikő Szendrődi, the blogger of Nem is kacat and one of the distributors of paints, who, although he claims to be an absolute layman, handles both brushes and wax professionally. In the first half of the course, the main role was the theory, and in the second part we started to create. Paints are available in one-liter and 1-dl packages in Hungary, one liter is enough for 13 square meters. You can also paint a wall with it, but due to its high price (1 dl 2000 HUF, 1 liter 9800 HUF), it is not the best value for money product.

What should we paint with it and why?

We practiced on a natural pine board, but it can also be used to paint antique pieces from the furniture board to the beauties of the socialist furniture industry - or the wall, right, only that puts a heavy burden on the wallet. I don't really recommend it for garden furniture, but apart from that it can be used for practically anything. The paint will basically appeal to those who like the shabby chic style, but it can also be called vintage.

The pieces that are worn here and there, worn by time, are not at all as complicated to produce as I thought before. However, there is one important thing to know: in some cases, you may find that a yellowish layer appears on the paint layer. This is not the fault of the paint, but of the so-called tannins can come through. No need to panic, get enough shellac and apply it to the wood, which dries in a few minutes. After that, you can easily paint on it.

Paints are available in these colors, but they can also be mixed
Paints are available in these colors, but they can also be mixed

How to paint?

It also became clear why it is so popular: with chalk paint, it is very easy to achieve an old, worn or rustic or modern effect without having to pre-sand the material we will use. Let's look at the basics. for a simple, old-fashioned effect, all you need to do is apply the paint to the untreated material. You don't even have to apply the paint in the direction of the grain - apply it as you can. After drying - this happens very quickly - comes waxing, which is just like trying to work the cream into our hands. You can buy a special brush for this, but it can also be done with a lint-free cloth. The wax is absorbed immediately, if not, it must be wiped off with a dry cloth. The longer you rub the furniture with the rag, the brighter the wax will become.

A worn painting two layers of paint of different colors applied to each other. To do this, you must first apply a base color, then after it dries, you can apply the second color. If this has also dried - fortunately we are not talking about watches - then you can sand it back. You decide how much you want to abrade the surface, 180 sandpaper (or even finer) will do it perfectly. After sanding, waxing can be done.

The white paint almost had to be dripped
The white paint almost had to be dripped

The rustic look requires some preparation, but not in the way you think. The paint should be put in the fridge for a few hours so that it is thick, and then the paint should be applied thickly for a really rustic look. You can help the drying with a hair dryer, but be careful not to set the hair dryer too strong, because the dye will run. As the layers of paint dry, they will crack, but to make this even more pronounced, use clear wax as well as dark wax. Apply the clear first, then the dark wax - then wipe it off. If you wiped it back too much, you can apply another layer of dark wax. Instead of coating the entire piece of furniture (especially if you're working on a larger piece), go in sections so the wax doesn't dry on it. It takes 5-21 days for the wax to fully solidify – in technical terms, the hardening process – but this does not mean that your furniture will stick until then.

Recommended: