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November 13, 2013 ·

Chalk Paint® Dresser Makeover (Part 1)

antiquing· chalk paint· DIY· paint· paint techniques

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I’m in love… with Chalk Paint®. What other paint can you so easily paint over ANY surface (without priming!) and completely re-invent old furniture into gorgeous, updated pieces to fit your modern lifestyle?  I’ve demonstrated How to Paint with Chalk Paint® before when I made over a console table, but today I’m going to focus on the painting process and tomorrow we will discuss how to use the wax (dark and clear). Chalk Paint Dresser Makeover This was my dresser drawer that I had back when I was a child in the 1970’s. My parents rarely ever threw anything out and I think that is where I received my love for preserving all things old. One problem… I don’t like the “old” look. But beggars can’t be choosers right? I didn’t have the budget to buy new, even though we always desire new! (What is wrong with us materialistic kids of the 20th century)? One day I rescued 2 of these dressers from my mother’s attic. One dresser I painted in a funky, teen chic hue in lime for one daughter’s room, but the other is wanting something a bit more sophisticated.DIY Style Tile Board This second dresser has sat in my attic for years and was begging for a makeover. There is just something nostalgic about passing down pieces of furniture and letting the new owner’s style and vibe shine through! In my opinion, I think it’s a far better option than buying new. If the piece is of sound quality then by all means, try to keep it and update it! Don’t you agree? I mean, let’s save a tree or two… and reserve that for mommy’s play cash! 1970's Dresser Makeover Before PicBefore starting, be sure to shake and stir the can very well, as you would for any can of paint. The joy of Chalk Paint® decorative paint by Annie Sloan is that you DON’T have to prime your piece beforehand! Woo hoo!  Talk about a total time saver! For this dresser I used Paris Gray with accents in Pure White and both clear and dark soft wax.
Paris Gray Chalk Paint Now I’m very picky about my paint brushes and normally love my Purdy paint brushes, but for this project and paint, I seriously recommend using the Annie Sloan Paint Brush. I don’t know why it works so well, but it does! I have found that the brush can give you a smooth surface when using long sweeping strokes or give you nice texture when using short hashtag type strokes.

I removed all the drawers and hardware  first and set out a drop cloth to work on. When you start to paint, you want to just barely dip your brush into the paint. Chalk Paint® covers like no one’s business! I love it!  You will be shocked at how little paint you will use to paint an entire piece. How to paint with Chalk Paint When painting large areas, be sure to use long, sweeping strokes from left to right. Unlike regular latex paint, Chalk Paint® is more workable, and will not create that “drag” that latex will.  This will result in a much smoother finish than most latex paints.  Chalk Painted Dresser without wax The beauty of the brush is that it works the paint easily into crooks, crannies, and detailed areas. You will need to do two coats of chalk paint. Don’t worry about your second layer the way you would with latex, because with chalk paint, a second layer is easy-peasy!  I was able to coat the dresser and drawers with TWO coats in just 45 minutes! It dries very fast. Now you could NEVER say that with normal latex paint. This is the gift that chalk paint gives! Once dry, the paint will look very flat, so don’t be alarmed if you’ve never worked with it before. Waxing will bring out all the gorgeous color and shine. Paris Gray Chalk Paint without waxI like to give the top of any surface I’m painting a light sanding with an extra fine grit sanding sponge. Sand in a circular motion. This will create a bit of a buffing shine and is also helpful to remove any drip marks you might have missed. Chalk Paint® is made to be sanded. Wipe the piece down with a lightly damp cloth to remove any chalk paint dust.

Sanding Chalk Paint

I could have just stopped at this point and given the dresser a coat of clear wax but I wanted to bring out the pretty details, which could be done in a variety of ways. I chose to apply the Pure White with a one inch, flat tipped artist paint brush using a dry brush technique so it would look very subtle. To dry brush, dip a paint brush a tiny bit into the paint and then dab your brush onto a paper plate or napkin. This allows only a small amount of paint to remain on the brush, resulting in a light, feathery effect when painting.

Gray and Gold painted dresser makeoverSo what are the benefits of using Chalk Paint® decorative paint by Annie Sloan?

  • No priming needed
  • it is made to be sanded (distressing is a breeze)
  • drys very fast
  • a small amount goes a very long way
  • amazing coverage, unlike anything you’ve seen
  • durable
  • can be painted on practically any surface (including fabric!)
  • comes in gorgeous variety of colors
  • touch ups are simple and leave no marks
  • no toxic paint fumes

The next step is the waxing, the best part of all!  I used both clear and dark wax. Tomorrow’s post will detail how to use the soft wax and a few tips. So be sure to check back in. 

Kim

To find where you can buy Chalk Paint® click here.

You might also like these posts using  Chalk Paint® decorative paint by Annie Sloan:

3 Fun Painting Techniques for Furniture

3-Fun-Painting-Techniques-for-Furniture

Painting with Chalk Paint®

Painting-with-Chalk-Paint

Disclosure: I was provided paint and wax for this project to review. All expressed opinions are my own.

« Frosted Pears on U-Create
Chalk Paint® Dresser Makeover (Part 2 Using Wax) »

Comments

  1. Leslie Stewart @ House on the Way says

    November 13, 2013 at 11:09 am

    Thank you so much for the tips and tricks when painting with chalk paint. Your dresser turned out beautifully!

    • Kim Wilson says

      November 13, 2013 at 1:13 pm

      Thank you Leslie! I appreciate you taking the time to stop by and comment. I love chalk paint!

  2. Tina Collins says

    November 14, 2013 at 12:00 pm

    Have you ever considered, or tried, to make your own chalk paint? I saw
    a recipe for paint,water and plaster of paris. Do you think it would be worth
    doing?

    • Kim Wilson says

      November 15, 2013 at 7:46 am

      Hi Tina! I haven’t ever tried making my own, but I know of several friends who have. If you are considering it, I’d recommend researching it really well first because you can run into some complications if you are just winging it. Personally, I just like the convenience of it already made for me. 😉

    • Alison Bradley says

      March 1, 2016 at 5:40 pm

      I love using Annie Sloan paint, but I also collect mistints for cheap at Lowes and use Calcium Carbonate and water to make my own chalk paints. They are a little thicker and need more sanding for a smooth finish but it works. You can buy the calcium carbonate on Amazon and the recipe for chalk paint comes with it.

    • Holly woodhouse says

      April 27, 2016 at 10:19 am

      I make my own all the time ,,, and just LoVe it 🙂

  3. Karen says

    November 16, 2013 at 6:40 pm

    Nice job. I have an old 70s china hutch that needs a makeover. It was an ugly dingy yellow and my husband gave it a whitewash several years ago. It works but I would like a different look for it.

  4. annpauley says

    January 23, 2014 at 2:15 am

    can u use this chalk paint on my kitchen walls?
    ann p/

    • Kim Wilson says

      January 23, 2014 at 9:40 am

      Hi Ann,
      Technically it can be used on walls but I personally wouldn’t use it on walls, especially kitchen walls.

  5. Meredith says

    March 22, 2014 at 6:51 pm

    I had the EXACT same “pickled” bedroom suite as a kid. It was my mothers growing-up in the 60’s, then she passed it down to me. 🙂 Great update!

  6. Erin says

    May 29, 2014 at 4:31 pm

    I am looking for the simplest way to paint my laminate kitchen cabinets. Would chalk paint work well and be durable enough?

  7. lola says

    January 16, 2015 at 2:05 pm

    Hola Kim
    me estoy iniciando en las chalk paint y tu entrada me ha servido de mucha ayuda, sobre todo con la cera, habia leido lo contrario en otras paginas, y se que se ahorra trabajo siguiendo tus consejos.Muchas gracias
    Besos desde Malaga España

    • Kim Wilson says

      January 19, 2015 at 1:24 pm

      Eres bienvenido!Me alegro de que ayudó. ~KIM

  8. America says

    March 15, 2015 at 9:01 pm

    I bought the exact same whole bedroom suite for my daughter’s bedroom off craigslist and I’m planning to chalk paint it pink. Could you tell me what you did to the hardware on the grey? It looks beautiful!

    • Kim Wilson says

      March 16, 2015 at 10:45 am

      Hi America! I just used silver spray paint. It has lasted great!

  9. denise says

    May 18, 2015 at 6:02 pm

    I didnt use the annie sloan brush, but a purdy angled. I have so much drag. should I ssnd out? slightly thin?

    • Kim @ Sand & Sisal says

      May 19, 2015 at 8:33 am

      Hi Denise,
      I always use a sanding sponge (like shown in the blog post) over the entire surface. It doesn’t take much pressure at all and creates a very smooth surface. If you feel the paint layer is too thin after sanding then apply another coat (that isn’t uncommon). Lighty sand with the sanding sponge again and then finish with the wax. Let me know if you have any other questions. 😉 KIM

  10. Lindsay says

    June 1, 2015 at 3:11 pm

    Hi Kim! Did you use the medium or large sized Annie Sloan paint brush? It’s hard to tell from the pictures.

    Love your work! Thanks for sharing 🙂

    • Kim @ Sand & Sisal says

      June 2, 2015 at 7:43 am

      It’s the medium brush. Thanks!

  11. Lidia Nascimento says

    June 10, 2015 at 3:18 pm

    Hi,
    How much paint did you use to paint the grey dresser?

    • Kim @ Sand & Sisal says

      June 11, 2015 at 9:15 am

      Hi Lidia! I used less than 1/2 quart of the chalk paint. A little goes a very long way.

Trackbacks

  1. Chalk Paint® Dresser Makeover (Part 2 Using Wax) says:
    November 13, 2013 at 2:32 pm

    […] Chalk Paint® decorative Paint by Annie Sloan to give my childhood 1970′s dresser a makeover (Chalk Paint® Dresser Makeover Part 1). Today I want to explain what brings the Chalk Paint® alive! We are going to discuss how to use […]

  2. How to Paint Laminate Furniture - Sand and Sisal says:
    May 16, 2014 at 9:28 am

    […] sanding sponge. This is the same sponge and method I’ve used when sanding between layers of chalk painted furniture. Don’t skip this step (unless you like a slightly bump texture)! The super-fine sanding […]

  3. Chalk Paint Armoire Makeover says:
    September 10, 2015 at 10:31 am

    […] Chalk Paint Dresser Makeover-Part 1 […]

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Kim WilsonWelcome to Sand & Sisal: where love of home and sea meet! I share tutorials in DIY, decorating, crafts, gardening, & recipes.  [READ MORE]

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