DIY Chalk Paint

We have been busy creating new displays at the store and wanted to share our chalk paint recipe again. We've had many customers asking us for tips and tricks, so let us share our experience with you!

1st things first, you should always prime your piece. You don't have to prime with the chalk paint - but we suggest it, especially when working with a raw wood or any material that loves to soak up paint. And check it out! We found this tiny little, trim brush so you can reach in all the corners without getting covered in paint.

Now for the CHALK PAINTING part! We recommend using these round brushes so everything blends well. We keep separate brushed for the chalk paint and the wax to make sure things do get blended together in the wrong way.

Making your paint: Here's the ratio - 1:3. So for every 1 cup of paint, you mix 1/3 cup of plaster of paris. The plaster of paris is what gives the paint its chalk look and texture.

We recommended AT LEAST 2 coats of chalk paint on top of the primer, and 3 coats for good measure. An extra coat is always good idea as long as you allow for the the previous coat to dry.

After your painting is finished, you can use steel wool to sand down the edges. If you've painted a base coat of white primer, you can gently sand to show the white - or sand through to raw wood for a rustic look.

After you've finished your accents, brush on an even coat of sealing wax (we recommend valspar). This will seal your piece to make it sturdy, strong, and water resistant.

Here is a picture of the half-bookcase we recently gave new life to! The top picture is just a coat of primer. It's amazing what a little bit of white can do to brighten up a dark, drab piece!

And the finished product. 3 coats of chalk paint and 1 of sealing wax. No distressing for this guy. We love this fresh, new display piece! Come by and see if you can spot it in the store!

Last but not least, we'd like to announce our PAINTING & PINA COLADAS EVENT! We are going to be serving up yummy drinks and teaching YOU how to chalk paint! We'll walk through the steps of making your own paint, show you how to use the speical brushes, demonstrate different techniques, and help you paint a box of your own! The best part? You get to take home not only your box, but 2 round chalk painting brushes!!!