I am about half way through my first chalk paint project.
I used Ce Ce Caldwell Chalk Paint rather than another product because there is a retailer close to my house.
But it is pricey.
This paint is supposed to be very green and good for the environment. An added benefit is that there is supposed to be no sanding and prep work except cleaning.
But it is pricey.
This paint is supposed to be very green and good for the environment. An added benefit is that there is supposed to be no sanding and prep work except cleaning.
There was no odor.
I went with chalk paint for the downstairs bathroom vanity, because I thought it would work better with a piece that wasn't real wood in places.
I think I was wrong about that.
Even with two coats of paint, the finish seemed to scratch right off.
I did a coat of clear satin poly and the original wood bled right through even though it was not at all visible with the chalk paint.
So I did another coat of chalk paint.
I will leave it "as is" for now.
I don't understand why clear poly isn't clear.
Now this may be user fail instead of product fail because as I look on-line the pieces do have a distressed look.
I have so many "distressed" pieces around here that I don't really need anymore.
So far I have put more coats of paint on the vanity than if I had stuck with my
primer and Sherwin William's Satin Enamel.
Sure I would have had to rough up the finish with sand paper a bit but I wouldn't have had to paint as many coats as I did on this.
Bill came home from a weekend away and he loved it.
S0, I will leave it for now and see how the finish lasts.
If the finish doesn't hold up to the water and elements,
I will color match it with something from Sherwin Williams.
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| Before |
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| After |
Update: I've learned since I posted this that
SC Johnson Paste Wax rubbed all over the finish will create a nice soft and durable finish.
Thanks for stopping by,
Sprinkled with chalk paint,
Katie
Linking with,
Between Naps on the Porch
My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia
Savvy Southern Style
French Country Cottage
I love how this looks! I hope it doesn't turn out to be a fail! I am thinking about painting the oak vanity in my powder room, too. The color looks great. Wishing you good luck with the finish!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Erin. I will see how it wears.
DeleteWell, your vanity looks beautiful! Sorry you had so much trouble with the chalk paint and I hope your finish lasts for you. I've still never used chalk paint. I guess I want my paint to truly cover. Your have a very lovely bathroom too.
ReplyDeleteBe a sweetie,
Shelia ;)
Thank you so much, Shelia. I love how it looks, we will see how it holds up. So far, so good.
DeleteYour vanity looks great! I hope the finish holds up for you. I've used chalk paint (both brands) and have had some of the same issues. Polyurethane will always give light colored paints a yellow tint. Polycyrlic is more expensive, but doesn't yellow. Good luck- I've had a few nightmare paint projects- no fun at all!
ReplyDeleteI will have to look for Polycyrilic. I didn't like the yellowing. I have a little stool I wanted to paint too. I may try it out on that.
DeleteSo funny...I just had my major paint fail too...but mine was seriously ugly and I had to repaint in a different color. Sounds like it was a lot of work, but it looks AMAZING!! I love this and believe it or not I think it just motivated me to paint my cabinets!! So pretty in white!
ReplyDeleteKaren
I am smitten with painted cabinets since we did the kitchen. It transformed my dated cabinets.
DeleteWell, it may be a fail, but it looks darn good! I had the same issue with the poly, plus I used the water based kind and it just chipped off!!! Oh, well, it is certainly distressed or maybe in distress!
ReplyDeleteHa ha. I will see how it goes. A little chippy is fine, just not peeling. :)
DeleteIt looks beautiful in your photos.
ReplyDeletexx
Anne
Thank you, Anne. Have a great day.
DeleteWell it dosn't look like a fail, but I know what you mean about scratching off. I have had to stop myself from using chalk paint on somethings because of that fear.
ReplyDeleteIt is just the two of us, so I will see how it wears. Thanks for stopping in.
DeleteI have just starting using chalk paint myself & LOVE it! However, the finish will not wear well if it is not sealed with furniture wax or poly, but as you stated, that yellows. There are several furniture waxes out there including ones by CC Caldwell that goes with it's paint~just go back to the store where you bought it & I am sure they will be more than happy to show you how to use the wax. Or I believe some chalk paints have a "bonding medium" to help them adhere but that may be milk paint i am thinking of. Good luck! April
ReplyDeleteThank you, April. I will go get some of their wax or I will color match it with enamel.
DeleteI love, love the color and I don't want it to look aged or brown.
I think it is so pretty--but I am always more happy with my own handmade chalk paint than I am with the name brand ones. I don't understand why they get so much money for it--I guess because everybody wants it!
ReplyDeleteI guess. It was pretty expensive. I think I will stick to regular paint in the future. Thanks for stopping by.
DeleteNo, it doesn't look like a fail at all - it looks beautiful. Sounds like a lot of work though ! I just took a class at a local shop to learn how to use Annie Sloan Chalk Paint. They kept emphasizing the use of clear wax at the end of the process. I don't know if the polyurethane would do the same job as the clear wax - but I would think so...the piece of furniture I did seemed to come out fine. It's only been a month, but the finish seems hard as paint. I did very little distressing, I don't always like that look on certain pieces....
ReplyDeleteIt was a lot of work. I love how it looks but not how it feels. I didn't distress it, but if I don't do something it will be distressed naturally.
DeleteThanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment.
I used AS chalk paint on my oak kitchen cabinets in pure white and want to redo them as the tanins in the wood came through and made the doors look yellowed and streaked. Before I did the other ones on the opposite side of the kitchen I read that one had to put on a coat of shellac. Did that and am happy with the other side of the room. And, I used gloss enamel on them and love that side of my kitchen. Wish I had the information before I started the whole shebang!♥♫
ReplyDeleteOh I am so sorry. That is how it looked with clear poly. A lot of work to do kitchen cabinets, sorry. Thanks for stopping in.
DeleteYou must use wax when using chalk paint, you never get the actual color until its waxed. After paint dries do one really good coat of wax and buff it with the brush, let that sit for a few hours then wax really good again. You'll never see the full color or have any sort of protection without wax.
ReplyDelete