Chalk paint and furniture

I've upcycled lots of old furniture with chalk paint. It's easy to apply and you don't have to have a distressed look.

Waxing should be adequate protection but I believe you can lacquer the tops of tables as well - Tegan might be able to advise if she spots this thread as I remember her posting about using lacquer some months ago.

I've used Annie Sloan and Rustoleum paints and I've seen cheaper brands in shops like Wilkinsons but you might not get such an extensive colour range.

Happy Painting

I just paint furniture using eggshell finish paint and then put two coats of varnish on top. The key to chipping is what the surface underneath is. If it is bare wood it should be fine. The problem is when the surface is varnished.

I have just finished painting a range of bedroom furniture, all varnished. I cleaned them with white spirit, sanded them down, put a specialised undercoat paint on, but still have some problems with chipping. With furniture that was bare wood, or close to I have had no problems whatsoever

Yes; I've Annie Sloaned coffee tables and then lacquered the top and they do seem to cope with children knocking them about. The lacquer does make the paint slightly darker. To be honest, I can't remember if I lacquered the legs or waxed them . The one colour that I always lacquer is Graphite, because it's a dark grey if waxed and only turns into a proper black when lacquered. The darker colours always look patchy when I was them [the whites are ok though]. I'm just putting off doing more painting as I'm have a bit of a de clutter. In fact, I need some advice with regards a fireplace that I can't afford to replace; I'll do some photos later on.

I have used it and waxed it but have decided to go back to using eggshell as it lasts for years and cleans well. In fact I have today just decided the colour to paint a chest of drawers and two bedside chests. I will use Farrow and Ball - reason being it is one of the few UK paints I can get here and it is the same prices as the UK allowing for the exchange rate. Am going to pay a friend this time to do it as she is much neater than me and makes NO MESS ! and she could do with the work.

I've done blanket boxes, table legs and dining chairs, shears of drawers, several stools, and and entire bedroom full of pine furniture.
At the start I used chalk paint with 3 layers of beeswax.
Then I changed to plain emulsion paint with 3 layers of beeswax.
It's a smoother finish with the emulsion.
The important bit is making sure the item is clean and free from grease/polish. I gave a basic rub with sandpaper and a wipe with white spirit before painting.
It's easy also to wax using a paintbrush. First coat of wax, wait an hour. Buff and second of polish. Wait 24 hours and buff and do third coat of wax. Wait a day and buff the third coat.
Nothing has chipped.

Also did our fireplace which was red brick. We did it with ivory masonry paint, 2 or 3 coats. Replaced the horrible brown hearth tiles with slate tiles. The mahogany varnished wooden mantle was sanded down and given a couple of coats of beeswax.

Love it all.

Thank you all, now just to decide on colour. Play safe with off white/cream or go for it with duck egg blue.

What is the main colour scheme in the rest of the room?

I sanded the top of this coffee table then rubbed in Danish Oil to bring out the grain. I'm bored with the shabby chic legs now so I'll probably change the colour this winter when I get the decorating bug.

I found duck egg went patchy when I waxed it; I painted a small dresser and it took me longer to do than all the rest of the furniture [and there was a lot of it]. When I finally got it looking ok someone left the garage door open; it rained and the dresser got splashed. It did dry out ok but I just wanted to cry [I use it to keep my craft stuff in and it's just inside the garage door; it was meant to go in the dining room but, as the house is a holiday rental I thought some people might think that shabby chic is just plain shabby].