What is Chalk Paint and How to Make Your Very Own

So you have an awesome piece of furniture that you just love and can’t part with, but you would like to do something a little different to it to give it a makeover perhaps? But then there is always this budget and money thing in the back of your mind that has kept you from doing anything to it at all.

That little money voice in the back of your head is about to be evicted for good, because you can still keep your beautiful furniture, give it a new look, and NOT break the bank at the same time? That sounds like a plan to me.

All you need to use is some chalk paint! If you have been cruising through blogland for any period of time, then this probably isn’t the first time you have heard of it. But if you haven’t then you may be wondering what this rage is all about.

Chalk paint is basically paint that gives a dry, matte appearance or finish. It has actually been around for over 20 years but seems to have gotten more popular in more recent years. I actually had a friend that thought I was talking about chalkboard paint which is something completely different.

One of my favorite things too is that using chalk paint doesn’t require a lot of prep work with sanding and priming for the furniture. You can just get right to painting. It also can be used indoors and outdoors too which makes me pretty excited about a piece of furniture I am wanting to redo on my front porch that I can’t wait to share with y’all soon.

Now if you start searching the stores for chalk paint, you are going to find that it can be quite pricey especially depending on how much you are going to need and how large your piece of furniture is. So why not just make your own? You’re thinking, “You can really do that?” Why yes you can!

Recipe: You only need 2 parts of latex paint and 1 part baking soda.

How easy and inexpensive is that? Almost everybody already has baking soda. I know we always do in our fridge and baking soda is so cheap. Plus you can usually find latex paint on sale when you check the clearance section where someone mixed up the wrong color.

Once you paint your furniture, run over parts that would get worn easily with a piece of sand paper to give an antique finish. And that’s all you have to do.

One of my dear friends Dawn from the blog By Dawn Nicole has done some amazing things with chalk paint and is such an inspiration to me. (By the way, I will also be contributing to her blog this year so stay tuned for that too.)

Dawn ran up on a steal of a deal on Craig’s list with a dining room table and chair and bench set for an incredible deal. The only problem was the appearance of the wood. But being as creative as she is, she saw past the present to what it could be and worked hard to transform it into a stunning dining experience.

She used chalk paint in different colors that complimented each other wonderfully. I love the matte, dry look of the paint too. Because the paint can give an antique finish when you sand it in certain places, you don’t have to worry about your furniture getting beat up by kiddos. That natural wear and tear will only make it look even better.

Next time you just don’t know what to do with a great yard sale find, just think chalk paint. Mix up your own with your favorite latex paint and baking soda and you will be set. You no longer have to wonder what the rage is all about when you hear chalk paint being mentioned. You can now join in on the conversation and show off your furniture makeovers too.

Enjoy a beautiful weekend and perhaps even throw in a weekend project with chalk paint too.