Furniture Makeover: Using Two Chalk Paint Recipes For a Lasting Paint Finish
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I have written about many pieces of furniture I have painted using one of three DIY chalk paint recipes – non-sanded grout, Plaster of Paris, and Calcium Carbonate Powder. Many of you have asked me what is the most durable recipe?
Last week, I combined two of my favorite recipes – Plaster of Paris and Calcium Carbonate Powder in one mix to use on the corner cabinet in my dining room to see if by mixing the two, the finish would be even better – more durable than when either ingredient was used alone.
I liked it – A LOT! It dried to a very durable finish right away – no wood tannins bled through and the mixture was super smooth. I will use the recipe again.
I have gotten many questions about the book page lined white hutch in the above photo.
How to Make the Most Durable Chalk Paint
The cabinet is a hand-me-down. Back in the early 90’s I had an artist paint the trompe l’oeil on the doors. It was in my blue and white kitchen back then and looked quite charming. Fast forward 23 years – time for a makeover.
To create the DIY chalk paint:
Note: When making chalk paint with Plaster of Paris you cannot use a paint with a primer in it. Most paint company’s have it written on the label Paint + Primer In One. Some brands do not have this. Valspar does not have it on the label, but it does have a primer in it. If you mix Plaster of Plaster it will turn to a cement-like mixture.
For my cabinet, I used Glidden Premium paint. It does not have a primer in it, nor does Easy Care paint that I buy at True Value Hardware.
I mixed 2 tablespoons of Calcium Carbonate Powder and 2 tablespoons of Plaster of Paris into 2 Tablespoons of water and mixed well. I then added it to 2 cups of latex paint in a satin finish and mixed until smooth. It created a very smooth consistency. Not lumpy or grainy at all.
I made two batches of it because I also wanted to try layering two colors of chalk paint to try to achieve more depth and interest to the finish.
When I was at the Haven Blog Conference in Atlanta this summer I took a class on how to paint with Annie Sloan Chalk Paint. I loved the colors of chalk paint that one attendee used on her sample board – I knew it was the look I wanted for my cabinet.
The colors were made by mixing two Annie Sloan colors together to create a brand new color. Then the colors were layered on top of each other letting the first layer dry, then applying the second color on top. Once that was dry, it was distressed to expose the under layer of paint, and then waxed.
To paint the cabinet I used Behr Southern Blue S-G-590 in a satin finish as my first coat. I used Glidden Pacific Coast A1265 for the second or top layer.
I also loved the Annie Sloan’s Soft Wax we used in the class. I have not purchased it yet as it is a bit too pricey for my budget, but it works beautifully. For now, I will stick with Fiddes and Sons and Johnson’s.
Corner Cabinet AFTER
I used 160 grit sandpaper to distress the finish and expose the dark indigo blue color underneath.
I waxed it with Johnsons and buffed it with a soft and well washed t-shirt to bring up a soft shine.
I like the subtle look of the blue under the turquoise.
I added new drawer pulls, too. The pulls on the top left in the above photo are the original. This Chippendale style of pull is on many of the hand-me-down pieces I inherited. I have spray painted drawer pulls and knobs, added numbered beads to them, and paper napkins to give them an update.
I am tired of Chippendale style pulls and wanted something new – a different shape, so I went shopping online at D.Lawless Hardware and picked out 3 different styles of pulls to try-on to find one that would be just right.
The bin pulls were too big and sat too high on the drawer. I did not want to have to drill new holes, fill and sand the old ones, so they didn’t make the cut. The glass pulls were invisible.
I went with the antique finish pulls – they were the right color, dainty, but large enough for the size and proportion of the cabinet and drawer.
Since I love the other two pull styles, I am sure you will be seeing them on future projects.
The Johnson Brothers gold rimmed china inside the cabinet is also a hand-me-down from my husband’s grandparents. Who knows, it may feel right at home since many years ago it was probably displayed just like I have it in the cabinet.
The cabinet is not huge and gets a little lost next to the big hutch, so I placed a large white platter that I got at Costco on the top to create some balance. It is propped up on a box and a large plate stand.
It has lots of texture and detail. It comes down to serve the turkey at Thanksgiving and beef tenderloin at Christmas.
We use this room only twice a year and only in the evening for candlelight holiday dinners. The wall color – Ben Moore – Shelburne Buff looks quite cozy in the candlelight.
A few of you noticed in my posts last week that the corner cabinet seemed to have changed while I was showing you my dining room table makeover.
I made the white DIY chalk paint for the base of the table using the same recipe I used for the cabinet with Johnsons paste buffed over for protection. The top is a driftwood stained finish.
If you are new here, and would like to know more about making your own DIY versions of chalk paint, you can learn more and find out how to make it in these posts: