So off to Goodwill we went, most likely jamming to Macklemore. And off I went to fetch that chalk paint pin that I hadn't stopped thinking about since pinning it 4 months ago. It's a big thing, this chalk paint. So big, that I actually found a shop right down the street that sells it. And have been there no less than 4 times already. The shop owner and I are on a first name basis.
Onto the BEFORE pictures:
My fantastic helper. Meanwhile I was kicking back with some iced tea and an issue of In Style.
And the AFTERs:
Isn't it pretty?! It pretty much turned out the way I wanted.
The happy girl who no longer has a crick in her neck.
Lessons learned:
-The main mistake I made was getting
-With my do-over, I did four coats. (And altogether I only went through about half the quart, so it does go far.) My suggestion would be one coat if you're planning on really trying to make the piece look aged. That way it looks like all the paint wore down over time, and the distressing doesn't look so suspicious. If you're just sanding a few edges and spots like I did, two coats probably looks better.
-My sister-in-law uses a chalk paint recipe she found on Pinterest. I can't wait to try it because not only is it tons cheaper, but it also gives you a larger color selection. AND you can even go to the oops paint section at Home Depot and save even more. Note on the MinWax: it's tons cheaper than Annie Sloan's clear wax, but it does have a slight orangy tint. Used on anything other than white, you usually can't tell. But I used Annie's wax on this project.
-Another note on wax. I've seen different tutorials saying different things regarding the use of dark wax. Some say let the clear wax dry first before adding the dark. Others say to add it right after the clear. I discovered it depends on the look you're going for. If you want the dark to blend in, giving the piece texture and tint, apply it right away. It will end up being more of a glazed look. If you want to use the dark for a more antiqued and distressed look, let the clear dry first.
-I sanded, stained, and applied poly to the top of the desk. Word to the wise: after staining, DO NOT use the stain cure time as a time to sand down the edges of the rest of the piece. Dusty white handprints are hard to remove, even from stain that seems dry. Poly first, before doing anything else. Also, a waaaaay easier way to stain raw wood is just by applying dark wax. Found that out a little too late. Though, it's probably not as durable, it gives the piece a more casual, aged look, whereas stain and poly gives it more of a formal finish.
More to come soon because I've been loving this paint!
