How To Transform Old, Dated Wood Furniture with Chalk Paint

Let’s face it, we all have wood furniture pieces that we inherited or we still have from childhood. Sometimes we get lucky and stumble upon some pieces that are still in good condition but just don’t work with our decor. If you fall into any of these categories, today’s DIY will help you transform those old dated pieces of furniture and give them new life.

Instead of donating old pieces of furniture consider painting them with chalk paint so that it works with your decor. Some of those older pieces of wood furniture are made of solid wood and are very well made. It really doesn’t matter what color it is, if you like the shape of the piece you can easily transform it with some paint.

If the thought of sanding is a deterrent then I have some really good news for you. There’s no need to sand furniture when chalk painting it. How awesome is that?!?!?

I found these nightstands sitting in a neighbors front yard waiting for a trash pick up. I love their shape. Even though it was hard to see past the dated wood finish and hardware, I knew I could update them with some paint and new hardware.

These puppies are made of solid wood. Just look at how thick the wood doors are. They are over an inch thick and weigh a ton! They sure don’t make sturdy furniture like this any more.

Supplies:

• Drill or screwdriver to remove hardware.
• TSP cleaner in a spray bottle.
• Natural bristle paint brushes.
• Lint free rags.
• Painters tape.
• Paint can opener.
• Hammer, to close paint cans.
• Paint stirring stick.
• Chalk paint in your choice of color.
• Chalk paint clear wax.
• Drop cloth.

Start by removing hardware. Use a drill or screwdriver. If you want to reuse the hardware it can easily be spray painted if you don’t like the existing finish.

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After removing hardware tape off any hardware that you don’t wish to remove, or that is just to difficult to remove. These nightstands have magnetic closures that I taped off to protect them from paint.

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Next clean the piece to remove all dust, grime or grease. TSP is perfect for preparing the surface for paint.

Spray the surface with the TSP cleaner and wipe your furniture piece with a rag.

Now comes the fun part…we get to paint! I used Annie Sloan paint and wax for this project.

I’ve used the same brand of chalk paint and wax when I refinished my china hutch and I had outstanding results.

DIY How to Chalk Paint Wood Furniture

When you open the can of chalk paint you will notice that it is a lot thicker than regular paint. Be sure to stir it up really well before you use it.

For the best finish I recommend using natural bristle brushes to apply the paint. A chalk painted finish won’t dry completely smooth, there will be visible brush marks in the finish.

You can minimize the brush marks somewhat by thinning the paint with some water if you want or you could sand the finish after the paint dries. But the whole point of chalk painting pieces is the fact that no sanding is required. I personally like the more rustic finish of chalk paint with the brush strokes in the finish.

Take your time and apply a thin coat of paint in long, even strokes. You will get the best results if you apply two thin coats of paint rather than glopping on one thick coat. It isn’t going to look all that great after the first coat. Don’t panic, it’s supposed to look like this after the first coat.

Chalk paint dries very quickly so you will be able to add a second coat almost immediately.

Be aware that chalk paint dries to a chalky, flat finish, hence the name. There is no sheen to the finish at all.

Once the piece is dry you will want to add a coat of wax. The wax serves two purposes. It seals the piece, and when dry, forms a hard protective layer that protects the painted finish.

GOOD TO KNOW: If you are painting your piece with a dark colored paint you will only need clear wax to seal your piece. If using a light colored paint you can “accent” details with a dark wax before sealing the entire piece with clear wax. If you decide to use the dark wax, purchase the smallest can. A little goes a long, long way.

The wax also adds a slight sheen to the piece. Nothing glossy; the best way to describe the finish is that it most closely resembles an “eggshell” finish. Not only does the wax protect the finish and add a tiny little bit of sheen to the piece, it also enhances and brings out the color of the paint as well.

Use a lint free rag to spread on a thin layer of wax. Let it sit for several minutes and then use the rag to remove any excess wax and buff the wax to a nice soft sheen. If you invest in a round brush use it to push wax into the corners and crevices with ease. You can achieve the same results with just using a rag, but the brush makes it a little easier to apply the wax in those hard to get to cracks and crevices. Use a lint free rag to remove excess wax and buff the finish.

Once the wax is completely dry, remove painters tape and install hardware.

Did You Try This DIY?

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