How to bring an old china closet to life
Hi Guys, So I’m going to share with you how I completely transformed my parents old china closet from out dated mess to magnolia dream…
Quick little comparison; there is truly 2 top name brands for chalk-style paint the first being Annie sloan. She was first to ever create and master chalk paint its what I’m most comfortable using, its very forgiving but another top rated is Rustolem here are the differences:
Annie describes her Chalk Paint as having “a velvety, ultra matte finish” and it is a “versatile paint that would work beautifully on furniture without priming or sanding; that would be easy to use and quick to dry, and that could be used for a number of different paint techniques.”
Rust-Oleum Chalked Ultra Matte Paint, offers a velvety smooth, vintage look” and “creates an ultra-matte finish with superior adhesion and coverage.”
Step 1
Choose the piece you want to give a makeover to.
When first learning how to chalk paint, I always suggest practicing on a small piece before going in for the long hall and figuring out while you go. If you are used to using latex or acrylic types of paints, then there is a slight learning curve with chalk-style paint. Sam concept but a little different and it’s always good to get a feel for a product before using it on something important, in my case my parents beloved china closet …
Step 2
Gather all of your supplies needed for the project.
It’s a good idea to get everything together beforehand so you are prepared for anything that may come up while painting. The great thing about chalk paint is that there are really no fumes, so the painting can be done inside the house if you have room. Be sure to get yourself some rags and a good drop cloth or old sheet for spills. I will occasionally use a foam roller but most of the time use only a brush.
TIP: I like to use old dollies on wheels so I can spin the piece off the floor. This way I can get all the way around the bottom and feet of the piece as well.
Step 3
Clean & prep your piece.
It’s very important to clean your furniture piece very well. You don’t want any dirt or grime showing through your paint or keeping your paint from adhering correctly. You can use Windex, soap and water, all-purpose cleaner, or denatured alcohol. All depending on the amount of cleaning you need to do. After it’s cleaned, you need to prep (Not all pieces will need the same amount of prep as others). If you have any other rough areas, you will need to sand to smooth those also. I know everyone says chalk paint is “no-prep” but that’s not entirely true.
Step 4
Start painting. Now to the fun and relaxing part, well for me at least.
First, let’s make sure you’ve wiped away all the dust from any sanding you may have done. I like to run my paintbrush underwater quickly (don’t saturate it, squeeze it out so it’s just damp, use your rag if needed) to get it wet before painting. This way the paint will flow more smoothly.
Next, be sure to carefully stir the paint in the can. If it is too thick, add a few tbsp of water and stir again. Chalk paint has a tendency to thicken over time and some colors are just naturally thicker than others.
TIP: When painting cabinets doors with large flat areas, sides, and areas with raised trim, I will use a brush to apply the paint all over, in the crevices, etc, first. Then go back over the entire area with a roller to smooth everything out.
Try to paint with the wood grain, if possible. There are times when you will not want to depending on the look you are going for. You can also do a cross-hatch style of painting for more of an old-world look. This type of paint dries pretty quickly which is a huge plus for the creative and impatient. But This way it helps you to get the job done faster. and you don’t have to wait for hours between coats. The first coat can sometimes look thin and/or splotchy…just keep going, it will even out on subsequent coats. And some brands and/or colors in those lines will cover well with one coat, it just depends.
TIP: To achieve a super smooth finish, you can lightly sand in between coats with 220 or 320 grit sandpaper. And on your final coat before you apply sealer or wax.
Step 6
Finish coat. Wax or satin finish ?
There are other techniques like layering and distressing like I'm doing to this china closet. I used dark wax over the chalk to give it a dimensional rustic look. But your finish coat can be whatever look you're going for. In this case I didn’t want the piece to have any shine or gloss so I kept with just the dark wax and my finish coat it still looks ultra matte. Wax can be applied with a wax brush or a soft t-shirt type of material. Wax needs to be buffed after application typically wait a few hours. You can use a wax brush or a clean t-shirt material for this as well. I like to use t-shirt material for this part too but have used a wax brush.
TIP: The key to waxing is you don’t want to use too much. This is where I found the biggest learning curve. Figuring out the wax. I think the best way to do this is to practice on small painted boards until you get a feel for it. (get some scrap wood pieces, paint them and practice, practice, practice!)
Now the fun part.. wait for it to dry and place in its desired spot and that is all I hope you enjoyed this diy 😊
Paint Color used: Annie Sloan Chateau Grey
