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Are you just loving that shabby chic cottage look? Could your dining room table use a bit of updating on a tight budget? More and more DIY savvy homeowners are finding out that the secret to success is simply Annie Sloan chalk paint. It is affordable, easy to use, and it can transform even the most outdated piece of furniture into something fantastic!
You no longer have to drool over your favorite country home magazine because you can be proactive and create your own perfect chalk paint dining table. Just because a piece of furniture has seen better days, it doesn’t mean that you have to throw it out or replace it with something modern. Quite the contrary actually! The older something is, the nicer bones it has, therefore, offering you the perfect palette to work with.
To transform your dining room table, you will need to purchase your chosen color of Annie Sloan chalk paint. There are plenty of fantastic colors to choose from and they all have that lovely milky hue to them. Once you have the paint you like, you will need furniture wax to protect the finish, and a Purdy paintbrush to apply them with.
Before you start painting your dining table, it’s important to do some prep work. Don’t worry, it’s really nothing! All you need to do is to wipe down the surface of your table, and fill in any holes or cracks with putty or glue. Once you have that down, you’re literally ready to paint.
Annie Sloan doesn’t sell paint that’s hard to use or takes prepping time. It will not need a primer, and your table will not need to be sanded down. That means you can apply your first coat of paint– a little goes a long way! Once you have your first coat, wait about an hour for it to dry before moving onto the next layer.
Most homeowners feel that about four layers is enough to reach the desired look. However, at this point you have a decision to make: to distress or not to distress! If you want your furniture to have that old look to it, grab some fine grit sandpaper and sand down the sides and corners as well as other areas that you think would normally get some use.
Once you’re done distressing or opting not to do it, there’s just one more thing you will need to do– seal in the paint! Since you’ll be sitting at your chalk paint dining table on a daily basis and it will get some natural wear and tear, make sure you apply the Annie Sloan furniture wax. This will make the finish a bit darker, but it will protect it against scratches, smudges, and dust particles.
After you’ve let your sealer dry, you’re now ready to use your table! To give your dining room table an even more complete look, why not apply AS chalk paint to your chairs as well?
