YES...FINALLY. I am done painting this godforsaken table and chairs. {Part I, Part II, and Part III gave you TMI on this process.} Here's a shot of what the table and four of the chairs looked like before. There was some damage on the tabletop, but otherwise it was in excellent condition: The first thing I did was recover the chair seats, which was an adventure in itself: Here are three of the chairs now, all painted and hanging out on the porch: Like the klassy garage pictures? I know you do!!! {Unfortunately, my husband is out of town and couldn't help me move the table to the porch. Don't think I didn't try to move it myself, because of course I did!} Here it is with both leaves and my mismatched chairs: {Oh! And a yellow extension cord!} So what's the bottom line...is Annie Sloan Chalk Paint worth the hype or not?
In 3 words: YES, YES and YES! In a few more words... ASCP goes a LONG way. I got through almost the whole project with only one quart. You can add water as you go {which I did twice.} I wonder if you could prime it first and make it last even longer. "They" say you don't have to prime, but the first coat kind of replaces the primer since you'll probably have to do multiple coats. Clear Soft Wax does not last as long. I'm not even sure what it's supposed to do, exactly: Protect? Shine? Darken? All of the above? This is where some research would have come in handy. It definitely darkened the color and gave it a subtle sheen, but since I haven't used the table and chairs yet, I'm not sure how much it protects. Stay tuned. If you're a perfectionist, you may not love it...at first. I beg you to take my advice and start small, or at least medium. Don't do what I did and tackle a huge project right out of the gate. Especially if you're a painting novice, it takes some time to figure out how to work with the paint and wax. I will say that the paint seems to adhere much better to non-glossy surfaces and I probably should have sanded everything down to make it easier. Newbie challenges aside, I'm totally hooked on this paint! There's so much more you can do with it: mixing custom colors, dark wax, gilding wax...wheeee! Haha. I've already moved on to a console table, and I'm looking forward to painting all the other wood furniture in my house, piece by piece! Don't tell Brian. ;-)
33 Comments
8/3/2012 09:04:36 am
Just found this post via Hometalk...which I joined today and added two posts of my own! I have an antique dresser that has been awaiting its make-over for months. I have finally decided to use chalk paint on it and your post gives me new motivation. Your table looks fabulous!!
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8/4/2012 05:44:59 am
I love the color you chose and I adore the mismatched chairs. Just fabulous. The new fabric on the seats looks awesome, too.
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8/4/2012 11:29:53 pm
Delighted to have discovered your blog and read about your AS adventures. Your table and chairs is so Nordic perfect. I love it! I bet it wasn't fun painting the rungs of the chairs. I must be doing something wrong because I don't seem to get as much coverage out of a quart as others do but I am going to keep trying. Have a beautiful old Victorian girly dresser I am working on. Hope you can come for a visit and again, your hard work really really paid off. ~ Lynn
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8/5/2012 08:13:46 am
I love seeing your project and getting your 'take' on ASCP. Recently I acquired a buffet, china cabinet, and table. I want to paint one or more or a portion of the pieces. It's interesting to me that you felt the need to sand...one thing that most attracted me to the paint was the need NOT to. Thanks for sharing.
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Thanks Diane! I think sanding was only needed because of the high-gloss finish of the table and chairs; the chalk paint did stick to it, but I could tell it kind of didn't want to at first. ;-) I've since painted a console table with a flat finish, and I definitely didn't need to sand it at all!
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I have not tackled anything as large as your project (you did a very nice job) but have done over 30 small projects. I agree that the paint goes a long way and the wax not as much - particularly if you are doing a clear coat under dark wax (one of the harder techniques to master). I also have read quite a few reviews that the wax does not hold up well under a lot of wear such as a table of kitchen cabinets might get. I guess this is something you will find out over time. Congratulations!
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Gerry, thank you so much for your insight about wear. I could totally see that about the wax! An earlier poster said that the wax dries hard as a rock, but I can already see marks in the wax on the table top. Maybe there is some extra residue, and that's where the marks are coming from?
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8/7/2012 08:22:02 pm
Great transformation. Thanks for linking up at Shabbilicious Friday.
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8/8/2012 10:46:02 am
BEAUTIFUL!!
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Okay, I am DYING to know what you think of the wax. I read all 4 posts on your experience with chalk paint. I swear, I could use your words for a post on my experiences. I just did a table...I used milk paint, but I have had so many of the same things. Lots of brush strokes - even after 2 coats - tried to get over that. Took a lot longer than I had hoped (wish I had used a bonding agent too). Then, finally, soft wax. After 2 coats I am still getting marks on it when I set things down. How many coats of wax did you end up doing??
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Hey Lindsay! I ended up using 2 coats of wax on the table, but I'm sure I didn't use the proper technique! One thing I did learn is that you shouldn't be able to feel any of the wax once it dries. I thought I was making marks on the table, but actually it was in the wax {if that makes any sense?} What's the finish on your chairs? Is it glossy? I painted a console table last week which had a matte painted finish and it was SO MUCH better than the polyurethaned table and chairs. Please let me know how it goes, we're in this together!!!
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Love the transformation! I just did my own kitchen table with a DIY version of Ann Sloan's Paint (Plaster of Paris added to the paint) instead of Ann Sloan's wax you can use MINWAX Paste Finishing Wax..but it's not quite as "soft" as Ann Sloan's but it does the same thing and is wayyy cheaper :) Love the colors you used!
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8/16/2013 03:27:15 pm
Nice post. Your information is really good. Thank you for sharing.........................
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Teresa Lane
5/6/2014 06:57:17 am
I am in the middle of painting my dining room set. Like you, this is my first project and I am learning. I am done with the chairs and learned a lot about dark wax do's and don'ts...mostly don'ts. I am now ready to tackle the table top. I am using a different color than the base and chairs. I was told that I should use 2-3 coats of paint, then put a coat or 2 of a urethane, the clear wax then dark wax. That just sounds odd to me. Will the wax adhere to the wood after urethane? Will the dark wax work at all? I want to protect the table and am worried that just wax will not do the job. I will not be able to reapply clear wax later because it will take off the dark wax. HELP!!!
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1/19/2018 03:39:45 am
Now a days all are very much interested in home decor. This blog gives some useful tips how to decor home, and the color you used are awesome. Keep sharing.
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