I have painted about 7 of my own pieces of furniture with Chalk Paint or Mud Paint. I get asked often what the difference is between them, so I thought I would share my experience with both Mud Paint and Chalk Paint. Both are great products. Both took only one coat of paint then a light second coat. I love how fast the process was. Now I know that is not always the case for everyone, it depends what you are painting over. All of the pieces I painted did not have a lot of lacquer or had been treated with a lot of cleaning products, both important to factor in before painting.
The first piece I painted was my Great Grandmas piano. I had been dying to paint it and it seemed so overwhelming, I finally got the courage and did it and did not regret it for one minute (read about my piano HERE). I used Paris Gray Chalk Paint on this piece. It took two coats of paint and then I applied the clear wax over the top. The Paris Gray is a light gray, it does have a touch of purple under tones, that being said I do love the color.
Then I painted it in Antoinette Chalk Paint (pink) see more HERE.
My large sideboard that I have had for close to 10 years is my favorite piece I painted. I had wanted to do this piece for awhile too, I don’t know why I am apprehensive at first. I need to just go with it the first time I think of it, that way I can enjoy it longer. Painting a big piece can seem scary, but wow what a difference it makes to the space.
I painted it in Pure White Chalk Paint. I love how bright it is. I used an entire quart of paint on this piece. It took me about 5 hours to paint this then maybe an hour or less to apply the wax. I used two coats of paint. I left it right in this room and laid plastic around the base to avoid getting paint everywhere.
I had applied wallpaper to the original piece in the panels. I was going to pull it off then I tried to paint one piece and I loved the look so I left it. I also painted the hardware.
Another piece I painted was with Mud Paint. I used Manor White. The above picture shows a drawer from the piece I painted in the Manor White Mud Paint on top of my sideboard that was Pure White Chalk Paint. One of the differences of the Mud Paint it is a little smoother than Chalk Paint. Both covered very nicely. But honestly I couldn’t tell a big difference in the two products, only the color options.
This is the dresser that I painted in Manor White Mud Paint. It is a really soft white, no yellow in it, I see a little touch of gray but it turned out a really pretty color. It took one coat of paint then a really light touch up in some spots for the second coat.
One of my really good friends I recently staged her home for her to sell. They sold it within a week of putting it on the market, I know the staging helped a lot. I suggested that she paint her dining set in this space. She did not have an easy time with these pieces. They are antique pieces that are close to 100 years old. They were in a high-laquer stain and had been treated with a lot of cleaning products over the years.
She started painting and it was bubbling and chipping off and turning yellow in some spots. She went to the local store that sells Chalk Paint and they suggested she use Zinsser Shellac Base BIN Primer in white. She did several coats of this base before starting to paint it in the Pure White Chalk Paint. I had used Chalk Paint so many times and thought that it went easily over the top of anything without any prep before…not the case. As we quickly learned some pieces require that base coat. If you are unsure of how your piece was painted previously or treated you could buy a sample and paint a small area to see how the paint takes or go and talk to a paint professional.
She applied two coats of the Zinsser Shellac Base BIN Primer in white to this glass cupboard. Then painted it in Chalk Paint French Linen. I suggested she paint the hardware as well, it blends in better and hides the dated style. I can’t believe how great this piece looks now. I also moved it in the room so it was more of a focal point right when you walked into the room.
I added temporary wallpaper to the back of her curio cabinet. It ties in the white and is a nice pop and contrast to the piece. You can read about the wallpaper I used HERE. I used her china and all pieces that she had refreshing the space. Little touches and paint make a big difference. Don’t be afraid, grab the brush and get started!
hey girl great job! Such a difference paint makes!
Thank you! Yes paint saves us from having to buy all new furniture!
These pieces turned out fantastic. The colors made all the difference. I love the touch of wallpaper in the back of the hutch. What paper is that? Where can I find it? Looks great!
Thanks Donna! I shared a link to the wallpaper post I did and what I used on that piece you can also find it here http://nestingwithgrace.com/wallpapertips/
All of the pieces you painted look wonderful! I think I’m going to paint my dining table. My husband will probably have a heart attack, because it was an expensive piece and is only about 7 years old, but I really don’t like the dark finish on it. I may have a painting party during one of his business trips! ? Thanks for the tips on the chalk paint!
Go for it! Some men think wood shouldn’t be painted, I have heard that a lot before:)
Make sure to do several of those base coats before painting, biggest thing we learned!
Good luck Kathleen!
What process did you use to add the wallpaper TEMPORARILY to the china cabinet? BTW the china cabinet looks wonderful!
Thank you! It is actual temporary wallpaper that I use. It has a sticker that you take paper off the back and apply it just like a sticker I wrote about it here http://nestingwithgrace.com/wallpapertips/
Great post! I used to work for a Annie Sloan stockist and so have refinished numerous furniture items with Chalk Paint, including my own furniture and my kitchen cabinets. I have had one or two antique pieces that bubbled and yellowed. I think its because the previous owner cleaned them with Pledge. My mom used that product for years, but it leaves a film on the furniture that is almost impossible to get off! But a thorough cleaning with TSP and a base coat of paint usually fixed the problem.
Yes, I agree. It all depends on how they were treated. The base coat did help our issues too!
Thanks!
That piano!!! And I do love the French Linen color on the cabinet. Question: Would you recommend chalk paint for a breakfast room table? If so, would you put a protective coat on top? This will be a table that we use many times a day to eat at and do homework on. Thank you so much for your thoughts!
Erin
I do think it would work well for a table. I would for sure apply the wax topcoat, I noticed that helps to keep it from chipping. I painted my bathroom vanity in it and it repels water and hasn’t had any issues. Best of luck!
Thank you!