About Chalk Paint

     

 

Annie Sloan developed her now famous Chalk Paint to answer the need she had for a paint which would have many uses from acting like limewash to looking like old painted furniture and that had a good range of color that could be extended by the user. This paint is very easy to work with and allows people to be creative as one doesn't get involved with the technicalities of preparation and it also allows you to change your mind without hassle. 

This is THE paint to use for the painted French and Swedish look on furniture where the paintwork shows a patina of history. The paint is soft and easy to patinate taking wax to give it a beautiful mellow and protective finish. The colors have been inspired by European 18th century furniture and have been made bright and rich, bearing in mind that they will be darkened with wax. Like all Annie Sloan paints none of the colors except Graphite contain black pigment, allowing for combining colors, further mixing and layering without the paint dulling.

 

 Applications:

·         BEST paint on the market for painting furniture

·         Paint can be used on any surface- literally!

·         Use on walls- for a soft matte effect or wax it for a polished plaster effect

·         Can even be used to paint floors

·         Paint can be applied to interior or exterior surfaces and furnishings

 

Techniques:

·         Use one color or layer colors

·         Distress and apply waxes to create an old world patina

·         Use as a wash by diluting with water and apply paint so that it shows the wood grain

·         Use it as an impasto ( thickly), just leave the lid off of the quart to thicken

·         Very little black is used so the colors can be mixed in any combination

 

Ease of Use:

·         No need to prime or prepare

·         Colors are mixed intelligently and the web site shows how you can adapt your colors for your use

·         Paint is flexible so you can be creative and change your mind

 

Go Green:

·         Paint has extremely low VOCs so it is good for the environment

 

For Floors - use a roller to paint the floor. You may need one or two coats depending on the colour of the wood or concrete and the colour of the paint. Light colours will need more coats generally. Varnish with Hannant's Extra Strong varnish.

For a Blackboard that's not black! - apply three coats of paint to wall or wood. Allow to dry overnight. Clean with a slightly damp cloth.

For Garden furniture - paint over wood, metal, matt plastic or terracotta and leave to harden overnight before exposing to rain. No need to varnish or wax.

Matt walls - use on walls for a completely matt effect, but remember this is best for anywhere that is not going to get a lot of wear and tear.

 

Pictures and descriptions found throughout this website courtesy of Annie Sloan and CICO books.