This is a simple tutorial for basic furniture painting. Are you new to chalk mineral painting? Do you wonder how to do a simple and classic look? I’m here to help! Let’s talk simple painting techniques.
Basic tools for painting furniture are simple. Let’s go over some of them so you can start painting!
Before you begin you need to assess the piece of furniture. Does it need any repairs? Remove drawers and vacuum inside too! You never know what kind of treasures are hiding behind those drawers. Take a minute to use Big Mamas Butta to condition the drawer glides. It helps with sticky drawers and helps them glide smoothly. The added benefit is that it smells wonderful!
I like to make sure that any small issues with veneer chips or holes that need to be repaired get taken care of next. I use Dixie Belle's Mud to fill in holes from hardware if I'm replacing or changing styles. Dixie Belle Mud comes in three colors, brown, white and black. When you sand it back after it dries is very smooth and even. I use my finger to apply and fill holes or chips. This piece did not need any repairs, I was lucky this time! Don't be afraid of jumping in and fixing small issues, it's not hard and your final painted result looks so much more professional!
After the piece has been repaired and vacuumed out it's time to clean the wood. I use White Lightning. This is a powder based cleaning agent that is mixed with water. I like to mix mine into a spray bottle so I can keep any excess after cleaning. I spay liberally onto the wood and wipe back with a paper towel. It cleans well, de glosses the shiny surface and removes old oils and grime. Make sure to rinse the remaining film off the furniture, I usually spray with water and wipe back to complete my cleaning.
We are almost ready for paint! My personal go to brush has to be my Flat Medium. It's light in my hand and has a clean edge to get into tight spots. It's a synthetic bristle brush and the paint just glides on!
Let's paint this piece! After I did all of the above I was ready to begin my project! The colors used for this piece are Dusty Blue and In The Navy. A deep rich navy to accent the gold colored handles. I applied the first coat of Navy to the entire end table using my flat medium brush. When the first coat has dried it was time to start blending. I wanted a lighter finish to the drawer fronts. When the Navy coat was still wet on the second coats I used a separate brush to add a tiny bit of Dusty Blue to the center. After applying the lighter center I use a spray misting bottle to help pull the two colors together. When the paint has dried I applied a top coat of Clear Coat in matte. I applied two even coats with a wide synthetic brush. You can also use Dixie Belle's Blue Sponge to apply this top coat. The final step to the project was to deepen the corners of the drawers. I applied Dixie Belle's Best Dang Wax in Black. I use a small brush to apply it to the corners and wipe back with a cloth if necessary.
I installed the original hardware and put on the glass top. The overall classic look to end table is stunning. What a simple makeover to a boring brown table.
I hope this answers any questions on how to use chalk mineral paint to update your furniture. It's fun and easy to update your own furniture!
I've included a short video of this process below.
Questions? Drop me comment or message me! And make sure to follow me on Instagram where I am live daily for tips and tricks on all my painting projects!
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