HOW TO USE CHALK PAINT

Contrasting Colours:

Pick 2 contrasting colours apply one as a base coat and one as a top coat then sanding edges to let one colour bleed through the other, perfect for creating an aged distressed look.

Base coat:

Adding texture to your piece is best done on the base coat, with a thicker coat of paint. allow your paint to stand for a while with the lid off, the ambient temperature in the room will thicken your paint after a while, apply in uneven random strokes and leave to dry this will allow the wax to settle in different areas creating contrasting shades to your piece. paint can be thinned down again by adding a little water and stirring.

Distressing:

Distress your piece using either sandpaper, wire wool or a scouring pad. only distress in normal wear areas i.e edges and around handles leaving a more naturally distressed look to your furniture. try not to sand flat areas where there would not normally be wear this can make your piece look false and un-natural spoiling the look.

Bringing out the wood grain:

Add a little water to your paint and stir well. apply a thin coat by brushing into the wood making sure the paint enters all the grain, wipe off excess paint with a lint free cloth. the first wipe will give an opaque look to your piece, applying more thinned coats of paint to achieve a limed finish.(works best on un-painted surfaces).

Applying wax:

Try heating your wax before application by placing outside in the sunlight or on the top of a radiator for a few minutes only. you will find the wax much easier and faster to apply by brush saving you time and effort giving you a much more even coat. Buff to finish.

Contrasting wax:

Start by applying a base coat of clear wax to your project allowing to dry, then applying a small amount of darker wax on top, the clear coat of wax will allow movement with the darker wax allowing you to work it into different areas, creating a beautiful aged patina to your work.

Distress after waxing:

Over sanding before you apply the wax may look great at first on a matt finish, but after you apply the wax the lines from the sandpaper will look a lot more pronounced and might spoil the natural look you were after. Safer to distress after waxing.