We finally had to try it to see if it truely was the best invention of all time.
the verdict is in....
Our opinion is ....
YES! it is one of the best inventions in a long time!!
Our usual painting process consists of the following:
Degloss (or sand the piece)
paint one coat- let dry overnight
paint second coat if needed- let dry over night
sand piece
glaze piece - let dry over night
poly piece- let dry over night
sand piece
poly again-let dry overnight
sand again
poly again-let dry overnight
10 steps. It takes days to complete a piece.
This chalk paint is AMAZING!
Cut the steps in half and takes about 8-9 days off the process.
We are still getting the hang of working with the waxes, but I think we will be very happy with the outcome.
The paint is a bit expensive. About $35 for a quart. Plus shipping costs.
It doesn't go as far as I thought from what I read, but it really depends on the size of what you are doing!
But, cutting our steps in half and our time to one tenth, I completely feel it makes up for the expense though!
If you are selling your pieces - you will have to figure out which is more important- your time or your money :)
I also really love the wax finish compared to the poly finish I am used to.
It started raining while we were working on a piece and the water just beaded up on top!
There are some pieces that we will still do the old method to.
There are some colors she doesn't have - like black.
She has a graphite color that looks black on the card, but it is really a slate blue grey.
So, some colors we will be doing our old method.
this one was done in Louis Blue...here is what it looked like before...
Below are a couple of other pieces we have done with the chalk paint...
The island we showed before was done in Cream with dark wax.
Here is one my daughter did in Emile. A really pretty lavendar color.
I'll show some more pictures when we unload the pieces off the truck and I can get some snaps of them...
So if you are interested in Annie Sloan Chalk paints, I recommend
Michelle has been really great to work with!
She ships super fast, you can track your order so you know what day the mailman will be bringing it to your door.
I recommend trying it, I think you will like it.
One thing you need to make sure of - you need BOTH the clear wax and the dark wax.
I made the mistake with my first order and only ordered the dark wax, but you need to put a coat of clear on first!
Use Fiddles and Sons wax with the chalk paint. It works better!
ReplyDeleteI know it is all the rage but it is hard to get past the price and then a quart not going far is another drawback. I would like to try it though. I have several pieces that need to be finished!~Hugs, Patti
ReplyDeleteBtw, your pieces do look amazing!~Patti
ReplyDeleteOk....I took the leap and ordered it! Hubby said it was "okay"....I think he is tired of seeing all the furniture I have been collecting in the garage!~Patti
ReplyDeleteI haven't tried it yet, but your projects sure make me want to! Love all of them! Thanks for the get well wishes!
ReplyDeleteI haven't tried the chalk paint, but am trying the Caromal colors instead. They boast the same qualities and cost about the same. I only have two colors so far and really bought them to try out on my own furniture. The verdict is still out because I think the real test is do they stand the test of time and continual use and that's something I won't know until I have them awhile. What I did like about the Caromal colors is that they gave me sample chips that I can carry with me for matching fabrics and they have more colors. I personally think if either or both paints live up to their claims, they are worth the extra money for the extra time they save.
ReplyDeleteCindy
Chalk paint is Da Bomb!!
ReplyDeleteAs a decorative artist, like you I have many finishes that require multiple layers so when I can make a piece look like it's got multiple layers of color and is a hundred years old all in one day it's well worth the price!
Love your island! The bottle opener really makes it.
Love the Chalk Paint, and I as you said, I had to get over the price...
ReplyDeleteI've never heard of this paint but I am sooo glad to know about it now! I have always struggled getting the right look and here it is in a can!!!
ReplyDeleteYour furniture redos are fabulous.
I had such a fun time at your spring sale Linda! Everything I saw was amazing, your barn was full of the most delightful items. I enjoyed meeting one of your artisans that had great smaller items. I can hardly wait for the fall sale!
Hugs, Sherry