DIY Chalk Style Paint

Just Paint It!

Painting furniture is a great way to take thrift finds and update them. I’ve been doing it for years!

Ever since Rachel Ashwell and her Shabby Chic style hit the home decor scene, chippy white painted furniture has been very popular.

Back in the day, we had to sand and prime before painting. Sometimes the results were great and sometimes not so great. Then came Annie Sloan with her fantastic Chalk paint. Wow. Gone was all of the extensive prep work. Now, I believe, painted furniture is here to stay.

Not only are older furniture and accessories being painted white, but every color under the rainbow. Special effects such as ombre’, landscapes, and layered are also popular. Your imagination is your only limit.

How to Make Chalk Style Paint

I’ve tried out several ready made chalk style paints including Annie Sloan. On the plus side, the coverage and durability are fantastic. Application is easy, and it’s all mixed up for you.

The downside, of course, is the price. Also, there are many beautiful colors to choose from. But maybe not the color you want to use.

I decided a couple of years ago to DIY chalk style paint, to see how it compared. For a very long time, I used a Plaster of Paris recipe. It works well. But it’s really a one time use because it becomes too thick after a short time.

Recently, I’ve been making my chalk style paint with Calcium Carbonate. It’s inexpensive and works great! I’ve heard that some drug stores carry it. But I just order it off of Amazon. The one I use is here.

So now to the recipe.

DIY Chalk Style Paint Recipe

Ingredients:

2 Tablespoons Calcium Carbonate Powder

1 Tablespoon Water

1 Cup paint

Mix:

Stir the Calcium Carbonate powder and the water together until smooth. It should be about a thick pancake batter consistency. I use flat or satin latex paint for my chalk style paint. Eggshell would work well also. I haven’t tried it with a gloss paint.