Everyone wants to put their own color in things. That would create a great vibe in the room and also reflects your taste.
Sometimes, doing your own color can get wrong and not become as great as you expected. Here, chalk paint can give you a quick solution.
Following the below, tips and information regarding the chalk paint and how it would go with wood would give you an overall idea of using it.
Using chalk paint on wood
You can undoubtedly use chalk paint on the wood. You do not need to hurry and neither need too much time to prepare the wood. As long as the wood is dry and clean, you can apply the chalk paint over it. If you have recently painted it, let the paint cure first before putting in chalk paint.
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The chalk paint usually is applied on wooden surfaces. It gives an aesthetic and vintage old vibe.
If you want to decorate your house with an old town look, chalk paint can be an option for applying over the wood. Well, it is so easy to apply and care for, you would love it after applying. Following the right procedure is what you need.
Wood furniture:
You can apply chalk paint on the wood furniture. Well, it is quite a common application of chalk paint. Even the curves and edges can be covered with chalk paint. You should definitely go with it.
Wood floors:
Chalk paint usually goes with the wood floors. You can apply color on the wooden floors or just go with the wooden color. As long as you know what consistency you want, it is okay to give it a try.
Wood veneer:
You can apply the chalk paint on the wood veneer, yet you might need to prime it before. The wood veneer usually has a smooth surface. After priming and sanding, you can apply the chalk paint.
Wood cabinets:
Wood cabinets can be painted with chalk paint. It is absolutely like wooden furniture. Easy to process and cure.
Wood paneling:
The texture of the wood paneling is perfect for the chalk paint application. You can save your time and also the expenses by choosing the right chalk paint for the wood paneling.
Wood trim:
If you can apply chalk paint on the wooden furniture, you can also apply it on the trims. Well, in that case, it would work the same as it does on the wooden stuff.
Wood stairs:
Most wood stairs are kept in wooden color. You can also put vibrant chalk paints on the wood stairs.
It would not only add color but also would create an old-town vibe. There is no wrong in creating a place with several vibes.
Wood doors:
Wood doors are commonly painted with wooden color to give a classy vibe.
In ancient times and even in some areas, they use multiple colors of wooden doors. In that case, chalk paint can be a good option. It would give off a village yet charming vibe.
Can you put chalk paint straight onto wood?
Of course, you can but after cleaning the wood. Well, most paint requires a lot of preparation and caution before applying the paint on anything.
It depends on the surface where you are going to apply the paint. Moreover, the paint also needs to be put on the right surface and suitable surface.
As a result, the outcome would be good. Otherwise, you would only get a damaged and unapproachable surface.
Usually, while applying paint on wood, you would need to clean the surface and might need to put primer. All these steps are required to set the paint on the surface.
But in the case of chalk paint, only cleaning is enough. Well, you can also sand the surface of the wood with sanding paper.
You do not need to use a primer or anything else to facilitate adhesion. It is easier to apply the chalk paint as it does not take too much effort.
Do you have to sand finished wood before using chalk paint?
Not exactly, you do not need to sand the finished wood before using chalk paint. It is not a necessary step unless the wood surface has a lot of imperfections and bumps.
You cannot apply any paint properly on a surface that is uneven and has bumps. The paint would be visible due to the bumps and seem floating.
To make the surface even, you can go for sanding. Otherwise, you do not need it. Moreover, sanding has to be done slightly. Do not need to go rough on the wood. After that, cleaning is required. And also fill up the holes, if the wood has any.
After that, the wood would become even for applying paint. If you have painted the wood recently, you might need to sand it. As any paint requires sanding before its application. The surface is already smooth for the chalk paint.
How many coats of chalk paint do you need on wood?
You would need 2 or more coats of chalk paint on wood depending on what type of finish you want and the formula of the chalk paint. Normally 2 coats are enough of any paint on the wood.
If you need more, increase it to another coat of paint. It also depends on the thickness of the paint.
The same goes for the chalk paint. Now you can generally take two coats of chalk paint to apply on the wood.
But if you want a heavier texture, you might need more coats of paint. Applying 3 coats is enough in that case. Moreover, if the formula of the chalk paint is too thin, you would need more than 3 coats.
Applying 2 coats of paint is a must. After that increase the number of coats according to the texture you want.
Generally, up to 3 coats of chalk paint give a better outcome. Also, the chalk paint would give a matte and smooth finish over the wooden surface. Now it’s on you if you want the color to look heavier or thinner.
How to paint furniture with chalk paint?
Putting chalk paint on the furniture is quite an easy task. You only need paint and a brush. If needed, sandpaper would also help.
After collecting all the equipment, you can go with painting the furniture with chalk paint. You can follow the below to proceed with applying the paint to the furniture.
Sand the surface:
It is not a necessary part, yet you have to decide by yourself if you want to do it or not. Usually, sanding is required, when there are bumps and roughness on the surface.
You can take sanding paper or a sanding sponge to sand the surface. Sand softly over the surface and do not put too much pressure.
Clean the surface:
Well, cleaning the surface of the furniture before applying the chalk paint is a must. You should not ignore this step. You can wipe out the surface with a wet towel. Clean all the dirt from the surface.
Or just, use soapy water to clean the surface. Cleaning properly is required or else the paint would not set on the surface.
Apply the chalk paint:
Now, you can finally apply the chalk paint on the furniture. You might need brushes of several sizes.
If the furniture has curves or designs, you would also need a thin brush to highlight them. You can dip the brush in the paint and smoothly run the brush over the surface.
Do not cover the brush with too much paint at a time. Apply strokes of thin paint from one side to another.
Use the stroke in only one direction. It gives a better finish. Some may buy chalk paint with a thicker consistency. In that case, add some water and dilute the paint.
After that, you can apply the paint to the furniture. Let the paint dry. Some may use a wax finish over the chalk paint to set the paint. You can do it as well.
Final Thoughts
Overall, applying chalk paint is possible without any planning and even preparing the wood. Though you might have to look out for certain things, the overall application process is easy and quick. You can even correct any imperfections with the chalk paint by applying it to the wood.