Painting furniture with chalk paint

Furniture transformation made easy: you can get started right away without tedious sanding or priming - start your project now!

How to achieve the look

Preparation

Remove handles, hinges, and loose parts. If possible, take out drawers and detach doors – this will make your work much easier. Simply mask off areas that you do not want to get paint on using painter's tape.

annie-sloan-chalk-paint-coolabah-green-mood

Cleaning

Clean your piece of furniture thoroughly with soapy water or a degreaser. Rinse with clean water and let everything dry.

Tip:For very old furniture (e.g., oak), a short test coat is recommended. If discoloration appears, a coat of stain-blocking primer or paint will help. Find out herehow you can prevent "bleed-through".

The perfect paint application

Stir the paint well. For a smooth application, you can thin it with 5–10% water. Apply the paint in thin layers with a brush.

Pro tip: For an especially smooth surface without brush strokes, use a foam roller or a flat brush.

Drying & Opacity

Seal

After drying, seal your furniture with wax. Apply it thinly and gently wipe off any excess.

Important: After 24 hours, the surface is touch-dry. However, wait 14 days before subjecting it to heavy use so that the wax can fully cure.

Download PDF instructions

Step 1

Step 2

Step 3

Step 4

DONE!

Products Used

annie sloan kreidefarbe coolabah green farbmuster

Chalk Paint Coolabah Green

from CHF 14.90

Flat brush

from CHF 12.50

annie-sloan-chalk-paint-wachs-klar-120ml

Clear Wax Soft

from CHF 12.80

annie-sloan-stainless-steel-tin-opener-packaging-and-front-side

annie-sloan-stainless-steel-tin-opener-front-side

Annie Sloan paint opener

CHF 6.00

Suitable products for your DIY project

Annie Sloan Chalk Paint

Wax & Polish

annie sloan kreidefarbe old white farbmuster

Chalk paint Old White

from CHF 14.90

Chalk Paint Coolabah Green

from CHF 14.90

annie sloan kreidefarbe athenian black farbmuster

Chalk paint Athenian Black

from CHF 14.90

Chalk paint Pure

from CHF 14.90

annie sloan kreidefarbe original farbmuster

Chalk paint Original

from CHF 14.90

annie sloan kreidefarbe duck egg blue farbmuster

annie sloan kreidefarbe duck egg blue mood1

Chalk paint Duck Egg Blue

from CHF 14.90

annie sloan kreidefarbe graphite farbmuster

Chalk paint Graphite

from CHF 14.90

annie sloan kreidefarbe aubusson blue farbmuster

annie sloan kreidefarbe aubusson blue mood1

Aubusson Blue Chalk Paint

from CHF 14.90

annie sloan kreidefarbe french linen farbmuster

annie sloan kreidefarbe french linen mood3

Chalk paint French Linen

from CHF 14.90

annie sloan kreidefarbe old ochre farbmuster

Chalk paint Old Ochre

from CHF 14.90

annie sloan kreidefarbe svenska blue farbmuster

Chalk paint Svenska Blue

from CHF 14.90

annie sloan kreidefarbe amsterdam green farbmuster

annie sloan kreidefarbe amsterdam green mood1

Chalk paint Amsterdam Green

from CHF 14.90

annie sloan kreidefarbe country grey farbmuster

annie sloan kreidefarbe country grey mood1

Chalk paint Country Grey

from CHF 14.90

annie sloan kreidefarbe antoinette farbmuster

Chalk paint Antoinette

from CHF 14.90

Chalk paint Coco

from CHF 14.90

annie sloan kreidefarbe oxford navy farbmuster

Chalk paint Oxford Navy

from CHF 14.90

annie sloan kreidefarbe olive farbmuster

Chalk paint Olive

from CHF 14.90

annie sloan kreidefarbe paprika red farbmuster

annie sloan kreidefarbe paprika red mood2

Chalk paint Paprika Red

from CHF 14.90

annie sloan kreidefarbe louis blue farbmuster

annie sloan kreidefarbe louis blue mood1

Chalk paint Louis Blue

from CHF 14.90

annie sloan kreidefarbe chateau grey farbmuster

annie sloan kreidefarbe chateau grey mood1

Chalk paint Chateau Grey

from CHF 14.90

Tips & FAQs

Generally no! That is the great advantage of Annie Sloan Chalk Paint. It adheres directly to almost all surfaces such as wood, lacquer, or veneer. You only need to thoroughly clean the piece of furniture to remove dust and grease. Only if old paint is already peeling should you briefly smooth those areas so that the result is nice and even.

In most cases, one to two coats are sufficient. A professional tip for extreme color changes: If you want to paint a very dark or black piece of furniture white, we recommend using a beige tone (e.g., Country Grey) for the first coat. Since light shades of white naturally contain fewer pigments, this creates an ideal base and saves you from having to apply multiple layers of white. The drying time is only 1–3 hours per coat, allowing you to make quick progress.

This depends entirely on the size of your piece of furniture. The 120ml cans are ideal for small accents, bedside tables, chairs, or decorative items. If you would like to paint a chest of drawers or a dining table, we recommend the 500ml size. For large projects such as sideboards or entire kitchen units, it is best to choose the 1-liter can, which covers approximately 13 square meters. This way, you always have exactly the amount you need for full coverage.

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