How to make your own Chalk Paint!

I’m gonna share with you a trick I recently learned! I have spent so much money on chalk paint in the past for something I could have been making at home… dang it!

That’s ok tho. I recently decided to paint everything in my house because I’m bothered by the many different shades of wood that don’t go together, anyone else bothered by that? I love white chalk paint and I love a bright home! So I’m just going to town on everything. BUT I wasn’t willing to pay $39 for a quart of Annie Sloan chalk pain, nor do I like Rust-oleum’s white paint.. It’s too “cool” if you know what I mean. I like a nice shiplap-looking, warm white color!

So I started searching and asking my Home Depot guy’s! And I found a recipe that works for me.

I’m also going to share some FAQ on my Chalk Painting techniques and some things I’ve learned along the way. So here we go!

My Chalk Paint Recipe

I haven’t been using chalk paint for too long, maybe about 2 years, and I just love it. I love the textured look it gives to any piece of furniture and the matte finish is so much prettier than shiny paint… ick! But keep in mind, that is just my opinion and what works in my home may not work in everyones. There is a bit of a style that goes along with Chalk paint, so beware: you may want to paint EVERYTHING you own 😉

I’m a always looking for budget friendly options when it comes to things like this, so I really hope this post can answer some of your questions as well as help you stay in your budget while giving your home an update.

What you’ll need:
Calcium Carbonate Powder. I know you can find this at certain hardware stores, but I buy mine off of amazon because its much cheaper! So I’ll link my specific brand here.

The only other thing you need is paint! Easy right? To be a little bit more helpful with choosing a paint, I go with Behr paint because it’s way more budget friendly. However, White Dove OC-17 by Benjamin Moore is the best. If that’s not in the budget (it’s not in mine) Then go to your local Home Depot or Lowe’s and have them color match that White Dove to FLAT BASED Behr paint. Here is the paint I ask them to color for me. This paint is awesome because its very low odor so you can paint inside!

RECIPE:
Add 3 cups of CC powder to your paint and mix thoroughly. That comes to 12 tbsp per quart.

Tips & Tricks

Tips:

With this recipe I highly suggest stirring it frequently even while using it. The CC powder sets at the bottom as time passes so when you first open it up, stir it and scrape the bottom of the can to get it mixed up nicely again.

You only really need 2 coats of this paint, however I usually do 3 coats but I eyeball where it needs to go. Some spots just need a little more sometimes.

I store my chalk paint indoors so the consistency stays… well consistent. My chalk paint has almost frozen outside in the winter, and if it’s too hot it gets too liquid-y.

In my personal opinion, you don’t need a special paintbrush for chalk paint. If you want a more streak-free coating, get a better quality of brush. but I’ve always noticed that once I start my sanding process, the streaks go away. However, my personal style welcomes the streaky farmhouse style, so I just use the cheapest little brushes I can find!

Here is the brushes I used on my radio:

FAQ

1. Do I need to sand my piece before I paint it:

No you don’t! Hallelujah ammaright? Chalk paint goes on any surface. However, I recommend that if your piece has paint or finish that is already chipping off, I would strip it down or sand it to stop the chipping. It will probably continue to chip even if you put paint over it. Also, if it has any rough patches, gunk and chunks or spots that aren’t smooth that you want to lay flat or smooth, give those spots a sanding first to flatten them out so your chalk paint lays flat.

2. How do I seal my chalk paint:

I use a soft clear wax to seal all of my pieces because even a matte or satin polyurethane has a bit of a shine to it, and I don’t like shine. Keep in mind, with soft wax, you may have to reapply it if your using it on a piece that is heavily trafficked (ie: dining room chairs, table tops, etc).

3. What do I use to distress my piece?

I personally use anywhere from 100 grit sandpaper to 180. More often 100 grit sanding block. You dont want to low of a grit or it may cause scratching you dont want.
When sanding your piece, look at sanding more heavily in the areas that would naturally get chippy! The corners, raised areas, all sides and edges, etc.
*TIP* I sand and distress before I wax! Very personal preference. I think it takes a lot more elbow grease to sand after you clear wax… If I mess up my sanding, I just paint back over it and try again when it dries.

4. How many coats of paint will I need:

Like I said before, I typically do 3 coats, but on the 3rd coat I’m mostly looking for any spots that need it. If there aren’t any that need a bit extra, then I don’t even bother!

5. How do I keep my paint from turning yellow/pink:

I have had this problem one time and I’ll tell you what I think I should have seen before starting: My aged piece was not sealed at all, but it was stained… Therefore, as soon as the chalk paint moistened the wood, that stain seeped into my white chalk paint. I wasn’t too worried about this, it wasn’t as bad as it could have been, but to prevent this I would prime any piece you think might bleed! I don’t think old paint would bleed, nor will sealed stains. but if its a raw piece with old stain, give her a little sanding or prime! No biggy.
BUT heres what I did: (keep in mind my piece was a tiny magazine holder I didn’t care much about…)
I wanted 24 hours until is was super dry! and then added 3 more coats to it. you can’t even see the color anymore… That was risky! But it worked for me.