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Last Updated: February 24, 2019 By

Annie Sloan Chalk Paint Newbie Tips

Want to know the A to Z of using Annie Sloan Chalk Paint? I’m sharing my best tips for using chalk paint including the best brush for chalk paint, how to use chalk paint wax and more!

The best way to share how to use chalk paint is to walk you through one of my chalk paint projects! I had been looking for a small gray kitchen table for months without finding what I wanted but then stumbled upon a cream desk that was the perfect size and a great price so I decided to use chalk paint to turn it into the kitchen table of my dreams! The best thing about using Annie Sloan Chalk Paint is requires NO prep work.  No sanding.  No priming. Nada. Ready to get the details on how to use Annie Sloan Chalk Paint yourself? (post includes affiliate links; full disclosure statement available {here})

How to Use Annie Sloan Chalk Paint

I chose “French Linen”, a dark gray, as my paint color (you can find a local stockist of Annie Sloan Chalk Paint {here}). Using a natural bristle brush, I applied the first coat and quickly saw that it wasn’t going to come anywhere close to covering the old cream color. But no worries because the paint dries super quickly so not long after I was done painting the first coat, it was ready for a second coat. There’s a night and day difference after two coats  – you can see the difference here:

I probably could have stopped with the second coat but since this was a table that was going to get lots of use and abuse, I went ahead and did a third. Probably my favorite thing about using this paint (other than the fact that there is no prep work…) is that the brush marks smooth out so well as it dries. It’s a great paint to use if you’re not experienced with painting furniture because it’s very, very forgiving.  I almost had a heart attack after finding a long brush bristle embedded in my paint after the final coat had dried but I gently sanded it out, brushed on some more paint and it blended in seamlessly. I love that. 
 
If you’re having any issues getting a smooth finish, one trick is to dip your brush into water and offload it prior to dipping it into the paint (in other words, use a freshly dampened brush) – this will help the paint settle a little more smoothly. Now, it’s on to waxing!
 

How to Use Chalk Paint Wax

Using a round waxing brush, apply a very thin coat of wax. Annie Sloan Wax and Staples 211 Clear Wax found {here} are both great waxes that work beautifully and are true clear waxes (they don’t yellow/discolor the paint). You definitely don’t want to apply too thick of a layer of wax (waxing lightly is key!) so only put a small amount at a time on your brush because a little bit goes a long way! You want to work the wax into the paint by applying mild pressure to the waxing brush when applying it. Using a circular motion is what works best for me. The porous and chalky nature of the paint makes it ready and willing to accept the wax – and the two unite to form a fabulous and sturdy bond.
 
Then if you want distressed edges like I did, use fine grit sandpaper to distress the edges so that some of the original color comes through:
 

Next, use a rag to wipe off any sanded bits of paint, wait about 10 ten minutes and buff with a rag.  After 24 hours, finish it off with a second thin coat of wax, making sure that you cover the distressed areas well. Finally, go over the table one final time with a rag to smooth out the wax and wipe off any excess. The next day, use a rag to buff the wax to a nice shine – done!:

It takes close to a month for the wax to fully cure so use a bit of TLC for a few weeks after you’ve painted and waxed your furniture piece. For a frequently used kitchen table or desk, you might want to consider adding a glass top for extra protection. 
 

Best Brush for Chalk Paint & Wax

It’s best to use a natural bristle brush (often labeled as “pure bristle”) to apply Annie Sloan Chalk Paint instead of your more typical synthetic brush usually used for painting walls. It can be something as inexpensive as {this set of brushes}. For applying the wax, I recommend that you invest in a specialized waxing brush such as {this one} that helps work the wax into the paint and get it into little crevices. Natural bristle brushes have a tendency to shed more than synthetic brushes so be sure to keep a look-out for any loose bristles in your paint as you go along.
 
The Annie Sloan Chalk Paint, wax, and brushes aren’t cheap but after finishing my painting project, I still had over half of the quart of paint left and over ¾ of the wax. I’ve since used them on several other projects so the initial investment in supplies was well worth it. Also you don’t need to spend any money on paint strippers & primers since no prep work is necessary. My favorite Annie Sloan Chalk Paint project that I did after painting this table is bringing this dated armoire to life:
TV armoire before transformationUsing Annie Sloan Chalk Paint, it’s now one of the most gorgeous pieces in our home:
TV cabinet painted and turned into clothes armoireYou can see more of it in my tour of our guest bedroom {here}. 

One last piece of advice for using Annie Sloan Chalk paint is to have fun! The beauty of painted furniture is that it doesn’t have to be perfect.  Having some imperfections is part of a painted furniture piece’s inherent beauty so have fun with your project and don’t sweat it if the final result isn’t totally perfect – it shouldn’t be. 

Hope you found this post helpful! Be sure and check out my other favorite DIY projects {here}!

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Comments

  1. Hi Kris, I’m curious how your table is holding up? I really want to do this to my kitchen table. But, I have two kids and the table takes a beating everyday! How do you clean it? I worry about spills, caked on food and scratches. Thanks for sharing!

    Reply

    • Hi Angela – our kitchen table gets lots of abuse too so I had a piece of glass cut for the top of the table. That way it’s easy to clean, I never have to worry about stains, and my kids have a smooth surface to do their homework on. The rest of the table has held up very well to being kicked with shoes, scraped with dog nails, etc.! The wax is key!! Good luck with your project!

      Reply

  2. Kris, thank you so much for sharing your experience with the paint. I have been on the fence about whether or not to use ASCP for a project. Your thoughts convinced me it’s the way to go. Thanks again, for your detailed post. Now to chose a color…ugh!!! : )

    Reply

  3. I have read that soaking Annie Sloan’s brushes in water overnight before using helps with the brush hairs being left in the paint or wax. After soaking them and they are dry, you are suppose to run your fingers over them and pull out the hairs that have loosened.

    Great blog! I start painting my first piece tomorrow!

    Reply

    • It’s a good idea before using your brushes to wash them in Dawn dish washer detergent, rinse thoroughly and let them dry overnight. This prepares your brush and you should have less “hairs” or bristles. I agree that using a damp brush, or rinsing your brushes often when using ASCP helps it go on easier, as it does dry quickly. I have found that the wax does smooth out a rough finish just fine and I always apply 2 coats, buffing the next day of course.

      Reply

  5. I don’t wait anytime to buff. I buff immediately and use a polisher (from the big box store) that one would use buffing wax on a car. It makes the surface like glass. I also don’t distress after the wax. I paint, distress, wax and distress more if needed. I love the look the wax gives the distressed portions that you don’t get when you distress afterward. IMHO

    Reply

  7. Wow, good job with the table! Looks really nice. I’m in love with this color, thinking of painting my walls with it. I’m hesitating a bit because I don’t want them to look to brown, it looks so different in different pictures… Would you say it looks more gray or light brownish in for example daylight?

    Reply

    • Hi Andrea! I would definitely say that it looks more gray than brown. Stores that sell AS chalk paint have paint charts of the colors (and our store actually has true painted samples) so you might want to see it in person before committing. In fact your best bet may be to just get a color chart and color match the sample in a typical wall paint because the AS paint could get pretty expensive to use depending upon the size of the painting project. Enjoy your weekend!

      Reply

  9. I need help. I chalk painted a table antique white, applied the clear wax, distressed it and then dark waxed it. It looks horrible. In watching your video, I think I shouldn’t have used the dark wax at all. Can I start over and just paint over what I have? Or does a waxed piece have to be prepped in some way?

    Reply

    • Hi Jane! Actually the video you watched wouldn’t have been mine (I never made a video on using chalk paint) but I can tell you that with Annie Sloan paint and wax, you can just paint back over the wax and try again!

      Reply

  10. Great read‼️ I just finished one of two mirrors for our bathroom. As I was painting then waxing, I kept thinking, “what is all this hype about the paint and waxing???”. Now that I’ve read your thoughts about it, I understand a little better. I still don’t go goo goo for the waxing part but maybe it’ll grow on me⁉️⁉️⁉️ Thank you for posting what you learned. And I ❤️💙❤️💙 your table❣️
    Kimberly

    Reply

  11. I love Annie Sloan chalk paint I am in the process of painting my entire bedroom furniture with coco except for my night stands which are getting robin egg. My curtains and bedding are robin egg and brown. I used the water based poly on mine as we are kinda rough on furniture. Annie Sloan seems expensive but I painted 3 pieces of very dark furniture with coco and it only took one quart. I also love the AS brushes, especially the one that’s like a mop. Your furniture is beautiful and has inspired me to used that color on my next project.

    Reply