Is That Chalk Paint?

​"Is that chalk paint?" is one of the most popular questions we get at The Blue Rose. It is one of the first styles people encounter when they start looking into painted furniture. You've seen it on Pinterest or in a blog, someone you know loves it, or you've seen one of the many little shops that have been popping up around the country. Lots of people are passionate about it and lots of people have questions so let's get this one answered!

Here is the chalk paint break down: Most chalk paint stores specialize in a specific brand of paint. They have usually taken a course or been trained by that brand and should be fluent in how the paint works and what it can do. These chalk paint stores usually have pieces you can buy in store or you can bring a piece in and have it painted. They normally sell their brand of paint and any tools or additional materials you need to complete your project. 

Why people love it. Chalk paint is easy to distress and gives that coveted vintage or rustic look that so many people are currently crazy for! Chalk paint can vary by brand and by recipe, but will typically have plaster or lime or another additive that gives the chalky appearance and texture. (Keep in mind that chalk paint and chalkboard paint are different!). Chalk paint is thicker than other paints and tend to cover lots of surfaces with minimal preparation. They cover imperfections and are less likely to drip and that's why lots of furniture painters love them! Because of the quick, relatively full coverage the paint provides, these stores are usually able to offer classes and projects, were you bring your piece in and have it finished pretty quickly.  A surprising bonus, people have noted that outdoor pieces painted with chalk paint tend to fare well!

That being said, there are other aspects of chalk paint that DIYers should know. One is the cost, typically sold by the quart and with the required wax, the material costs are usually at least double or triple the equivalent in latex paint. *Minimal prep* with an asterisk. Minimal prep doesn't work for a piece that has a stain or finish that could bleed through the paint. You would need to sand it down or look into shellacking it before you begin with chalk paint. Maintenance. It's easy to get started, but there is more to maintain. Once you paint your piece, you'll need to add a wax coat to it for protection. Without the wax the chalk paint is very matte and very absorbent. It will soak up liquid, dirt and oil pretty fast. But, even with the wax, pieces that get lots of use tend to show their wear more quickly with chalk paint. Little kids? Big meals? Lots of sitting, standing, scuffing, scraping, wiping?  Your chalk paint will get dirtier much faster than other painted surfaces. Chalk paint is great for mirrors, picture frames, console tables and decorative pieces. Dining tables and chairs, kids furniture and kitchen cabinets seem to fare the worst. 

So, the answer to the question "is that chalk paint," at The Blue Rose, is usually no. But not always and here is why. 

We have used chalk paint and we will use chalk paint, but we are not exclusively a chalk paint store and we are not currently a retailer for any paints or painting supplies.  Customers that want pieces chalk painted pay for their own chalk paint and supplies (unlike other custom pieces we do where the materials price is included).  They keep their supplies and any leftover paint.  We also make our own chalk paint that we use on pieces in the store when we are in the mood :) 

Which gets to the next most frequent question we receive:

What kind of paint do you use??

Get the answer in our next post!