How to make chalk paint and paint furniture: features and nuances of the process

Why chalk paint is so popular

Designers often use chalk composition to decorate interiors. Finished objects and surfaces are velvety and pleasant to the touch. They look unusual and immediately attract attention. Chalk paint is in great demand due to many other useful properties:

• strength, resistance to wear and abrasion;
• application on different substrates (wood, metal, etc.);
• suitability for painting in absolutely any shades;
• fire safety and environmental friendliness;
• not susceptible to destruction from moisture - walls and furniture can be washed, wiped, cleaned;
• ease of application - the composition does not flow, does not splash, and is suitable for vertical surfaces;
• quick drying and early start of use of surfaces.

Chalk paint has only two disadvantages. The first is that to extend its service life it is recommended to apply special waxes, which increases costs. The second disadvantage comes down to the high price, so many try to make the composition themselves.

Types of graphite paints

The slate mixture is produced and sold in sprays and in liter jars, which require uniform application with a roller or brush. The first option in the form of a spray allows you to use the composition sparingly, since its layer is very thin and uniform over the entire application area. However, when you need to decorate a small section of the wall, hard-to-reach places, you should use paint in a can and a brush.

Chalkboard paint is not just a black base like on a drawing board. Depending on the type of this mixture, there are chalk compositions, magnetic slate and slate.

Cretaceous

Chalk slate consistency is a special composition of a mixture of slate base, which, after drying, becomes rough and matte, suitable for drawing with crayons. Advantages:

1. A solid base for repeated crayon drawing.
2. Environmentally friendly components.
3. Fire safety.
4. Erasing the inscriptions is easy, using water or a sponge.

Chalk paint is applied to a flat, ideal wall surface that has been pre-treated with plaster or putty. The composition has the best adhesion to wood, cement and concrete. The grip on metal is a little worse.

Magnetic slate

Magnetic slate mixture is the use of slate paint coated with a magnetic base. An innovative coating that recently appeared on the market has the ability to hold magnets and apply designs with special markers. Such characteristics are ensured due to the presence of metal chips in the mixture, which does not create a magnetic field, but only closes the magnetic lines.

They paint a plastered wall, a wooden base, plasterboard, and less often metal and ceramic elements with a magnetic slate composition. The hardened coating is suitable for drawing, attaching magnetic educational elements in a child's room, drawing recipes in the kitchen, and reminders in the hallway. The coating is highly resistant to moisture, resistant to mechanical damage, and resistant to direct sunlight.

Slate

Chalkboard mixture is the same composition that is referred to as chalk coating. Its surface is matte, smooth, suitable for repeated drawing with crayons. It is noteworthy that it is not necessary to buy such a composition in a store, since it is possible to make such paint yourself from inexpensive components.

DIY slate or magnetic paint

The price of unique coloring compositions from well-known manufacturers is quite high.
For example, for 1 liter from 600 rubles, in an aerosol such a composition will cost 700 rubles for 400 ml. But, there are options on how to make such a mixture with your own hands, spending three times less money. Preparing slate paint:

1. 1 liter of acrylic paint + 8 tbsp. spoons of dry cement.
2. Mix everything until smooth without lumps or bubbles.
3. Apply to a flat surface.

Preparation of magnetic chalkboard paint:

1. Acrylic paint 1 liter + sifted metal chips 8 tbsp. spoons
2. Mix everything and apply to the required area of ​​the surface.

Cooking recipes

Most often, the basis for homemade paintwork is ready-made acrylic or latex paint for interior work (interior). To provide the product with the desired matte effect, a filler is introduced into it, the role of which can be played by various substances.

Recipe No. 1 - basic

The most popular is a composition based on 2 parts latex paint and 1 part calcium carbonate (pure calcium carbonate). First, calcium carbonate is diluted with hot water until a creamy mass without lumps is obtained. This mass is allowed to cool completely. Meanwhile, color is added to the latex paint, mixed and a calcium carbonate-based paste is added. If this substance is not available, tooth powder can be used instead, but with large volumes of production, the cost of coatings will increase significantly.

Calcium Carbonate for Chalk Paint

Recipe No. 2 - with putty or building plaster

Prepare ¾ part latex or acrylic paint and ¼ part gypsum or dry gypsum putty for walls, as well as water. Gypsum is diluted with a small amount of liquid to form a thick paste. Add the mixture to the tinted paint; if necessary, dilute the mixture with water. The coatings are mixed well and application begins immediately, since the gypsum hardens very quickly.

Recipe No. 3 - with soda

The most inexpensive and accessible option for making a chalk composition is to mix 2/3 parts latex material and 1/3 parts soda. In this case, you can combine soda directly with the paint without diluting, since it dissolves well and practically does not form lumps. To obtain the composition of the desired consistency, it can be diluted slightly with water.

Recipe No. 4 - with tile grout

It is beneficial to prepare such a product if there is still unnecessary grout left after laying the tiles. Take 1 part grout and 2 parts latex paintwork, mix thoroughly and use as intended. If the mass turns out to be thick, dilute it with water.

Grout for tile joints

Recipe No. 5 - with cornstarch

For 2/3 of the finished acrylic (latex) paint, take 1/3 of the starch. The components are mixed and beaten with a construction mixer, gradually adding water until the desired consistency is obtained.

Corn starch

• 1/3 corn food starch
• 2/3 latex paint
• water until the consistency of thick sour cream.

First, mix the starch and paint and only then, if necessary, add the required amount of water. To obtain the required consistency. To densely paint the surface, it is necessary to apply at least two layers.

The surface will be a little rough. It will need to be sanded. But in terms of quality, in general, paint with corn starch is in no way inferior to industrial paint.

Tips for making material

Chalk paint itself is durable and flexible, so you can even buy inexpensive latex or acrylic compounds to make it. In order for the result to please you, you must strictly follow the proportions of the components indicated in the recipes. If the dosage is violated, the mixture may not meet the specified properties - it will roll or clump, or it will be too liquid.

If the paint filler has a gypsum base, then the finished material must be used as quickly as possible, since it cannot be stored. You only need to prepare the paint for one time. Before painting furniture, it is better to make a test portion of the product and apply it to a small area to accurately assess the color and the resulting effect.

Varieties of CM

Chalk paint was first used in 1990 by a British designer. It went on sale under the Chalk Paint brand. The recipe remained secret. Therefore, specimens have been developed that contain different constituent elements. They are all water based and differ in additives. The name of chalk paint depends on them.

1. Natural and synthetic resins are found in resin dyes.
2. Silicates are mineral constituents.
3. If casein is added, then it is milk paint.
4. Flax oil is contained in the oil composition.

Painting creates a smooth or embossed layer. On the first one you can draw. The core of textured or slate CM is acrylic, silicone, latex emulsion.

In order for the slate coating to have the properties of a magnet, metal particles are introduced into the latex composition. Magnetic dye interacts with any material.

The chalkboard effect is created by emulsions of dark shades. In this case, chalk patterns are visible on the surface. Manufacturers have developed colorless formulations. The pigment of the desired color is introduced and converted into a colored slate board.

Mother-of-pearl composition is used to decorate walls and interior items. The ceiling is painted white. You can use the ready-made whitewash composition or prepare it yourself.

The base that comes into contact with fire is coated with fire-resistant paint. To secure the decor, the product is fired with fire. In both situations, chalk compounds are used that can withstand prolonged temperature exposure. They belong to heat-resistant materials. This group includes stained glass paints for painting glass and ceramics.

What kind of furniture is paint suitable for?

The material can be used directly in the house or apartment, because it has no odor. It's great for updating old furniture that you can literally give new life to. With the help of chalk paints and varnishes you can refresh a cabinet, secretary, sideboard, wall, table, chair backs. At minimal cost, the furniture will be completely transformed and will look more stylish thanks to its pleasant matte finish.

In addition to the usual solid coloring, chalk paint can help create unusual effects, for example, artificially aging surfaces. To achieve this result, craftsmen treat some areas with sandpaper, making abrasions.

Also, to ensure an aged look, you can lightly sand the paint along the edges of the furniture fronts: this way the products will look more natural and expensive, and will fit perfectly into the vintage style.

Features of the material

Ready-made chalk paint can be bought at hardware stores, but it is much more convenient and profitable to prepare such a composition yourself.

Most often, the cans indicate that the surface does not need preparation, that is, there is no need to remove the old coating, putty or prime. But, as practice shows, the paint will not always stick and adhere well. Therefore, at least minimal preparation will have to be done.

The most important requirement for the surface to be painted: it must be cleaned of dirt and dust, and degreased. If we are talking about laminated furniture, then at a minimum you will have to wipe it with gasoline or a soap solution (possibly with dishwashing detergent). If a wooden base is to be painted, then you will also have to putty all the existing depressions and flaws.

Before you decide to remodel furniture using chalk paint, it is worth studying some of the features of its use:

• The paint itself dries very quickly, so you will have to work at an accelerated pace;
• After drying, the surface can not only be wiped with a damp cloth, but also washed;
• The material is considered fireproof and can be used for painting walls or furniture in any room;
• Despite the paint’s resistance to abrasion, it is still afraid of strong mechanical influences: just like any other, the surface can be scratched by sharp and hard objects;
• After painting, it is better to protect the surface with wax.

The most popular use of chalk paint among designers is to give antique effects to furniture, doors and other interior elements. For complete coverage, paint is applied in at least two layers, or even three.

Recommendations for paint application

Most often, the material is applied with a brush, and on large surfaces with a sponge or roller. It will not be possible to rub this paint and varnish too much due to the filler in the composition, since it does not lay down in a thin layer. If desired, you can thin the paint a little (this is usually required when working with a roller).

Painting with chalk paints

Before applying paint, it is enough to remove the peeling old coating and degrease the furniture. The first coat of paint is applied in long strokes and left to dry for an hour. The second and third layers are applied later, allowing them to dry naturally. As it dries completely, apply wax to the paint with a brush or sponge, rub it in in a circular motion, and polish with a cotton cloth. If the technology is strictly followed, the surface will be velvety, soft and pleasant to the touch, as well as very unusual and incredibly interesting in appearance.

DIY black wall in the interior of a nursery and kitchen

Slate paint in the interior of an apartment

Vadik became interested in creating an imitation school board in a modern interior with his own hands. We chose a magnetic acrylic primer for the base. For the top coating, we liked Siberia slate paint. According to the instructions, it can withstand 10,000 double erases. Having purchased everything we needed, we set about creating a wall for drawing in the nursery and fragments for writing with chalk in the kitchen.

1. We cleared the area of ​​loose paint and removed the wallpaper.
2. Washed with a special product.
3. Sanded it with sandpaper, making the surface rough.
4. Magnetic slate coating was applied in 2 layers.
5. After drying for 24 hours, coated with primer.
6. We painted it with a roller with slate paint twice.

After two days, the chalk paint was completely dry and hardened. We let the kids try it out.

In the kitchen, a small area was trimmed around the edges with moldings, creating the effect of a blackboard. Magnetic coating was applied to the doors of the hanging cabinet. Now you can hang pictures and instructions not only on the refrigerator.

Benefits of coverage

Seven most common uses:

1. Painted walls look quite original and delight the inhabitants of the apartment, but sometimes the same drawing becomes boring. Using slate coating, the patterns on the wall can be changed as much as you like. To ensure that the image can be easily removed with water and not be erased by involuntary touches of household members, you need to purchase a pastel fixer in the art department of the store.
2. Painting the front door. Residents of the apartment will be able to leave each other messages in which they will tell where they went and when they plan to return. By adding magnetic shavings to the paint, you can attach hooks for keys and various accessories to the door.
3. Paint the refrigerator door. To do this, it is recommended to purchase acrylic paint for plastic. The black-painted refrigerator goes well with other kitchen interior items. In addition, on the painted surface it is convenient to write down sweet messages to household members or a list of tasks that need to be completed in the near future.
4. Drawing board. To make it, it is enough to cover a sheet of plywood or a piece of wood with slate paint. The universal board is used in any part of the apartment: for drawing, teaching a child to write.
5. Modification of the area next to the flight of stairs. Owners of country houses sometimes do not know how to decorate the space near the stairs. A slate covering will help turn this area into a place for notes or drawing.
6. In families with children, it is advisable to apply slate coating to the furniture in their room. For example, every compartment on a wardrobe. And then sign what wardrobe items are stored in each section. The child will be happy to draw on a painted surface, and at the same time will learn order.
7. Painting the wall above the desk. The magnetized surface will make it possible to attach cheat sheets without pins. You can create a schedule for the work week on the wall. There is no need to paint the wall dark gray. The paint is matched to the color of the tiles or wallpaper.

Self-production

Ready-made paints are sold in cans and can be applied using a roller or brush. The second type of packaging is aerosol cans, which can be used to easily and quickly paint. This kind of paint will be expensive. Before use, you need to study the instructions, technology, consumption per m2.

There is a third option for slate paint: make it yourself at home. This slate paint is cheaper in price.

First cooking method

Recipe:

1. You will need cement - 30g
2. Acrylic paint – 200g

Mix the two ingredients well.

Purchased paint may contain various additives, such as marble chips. This results in a durable coating applied. You can also add it to a homemade one, since without the additional substance the wall will quickly scratch.

One of the difficult stages is choosing a color from the color range. It is not necessary to use black or brown standard colors (blue, dark blue, and gray colors from Siberia are popular). You can match the color of the wallpaper or tiles. Be sure to respect the proportions.

Second cooking method

Compound:

• Water – 30 ml
• Cement or cement-based putty - 30 ml
• Acrylic varnish with matte effect - 30 ml
• Colored acrylic paint – 60 ml

Pour cement into a pre-prepared container to create a rough surface. We combine it with paint, which will give the desired color, and the varnish will create plasticity. Stir and add water, stir again until smooth. The finished mixture should be free of lumps. Applying homemade paint consists of the same steps as store-bought paint.